Z1205/199

Female. Veterinary surgeon. Rural practice. b. 06.11.1953 SIDE A (00 mins)Born in Rugby, Warwickshire. Father was Scottish and an engineer and stepmother from Norfolk. Real mother, from Westmorland, died when she was 4. Father was a steam turbine consultant. Stepmother's father, Uncle Jim, came to stay with them - the only grandparent in her life. Elder brother and sister and a twin sister. (05 mins)Brother was sent as a boarder to Bedford School and sheremembers weekends rides on the new M1 motorway from Rugby to Junction 13 in Bedfordshire to attend rowing regattas in Bedford. He brother was a rowing cox. Remembers the many brick factory chimneys and the distinctive smell of their exhaust fumes. When she was 18 her parents moved to live in Ickwell and she went to Cambridge University to study to be a veterinary surgeon for 6 years. First posts after completion, in Glasgow and County Durham, then Rugby. Married a local man she met in Ickwell. Set up a vet practice in Ickwell, based on their farmhouse. (10 mins)Wanted to be a vet ever since first visit with her dog to a vet. Has now practiced for over 20 years in Bedfordshire. Pre-college work experience with a vet and first operations on animals. Changed public expectations of vets, following dramas and documentaries on television. Dealing with customer's grief when animal put down. (15 mins)Now dealing with second generation of customers and third family dogs. Bedfordshire being primarily an arable county, there are fewer cattle to deal with. Dealing a lot with horses here. (20 mins)As many as 50 horses in Ickwell area alone. Hunting with hounds still active in county (but awaiting possible legislation to ban it). Had some exotic animal experience as a student with Bedfordshire zoos. Changes in animal treatment over last 20 years. (25 mins)Range of new treatments and equipment now available to veterinary surgery. Now works part-time and has another vet working for her in her practice (semi-retired). Emergency calls. (32 mins)End of Side A SIDE B (00 min)Practice serves approximately 10 mile radius in north-east of county and over into Cambridgeshire / Hertfordshire. After 15 years based at Ickwell. Moved to Shuttleworth agricultural College, Old Warder. Bricks her farmhouse are built with were produced locally form a clay pit at Ickwell. Concern for difficulties experienced by small farmers. (05 mins)Health scares - salmonella in eggs, BSE and foot and mouth - affecting farming. Horse and small animal side of veterinary practice going from strength to strength. Advent of computers brought the biggest change in her life but better communications had brought more stress through expectations of immediate action. Enjoys way of life with her family in Ickwell, with its village green and cricket pitch, maypole and horses and their historic farmhouse. (10 mins)End of Side B Original Interview 40 mins.

4 February 2003

From: 1950 To: 2003

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vet, Bedford Modern School, M1, pollution, chimneys, Cambridge University, dogs, horses, hunting, zoos, Old Warden Shuttleworth College, farms, village greens, animals, pets, Rugby Union, Westmorland, Ickwell, Old Warden