Bob Hepple was born at Sook Hill Farm, Cawburn, near Haltwhistle in 1891.   Bob had always preferred helping out with the sheep on his father’s farm and dedicated his life to shepherding on the hills in the Tynedale area.  This week I got the pleasure of transcribing the oral history recordings from 1974 where Bob talks about his life working on the hills.   Listening to Bob talk it was obvious that he had loved his job – at one point saying that shepherding is a vocation rather than just a job.  At the time of the interview, he would have been 83 years old and still looking after sheep!  He explains the life of a shepherd with sufficient depth that on more than one occasion Robin Gard, the archivist conducting the interview, comments that he’ll be a shepherd by the end of their chat. 

A large part of the interview is based on Mr. Hepple talking through a year in the life of the shepherd.  He starts with May as hirings took place in that month, this would be when the shepherd would start work.  Lambing would finish in mid-May.  Lambing was done in the field; it was cold work.  A straightforward birth could take place in half an hour; a more complicated birth required intervention from the shepherd whether that was to move the lamb in the correct position for the ewe or dealing with the arrival of twins or even triplets.  Some lambs sadly wouldn’t make it; the surviving ewe would be introduced to another lamb to take on.  Next, the lambs would then be marked for the allocated ‘cut’ of land or part of the hill that they would live on.  The size of the cut and the number of sheep upon depended on the size of the farm; sheep generally recognised where their ‘home’ was and mostly stayed true to it, if they did wander into the land of a neighbouring farm, they would be retrieved using the sheepdogs.  Tup lambs would be castrated and later sold on, the best one’s were kept for the ewes. 

Sheep shearing would start the end of May, early June subject to the weather.  Bob preferred to use shears and would stand using his knee to keep the sheep still.  Starting down one side of the neck and then the other; most sheep were docile, but the odd one would give him a kick.  Knowing when to start the shearing was important, if it was done too early the sheep could get sunburnt in the summer.  The timing was right when the new wool was visible and the neck was bare.  All the sheep, except the lambs, would be clipped, it took about four-minutes per sheep by hand, producing roughly 8lb of wool.  The clipped wool would be folded, bound, tied and sold in bulk.  Sometimes shepherds would wash the sheep in the river so that the wool could be sold for a better price. 

After clipping the sheep would be dipped to get rid of ‘keds’ insects like tics and spiders.  A long trough would be used, the sheep put in it, the head ducked beneath the water and they swam out; it was done twice a year, after clipping and before the winter.  Some of the sheep, hoggs and wedders (castrated males) would be sold in a summer market at Haltwhistle, some later in the year.  The age of the sheep was identified by a mark on the horn; ewes were known by age, lambs, hoggs (aged 1), gimmers (aged 2), young ewes (aged 3) and draft ewes after that.  By October it was time to take the hoggs to be ‘wintered’, which was a common practice.  When Mr. Hepple worked at Whitfield, the hoggs were taken to Bardon Mill for the winter, a walk of about 10-12 miles over the hills with sheep and dogs, the sheep would be looked after another shepherd until they were collected in the following March. 

November was market time again, some of the male tups and older ‘draft’ ewes aged 6-7 would be sold.   The tups and ewes, from the age of gimmers up, would be kept separate until mid-November; the younger ewes having been taken elsewhere for the winter.  Tups were sometimes bought or ewes taken to a tup at another farm avoid in-breeding.   Five tups would be enough for 20-score (400) sheep.  The winters were cold and harsh, Mr. Hepple recalled having to dig the sheep out of the snow in a particularly bad winter, he was lucky never to have got frostbite! 

Bob would collect the ‘wintered’ sheep on 1^st March.  When he wasn’t lambing, shearing and dipping there were numerous daily duties to be done, including the sheep being ‘turned in’ and ‘turned out’ each day, moving them from the hilltops to the lower grazing ground, dressing lame feet, moving any sheep that got stuck, checking drains, helping possibly with hay or other duties on the farm as well as training the sheepdog puppies.  Lambing would usually commence early April to bring us to the end of the year in the life of a shepherd. 

If you would like to hear Bob Hepple talk about different aspects of the shepherding year and a little about his life outside shepherding, why not listen to November’s podcast which will be available to listen to later this month. 

This Remembrance Sunday we proudly remember some of the men who bravely fought in the First World War for the Northumberland Fusiliers, insights into their life and sadly their deaths as they were reported in the press at the time. 

Pte. 2295 Fred Lyons of Felton served with 7th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers 

Fred was the son of Margaret Lyons, of Morpeth and the late Edward Lyons and is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres. 

Newspaper article 22 May 1915 – Death of Private Fred Lyons of Felton. 

Official notice was received on Saturday last by Mr and Mrs Lyons [of] Morpeth of the death of their son, Fred Lyons, a private in the 7th N.F. The announcement said he was at first posted as missing but now they had definite information of his death. Private Lyons enlisted in August last and was called to the colours in September. His earlier training was at Alnwick and later at Cambois, where he was stationed until the 7th left for the front on April 20th. He seems to have come out of his first engagement unwounded, for on a postcard received from him dated May 3rd he informs his friends that he was quite well. Another postcard dated May 5th reached Felton from Private Lambert and said Fred had been killed, having been shot by a sniper through the back. This news caused sad forebodings for all knew that Fred was well known to the writer of the postcard. Hope was not altogether abandoned, however, until Saturday. His death cast quite a gloom over the village. While at Felton he was employed by the Cooperative Society, and his bright and cheery disposition, with a kind word for everybody, made him a general favourite. During the football season his spare moments were usually devoted to that pastime. His services as goalkeeper were highly appreciated at the Felton Club, and in that capacity he was a familiar figure on the grounds covered by the North Northumberland League. He played occasionally at cricket but football was his strong point. Being the first from Felton to give his life for King and Country he will be long held in remembrance. He was in his 31st year. 

Pte. 1469 James Moir of East Chevington Drift, late of Ashington, served with 7th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers.  

Son of James and Annie Moir, 5 Linhope Terrace, East Chevington Drift, late of Ashington. 

James was wounded at Ypres in 1915.  Morpeth Herald 12 May 1916 – MOIR- Killed in action, April 13th 1916, Pte James Moir, N.F.,  “The face I loved is now laid low. The fond true heart is still, the hand I clasped when saying good-bye, lies now in death’s cold chill. Ever remembered by his father mother, brothers and sisters and sister-in-law. 

Died 13 April 1916, age 24yrs, buried at La Laiterie Military Cemetery.  

L/Cpl. 1535 Thomas Cuthbertson of Chathill, served with 7th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers 

Death of a Sea Houses Soldier –  The news was received at Sea Houses on Friday evening, of the death from wounds received in action of Lance Corporal Thomas Cuthbertson, 7th N.F., at the General Hospital, Wimereux, Boulogne. Lance Corporal Cuthbertson, who was the youngest son of Mrs Cuthbertson, the respected hostess of the Bamburgh Castle Hotel, Seahouses, was in the service of the Bank of Liverpool at their Belford Branch. A member of the Territorial Force, he offered himself for foreign service on the outbreak of the war. He was only in his 19th year, and was a fine manly fellow, a typical soldier, and very popular was a large circle of friends. 

Pte.19/230 William Atkinson Henderson of Wooler, served with 19th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers 

Only son of Isabella Henderson, Wooler, and the late James Henderson. Husband of Annie Mary Henderson. 

Died 27 Nov. 1916, aged 26yrs. Buried Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery, Arras. 

Berwick Advertiser 8 Dec. 1916 – DIED OF WOUND – Died of wounds received in action on the 27th Nov. 1916.  

Staff Driver M2/116833 Charles Bonnier of Alnwick, served with Army Service Corps 

Staff Driver C. Bonnier – Mr & Mrs C.W. Bonnier, Alnwick, have received official news that their eldest son, Staff Driver Charles Bonnier, of the Royal Army Service Corps, died in hospital in France on the 22nd December, the result of injuries received while on duty. Staff Driver Bonnier served as apprenticeship with Messrs. Reavell Bros., ironmongers, etc., Alnwick, but afterwards his attention was devoted to motor driving, and was chauffeur for Mr Stobart, of Selby Hall, Darlington. Ultimately he enlisted into the Royal Army Service Corps, and at the front he became attached to the Headquarters Staff. He was highly esteemed by his officers, and much sympathy is felt for his bereaved parents, who have another son serving the colours and one in training in Australia. 

Death 22 Dec. 1916. Buried Longuenesse (St Omer) Souvenir Cemetery.