A Stockman from Thornley Village has retired after 60 years working for the same family over three generations.
John Featherstone started working for the Vickers family at Thornley Hall Farm in 1965. He was first employed by the late John Vickers and subsequently by his sons, Harry and Johnny and presently by grandson, Thomas, son of Johnny who died in 1996.
For 60 years, covering seven decades, John Featherstone has worked conscientiously for the Vickers family, both at Thornley Hall and at Glenwhelt at Daddry Shield. At Glenwhelt, he worked alongside the legendary Ray Dent and then his son, Ian, gathering on the fells and helping with the sheep.
He has his own smallholding too at Thornley Park Farm where he keeps his own Swaledale ewes, breeding Mule lambs and a few cows, rearing suckler calves.
In August, John and his wife, Verlene, enjoyed a parting gift from the Vickers family with tickets to enjoy the special train from Stanhope station to Edinburgh. They then enjoyed afternoon tea in The Dome.
At the weekend, a retirement party was held in Thornley Village Hall where family and friends celebrated John’s incredible dedication to farming and to the Vickers family. John was presented with a Long Service medal and certificate from The Royal Agricultural Society of England, for 60 years of service to agriculture.
The Vickers family is very grateful to John for 60 years of hard work and friendship. He has hardly missed a day of work in all of that time and three generations of the family have cause to thank him for his total commitment to his work.
John’s daughter, Julie, who attended the party said, “I am so proud of my dad. 60 years of working down the farm, what an achievement!
“I want to thank all the Vickers’ family for organising the party, he had an amazing day.”
Although he has retired from his paid work, John will continue farming his small holding. Congratulations John, truly a wonderful achievement.
