Shepherds from the mine

Series

Series Name: Mining Review 1st Year

Issue

Issue No.

Date Released

Dec 1947

Length of issue (in feet)

858

Stories in this Issue:

Story

Story No. within this Issue

2 / 3

Summary

BFI Summary - A miner who is also a shepherd.
COI Commentary - Of course, there is other coal in Gloucestershire, and modern means of getting it. Here the shifts are changing at one of the larger collieries. Just on the edge of the Forest of Dean.
The land here is a series of gentle hills and vales; ideal sheep country ... so what’s more natural than some miners should tend a few sheep of their own.
And here comes Bill Watson with his dog. Bill’s got a few sheep ... not too many, but enough to provide an interesting hobby.
It’s time his were sheared ... so this evening he’s going to round ‘em up and get some work done.
John Kear is a miner too ... though he’s shepherd for the moment ... and has he perhaps seen Bill Watson’s flock?
"Why yes; they’ll be over there, behind those big trees".
There’ll be no mistake about their identity as each animal is marked with its owner’s initials ... BW for Bill Watson.
"Ah! That’s them!" ... and here’s where the sheep-dog proves his worth. In fact, sheep-dogs area necessity. They are usually trained by the miners themselves ... Many of them compete at the local trials, and some of them are prizewinners.
These puppies of Bill Watson’s are the offspring of a local champion. They might be champs themselves one day ...
All that remains to be done now is the shearing ... but when you’ve tried it yourself, you’ll know that it’s not as simple as it sounds.
Yes, it’s a good healthy pastime, and a welcome on for miners.
There’s not a lot of money in it, but as John Kear says:
"It isn’t what you make; but while your tending them you’re not out spending".

Keywords

Mining; Animal husbandry

Written sources

The National Archives INF 6 /389 Used for synopsis
British Film Institute Databases
Hogenkamp, A. P., unpublished DPhil thesis pxii.

Credits:

Production Co.: Crown Film Unit
Cutter: Jocelyn Jackson
Cutter: John Legard
Producer: John Taylor
Commentator: Maurice Denham
Director: Max Anderson
Sponsor: Ministry of Fuel and Power

This series is held by:

Film Archive

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