Brian Sinclair
Encyclopedia
Wallace Brian Vaughan Sinclair (27 September 1915 - 13 December 1988), universally known as Brian, was a British
veterinary surgeon
who worked for a time with his elder brother Donald
and Alf Wight
(better known under his pen name of 'James Herriot
'). He worked as a student vet employed by his brother, until graduating from the Royal (Dick) Veterinary College
in Edinburgh
in 1943, subsequently joining the Army Veterinary Corps in India
. On demobilisation, he joined the Ministry of Agriculture's Sterility Advisory unit, rising to become head of the Veterinary Investigation Centre in Leeds
.
He was the model for the character 'Tristan Farnon
' in Wight's semi-autobiographical novels, which were later adapted to the big screen in two films, and television under the name All Creatures Great and Small.
Unlike his elder brother, who for some time saw the books as a great trial of his friendship with Wight, Brian made no objections to Wight's ne'er-do-well portrayal of him, and in fact seemed rather to enjoy the celebrity, appearing on television and lecturing at veterinary schools all over the UK and elsewhere.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
veterinary surgeon
Veterinarian
A veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
who worked for a time with his elder brother Donald
Donald Sinclair (veterinary surgeon)
Donald Vaughan Sinclair was a British veterinary surgeon made famous as the eccentric character Siegfried Farnon in the semi-autobiographical books of James Herriot , later adapted for film and television as All Creatures Great and Small.- Royal Air Force service :In 1939 he bought an existing...
and Alf Wight
James Herriot
James Herriot was the pen name of James Alfred Wight, OBE, FRCVS also known as Alf Wight , an English veterinary surgeon and writer, who used his many years of experiences as a veterinarian to write a series of books of stories about animals and their owners...
(better known under his pen name of 'James Herriot
James Herriot
James Herriot was the pen name of James Alfred Wight, OBE, FRCVS also known as Alf Wight , an English veterinary surgeon and writer, who used his many years of experiences as a veterinarian to write a series of books of stories about animals and their owners...
'). He worked as a student vet employed by his brother, until graduating from the Royal (Dick) Veterinary College
Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies
The Royal School of Veterinary Studies, commonly referred to as the Dick Vet, is the veterinary school of the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.Professor Elaine Watson has been head of the school since 1 August, 2003 .-History:...
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
in 1943, subsequently joining the Army Veterinary Corps in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. On demobilisation, he joined the Ministry of Agriculture's Sterility Advisory unit, rising to become head of the Veterinary Investigation Centre in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
.
He was the model for the character 'Tristan Farnon
Tristan Farnon
Tristan Farnon may refer to:* Tristan A. Farnon, American web-comic author* Tristan Farnon, character in the works of James Herriot, based on the real-life Brian Sinclair...
' in Wight's semi-autobiographical novels, which were later adapted to the big screen in two films, and television under the name All Creatures Great and Small.
Unlike his elder brother, who for some time saw the books as a great trial of his friendship with Wight, Brian made no objections to Wight's ne'er-do-well portrayal of him, and in fact seemed rather to enjoy the celebrity, appearing on television and lecturing at veterinary schools all over the UK and elsewhere.