Sheep shearing at Annahilt, near Hillsborough, c. 1930s (LMILC.2004.469, purchased 2004)
Sheep farmers normally ‘shear’ or ‘clip’ the wool from their sheep in late spring and summer. Though wool was once a valuable natural fibre, shearing is now mainly done for the benefit of the animal’s welfare. In the old days, sheep were clipped with a pair of hand shears which was a slow and tiring process. This changed around the turn of the twentieth century with the introduction of the first mechanical shearing machine. In this 1930s photo of shearers at Annahilt, near Hillsborough, you can see this early equipment in use. One person turned a handle, powering the blades in the ‘hand piece’ which was held by the shearer. Nowadays, a professional shearer can clip a sheep within a few minutes.
The sheep are ‘Scottish Blackface’, one of the most common breeds throughout the UK and Ireland. Though it was possible to spin the wool from this breed into yarn, the fleece was often too coarse. Therefore, these shearers most likely sold the wool for making carpets or other products where durability was essential. The shearers are accompanied by their sheepdog, a Border Collie.