Sheep on the streets of London
Woolly groundskeepers at work in the city
Alex Q. Arbuckle
1926-1938
Welcome harbingers of Spring are now to be seen in Hyde Park. - "THE SHEPHERD AND HIS FLOCK," 1920
In the 1920s and 1930s, sheep were routinely introduced into London parks to keep the grass under control and reduce mowing costs.Shepherds competed for the privilege of grazing their flocks on Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Clapham Common and other pastures around the city.George Donald once brought his flock all the way down from Aberdeen, Scotland. Considering the difficulty involved in transporting hundreds of sheep over 500 miles, this caused a bit of consternation in Parliament. Sir Harry Brittain asked, "Were not any English sheep available?"Though these woolly lawnmowers were eventually barred from grazing in the city in the late 1950s, they have recently experienced a resurgence. In 2010, sheep were introduced to Hampstead Heath as an eco-friendly alternative to machine mowing.
What else can show the eye a canvas such as this? A browsing flock, man’s diligent friend, the sheepdog. Little wonder that passersby look on with contentment at such beauty. - "London Shepherd," 1948
