Original Herriot manuscript goes on-line (From The Northern Echo)

Original Herriot manuscript goes on-line

1:47pm Friday 19th March 2010 in

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AN original James Herriot manuscript is to take part in a national project being run by the BBC and the British Museum.

The World of James Herriot, the North Yorkshire-based shrine to Alf Wight who wrote the books, has supplied the work.

Staff at the museum on Kirkgate, Thirsk, in the vet’s former surgery are taking part in The History of the World project.

They have submitted a manuscript from 1966 by the well loved author which eventually became the best selling book If Only They Could Talk.

The manuscript is one of many objects uploaded along with information about it to the project’s website at www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld.

Alison Scurrah, Herriot centre manager, said: "It’s a really good way to get museum collections on to the internet and to people who would not normally see them.

"Where many museums have put up ancient history we have been able to put up an item which was created within living memory."

The History of the World project sees the BBC and the British Museum join forces with museums around the country.

Together they have produced a list of ten items that tell the history of the world for each area of the country and they are on the website.

A History of the World in 100 Objects which looks at the stories behind the pieces is being run on BBC Radio 4.

Amongst the other local museums taking part are the Yorkshire Museum and Whitby Museum.