The Yetholm Farmers

     Our April lecture for the 2024/25 season was given last night by David McLean. His subject was ‘The Farm Servants of South- East Scotland, 1750-1914’ and was much appreciated by all who attended. For the poster advertising the talk we used the postcard-image from our archives shown above. It is a striking group portrait with the title 'The Yetholm Farmers'. Unfortunately none of these characters are named and their identities have been presumed lost. However,  it possible to precisely date the image and this dating may offer a way to uncover one or two names.
   The image is dateable because we have another postcard in our collection, clearly taken on the same occassion, in which several of this group also feature:

   As can be seen, this one is entitled 'Yetholm Shepherds Show 1913 Prize Winners'. Fortunately for us local newspapers of the time covered the event in great detail and in the list of prize-winners one name stands out - John Ballantyne. This man takes first prize in at least seven categories and in one class - Hill Cheviot Gimmer - is placed both first and third, It was obviously a triumphant day for him and he was duly awarded the Championship Silver Cup:

Newcastle Journal - Monday 13 October 1913.

John Ballantyne of Hindhope was born in c.1877. He was the son of Elliot Ballantyne, who died in 1924:

Jedburgh Gazette - Friday 8th February 1924

John spent his entire working life in the upper-Kale valley. Presumably in 1913 he was still working with his father and one suspects that some of the sheep which won prizes at that date were the result of his father's expertise. Elliot Ballantyne's name hardly ever appears in lists of show-winners, despite his 'pack' being 'always prominent in the showyard', whereas his son is mentioned as early as 1901, when he was in his early 20s. After his father died, John, now married, became the tenant at Beirhope where he remained until he retired in 1943. He died in 1955. What would he have made of the alpacas which now feature at that farm?

   If the photographs really do show the 1913 prizewinners then it is inconceivable that John Ballantyne is not included. John would have been about 25 in 1913 and the person who seems to be about that age is the man on the right of the image above. His position at the centre of the photograph would certainly be appropriate for someone who had swept the board in most of the sheep categories that year.
    The gentleman with the cravatte and watch-chain, on the left, also features in both images. Who might he be? At this point free-wheeling speculation takes over. It is possible that he is Walter Little of Peelinick. Walter was a very prominent shepherd, breeder and writer on such matters in the area at that time. He was certainly present at Yetholm Show that year (as he was every year) -  according to the Southern Reporter 'the veteran Mr Walter Little of Peelanick was a close second' to John Ballantyne in the Hill Ewe class and he also took prizes in two other classes, as well as being chief prize-winner with his dogs. Walter did not do as well as John in 1913, but in other years he came out on top, both with his sheep and his dogs. Walter was born in 1850, so would have been 63 in 1913. We have a (rather faded, below) photograph of Walter when he was a very young man - could the somewhat grizzled 'veteran' shown in the 1913 photographs be the same person? .

Walter Little of Peelinck, as a young man.

    Newspaper records show that John Ballantyne frequently entered his sheep in competitions well into the 1930s - at the JedForest Show, the Upper Kalewater Show, Alwinton and elsewhere. He and Walter were near neighbours (relatively speaking!) and presumably friendly rivals. The isolated and  now-abandonned cottage at Peelinick is one of the most evocative survivals of hill-farming life of that period in the Cheviots. Walter brought up eight children in this cottage - they, like the Ballantyne children, would have attended the now deserted school at Towford. Walter died in 1928 and was buried in Hownam kirkyard.
    Both men devoted their lives to shepherding and were keen showmen - it must have been quite a trek to bring their animals the 15 miles or so, every year, to the show in Yetholm. Ironically, despite the label on the post-card, neither men could really be described as 'Yetholm Farmers' - 'Kalewater Farmers' would be more accurate - but hopefully they enjoyed their yearly visit to our village.

Peelinick today.

Walter Little obituary - Jedburgh Gazette, Friday 27th January 1928