Graham Oliver hails from a respected Northumbrian shepherding family – both his grandfathers and three of his uncles were shepherds, plus his brother is one, too. ‘I was born at a time when shepherds’ sons became shepherds and farmer’s sons were guaranteed to farm,’ he observes with a smile. ‘Dad drove and Mum didn’t, so if we weren’t on a bike, we were in among the sheep. Everything at home was sheep-orientated and we began helping out as soon as we could.’
Indeed, one of Mr Oliver’s earliest memories involves one of the flock. ‘Dad had an old show ewe that we called the knocker, because she’d chase Stuart and me around the shed when we were dressing sheep [preparing them for shows or the sale ring],’ he recalls.
Having spent his life working on farms in the Borders, Mr Oliver is currently based on a farm near Wooler in the Cheviots. After 40 years in the job, he’s seen huge changes, the main one being that far fewer people are now involved in shepherding. ‘Thirty or so years ago, three men took care of the ground I look after now. Each man had 400 to 500 sheep and he’d walk around them. Now, we have quad bikes and one man looks after 1,500.
‘Previous generations had nothing on the medicine side – my grandfather used to talk about dosing hogs (year-old sheep) with diluted pig muck, but I don’t think sheep are healthier now, or bigger.’
Mr Oliver feels that the future of his profession is uncertain and, indeed, his three children have taken different career paths, although they enjoy helping their father when they can. ‘In the past, family reputation got us jobs, but there aren’tas many following on,’ he notes. ‘I’m not sure where the shepherds of the future will come from.’
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Credit: ©Richard Cannon/Country Life Picture Library
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The gravedigger: Digging graves by hand, putting aside emotions and his hopes for his own final resting placeAlan Munnery has spent the last 20 years working as a gravedigger at one of Europe's biggest cemeteries, which happens to be just outside Woking. He spoke to Tessa Waugh; portraits by Richard Cannon.
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The dry stone wall builder: 'Every metre of wall contains a ton of stone. You really feel it after a hard week.'This week's Living National Treasure is Anthony Gorman, a man who has spent his life building beautiful walls by hand across Northumbria. He spoke to Tessa Waugh; portraits by Richard Cannon.
