|
In Times Past |
| Over the last twenty years we
have been collecting information and books about
Portlands and sheep keeping in general. There is a
history of the Portland sheep gleaned from these sources
and others elswhere on this site. This section records
some of the interesting facts and quotes that have caught
our eye. They are in no particular order and will be added to as time and inclination allow. One thing that strikes you when going back one hundred years or more was the high regard that shepherds were held in. John Smith the shepherd was never called John Smith by his employers and others but Shepherd Smith. To be a shepherd was an honerable calling and they were well respected. An aspect of sheep keeping that has changed dramatically are the remedies and treaments used. Things like arsenic, carbolic acid and Roman vitriol being among the chemicals in the old shepherd's arsenal! Richard Jeffries 1880 'If any labourers deserve to be well paid, it is the shepherds; upon their knowledge and fidelity the principal profit of a whole season depends on so many farms. The Shepherd has a distinct individuality and is generally a much more observant man in his own shire than the ordinary labouer. He knows every single field in the whole parish and what kind of weather best suits its soil.' sobp40 More to be added soon....................... |
