Woburn Sheepshearing

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The Woburn Sheepshearing print of 1811 is a famous image, and original copies hang in several houses in Eversholt. I [EJW] have always wanted to publish a good copy of the picture, but the originals are all encased behind glass, making photography difficult. I had intended to ask Sally Abbis if I could unseal her copy, but she died before I had a chance. However, Richard Abbiss very kindly lent me her copy shortly after her death, and gave permission to remove it from the frame for photography. Thank you, Richard.

As far as I know, there is no Eversholt connection at all to the image, but it’s still a nice picture. There’s a copy in the British Museum, the National Trust has one, and originals and copies are for sale commonly online, but this may be the highest resolution digital copy available for free.

Here is a jpeg version of the print. This is a 27Mbyte jpeg, a 110 megapixel image, so some computers might struggle to view it. Click for the big version if you dare! You can right-click this small image here and download the jpeg and view it locally if you want, rather than just click and hope the browser can handle it. I [EJW] place this copy in the public domain. That’s 9 hours of my life I’ll never see again 🙂 There are details of how the picture was made at Photographing Big Documents. The brown shading is present on the paper copy, which was, long ago, folded into three.

The image above is slightly contrast-enhanced to make up for fading of the print. I do have the 2Gbyte photoshop file still if anyone would like to try and make a better version. Leave a comment if you’d like access.

This image below is a reduced-resolution version of the one above, one quarter the number of pixels. It might be more suitable for some purposes. It’s a 9 Mbyte jpeg. Click for the big version, or again, right-click and save.

The text below is a direct transcription of every character (I hope) of the text in the print above, retaining the capitalisation, punctuation, spelling and spacing.

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Wobourn Sheepshearing
Dedicated by Permiſsion to
His Grace the Duke of Bedford
By his Grace’s most obedient and very humble Servant
George Garrard

The description begins at the left hand corner. 1^st the Shepherd¹ leaning on his crook. A Southdown Tup, led out by a Shepherds² Boy. Portraits, Sir Andrew³ Corbett, H.Hanmer⁴, Meſs^rs. Reeves⁵, Honnibone⁶, Stubbins⁷, D^r. Cartwright⁸, Sir Tho^s. Hanmer⁹, M^r. Smith¹⁰, Lord Dundas¹¹, The Rev^d. Bate¹² Dudley, R^t. Hon^ble. John¹³ Foster, Marquis¹⁴ of Tavistock, L^d. Ludlow¹⁵, Ld.Thanet¹⁶, Conyers¹⁷, Towers¹⁸, & R^t. Bing¹⁹, Esq^rs. Meſs^rs. Wilson²⁰, Buckley²¹, Walton²², Stone²³ & Runciman²⁴, Sir Tho^s25. Miller, M^r. Fary²⁶, Sect^ry. to the Smithfield Club. D^r. Yates³⁷ of Bedford. The Rev^d M^r. Smernhove²⁷, Envoy from Ruſsia. To commemorate the encouragement given by the late & Present Dukes of Bedford, to the Art of modelling Cattle, an Artist is represented in the Foreground distributing Models to the four Infant Sons of his Grace, L^d. Wriothorsley²⁸, L^ds Edward²⁹, Charles³⁰, & L^d Francis³¹ John, this compartment is releived by the Exhibition Room, on which the Prize Carcases⁺ are hung.

2^nd In the Centre of the Picture a Portrait of his Grace the Duke³² of Bedford, mounted on his favorite Irish Mare, inspecting a piece of Broad Cloth, presented by M^r. George³³ Tollett of his own Merino growth. L^d. Somerville³⁴, M^r. Cha^s. Gordon³⁵ Grey & M^r. Curwen³⁶ M.P. form the principal Group. a Shepherd³⁸ leading out a new Leicester Tup. Portraits of L^d. Winchelsea³⁹ Sir Watkin⁴⁰ William Wynne, H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence⁴¹, and M^r. Elman⁴². In the Background, M^r. Northey⁴³, M.P. on horseback inspecting some Swedish Turnips, presented by M^r. Tho^s. Gibbs, M Astley⁴⁴, Ld. William⁴⁵ Ruſsell. Charles Callis⁴⁶ Westurn Esq^r M.P. Sir Charles⁴⁷ Bunbury, Hugh⁴⁸ Hoare and Lee⁴⁹ Anthony Esq^rs. M.P. L^d Sheffield⁵⁰ and M^r. Sitwell⁵¹, M^r. Marshall⁵² Author of Agricultural Works, & Sir Tho^s.⁵³ Carr with other Gentlemen inspecting a pair of Scotch Oxen. also Portraits Sir Harry⁹¹ Fetherstone Major⁹⁰ Battin L^d Egremont⁸⁹ and an extended group of Carriages & Horsemen.

3^rd The Duke of Bedfords second & third Sons painted in 1805. L^d William⁵⁴ & L^d. John⁵⁵ Ruſsell, in the foreground, Samuel⁵⁶ Whitbread & William⁵⁷ Adam Esq^rs M.P. speaking to a herdsman. Mr. Isted⁵⁸ and Col^l. Cunningham⁵⁹ inspecting Cattle. Also Meſs^rs. Lechmere⁶⁰, Westcar⁶¹, Wakefield⁶² & Crook⁶³, the late Godfrey Thornton⁶⁴ & M^r. Higgins⁶⁵, L^d. Oſsery⁶⁶, The Duke of Manchester⁶⁷, L^d. Bridgewater⁶⁸, and an extended Group of Noblemen and Gentlemen. In this part of the composition the principal Animals consist of a group of Sheep of various breeds. In the Foreground Southdown^A, Leicester^B, Welch^C & Spanish^D, the Oakley Hereford^E Bull under the Trees. The Wobourn Ox Feeder at the head of the Bull talking to Mr. Westcars Herdsman who fed all the beautiful Oxen that have been sent from Creslow. In the distance before the Cart Horse Stable, a Suffolk^F Punch, Yokes of Oxen, &c, &c.

4^th Arthur⁶⁹ Young Esq^r. Sect^ry to the Board of Agriculture, conversing with Sir John Sinclair⁷⁰, Pre^d. B.A. Sir Joseph⁷¹ Banks, K.B. and Tho^s. Will^m.⁷² Coke, Esq^r. M.P. Meſs^rs. Overman⁷³ and Monyhill⁷⁴. Davy⁷⁵ the celebrated Chemist. Meſs^rs. Pickford⁷⁶, Moore⁷⁷, Reynelle⁷⁸, and Oakley⁷⁹, Sir George⁸⁰ Osbourne, Sir John⁸¹ Sebright, Col^l. Beaumont⁸², M^r. Praed⁸³, Jun^r. M^r. Waters⁸⁴ & M^r. George Baker⁸⁵ of Durham, in the distance the Rev^d. M^r. Hutton⁸⁶ M^r Salmon⁸⁷, Resident Surveyor, leaning on a Plough.

In this compartment of the Picture the Durham or Tees Water^G Fat Ox & Scotch^H Bulls are seen, in the front of the great Barn, the fat Pigs in the distance, a Devon fat Heifer, with other Cattle & Sheep under the Trees. Two Men Shearing for a Prize in the Foreground, in the presence of the leading Members of the Board of Agriculture above mentioned.

The numbers over the names refer to numbers on or near each of the Portraits, which are readily seen with a Glass.

Stipled and Outline Etched by M.N.Bate
Figures and Landscape by J.C.Stadler
Lined by T.Morris, Pupil to the late celebrated M^r. Woolet
The whole touched and arranged by the original Painter.

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The table below lists all the people referenced above, expanding their names. Every person referenced appears to be male.

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Name	Position	Reference
	Shepherd	1
	Shepherd’s boy	2
Sir Andrew Corbett	1st Bart (re-creation) of Moreton Corbet; seat, Acton Reynauld. 1766 (?) – 1835.	3
H Hanmer	Of Great Brickhill???	4
Reeves		5
Honnibone		6
Stubbins		7
Dr Cartwright		8
Sir Thomas Hanmer	Presumably, 2nd Bart (2nd creation) and MP for Flintshire. 1747-1828	9
Smith		10
Thomas Dundas	Lord Dundas, 1st Baron Dundas 1741-1820	11
Sir Henry Bate Dudley	Rector, among other things. 1745-1824. Wikipedia	12
Right Honourable John Foster	1st Baron Oriole, 1740-1828 Irish Peer and MP	13
Francis Russell 1788-1861	Marquis of Tavistock 7th Duke of Bedford	14
Augustus Ludlow 1755-1811	Lord Ludlow, 2nd Earl Ludlow, at Cople	15
Sackville Tufton 1769-1825	Lord Thanet, 9th Earl of Thanet	16
Conyers		17
Towers		18
Robert Bing		19
Wilson		20
Buckley		21
Walton		22
Stone		23
Runciman		24
Sir Thomas Miller 1731-1816	5th Baronet of Chichester	25
John Fary, Senior 1766-1826 John Farey, Senior	Secretary to the Smithfield Club Once land agent to the 5th Duke. Wikipedia	26
Dr Yates	of Bedford	37
Rev Smernhove Smirnov?	Envoy from Russia	27
Lord Wriothorsley Russell Lord Wriothesley Russell 1804-1886	Child of the 6th Duke of Bedford Wikipedia	28
Lord Edward Russell 1805-1887	Child of the 6th Duke of Bedford Wikipedia	29
Lord Charles James Fox Russell Lord Charles Russell 1807-1894	Child of the 6th Duke of Bedford Wikipedia	30
Lord Francis John 1809 ?-?	Child of the 6th Duke of Bedford	31
To Be Continued!		32
		33
		34
		35
		36
		37
		38
		39
		40
		41
		42
		43
		44
		45
		46
		47
		48
William Lee Anthony William Lee Antonie	MP for Bedford. 1764-1815. Wikipedia and Whitbread and Russell	49