Shepherding in the 1950s

Ardkinglas Estate
Ardkinglas Estate is stalked with approximately 8500 black face sheep.
Tups would go out 25th November.
Lambs would start after 20th April.

Landslide at Clachan side away with the old fank????
Landslide at Lowburn 1954.

There was 9 shepherds employed in 1959
Average wool price - £1a fleece
Michael Noble brought in electric shears in the 1950's but the shepherds didn't like them as they hadn't been shown how to work them.
Average lamb price - £2/10s - £3
Average cast ewe price - £2/10s - £5
Average price of a wether - £3/5s - £7
Average price for a working dog - £5 or you were given a pup!
A trainee shepherd's starting wage -£3 per week, a shepherd would get approximately £5 - £7 per week.
Ardkinglas archives - shepherds wages 1952

Ardkinglas archives - shepherds wages 1958

Donald MacPherson’s wage slip for 24 weeks, November 1954 - May 1955

Ardkinglas archives - sheep and wool prices 1953 - 1960

Ardkinglas archives - Agricultural return for Achadunan and Clachan farms 1959

Roddy MacDiarmid at Butterbridge 1959, his first job working with Ardkinglas Estate after leaving school at 15.

Dipping at Inverchorachan 1950s.
Calum MacDonald, Hugh Nicolson, John Spalding, Gilbert Livingstone, Colin MacCallum, Donald Robertson.

Clipping at Inverchorachan 1950s
John Sinclair, Neil McMaster, Don Morrison, Ernie MacPherson, Iain Bell, Jim Starmore, Angus Patterson, Callum MacDonald, Walter Beattie.

Valuation of sheep Achadunan 1951.

Valuation of stock, Clachan 1951

Valuation of stock, Clachan 1954.

Valuation of stock, Clachan 1957.