Our History
Shepton Vets have been caring for animals in Shepton Mallet, Wells, Evercreech, and villages across Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire since 1922.
Based in Shepton Mallet in the heart of the Mendips, our practice is an independently owned, professional team of vets and nurses who strive to provide the best possible standards of veterinary care for your animals, large or small
2022 was a big year for Shepton Vets
Our independently owned practice turned 100 years old!
This was our year to celebrate. The year started when we invited local young farmers to a ‘veterinary rally’ at our Shepton Mallet practice. Over 100 young farmers attended with teams from across Somerset taking part in a range of practical and knowledge-based tasks such as artificial insemination of cattle and sheep obstetrics.
Following this, our employees were locked up in Shepton Mallet Prison with the task of escaping – this brought out the very competitive edge in some but thankfully they are all safely back working!
We had our 100-year party at the Bath & West Showground and invited our long-established clients from the farming community to help us celebrate this milestone.
Next up was a charity 100km cycle ride – a journey around the Somerset countryside starting and ending at our Shepton branch. A nine strong team of eager cyclists, both employees and clients took to the road and raised over £500 for the Farming Community Network.
Greg spoke on BBC Radio Somerset about our humble beginnings and how far we have come in the last 100 years, which was also a milestone the BBC reached that year.
Our summer appearance at the Mid-somerset Show was bigger than ever and gained us the award of Stand of the Year.
Another show in the calendar was the Dairy Show event at the Bath & West Showground. This gave us the opportunity to meet and chat with our farm clients and showcase what we do best.
During 2022 we also hit the road with a farming study tour, vets Rosie & Anna took some of our farm clients on an educational tour to farms around Yorkshire.
We are ever thankful to our community for joining us in celebrating this milestone and you are able to continue following our story on Instagram @SheptonVetsFarm and @SheptonWellsVet
Keep reading below to look further back into our 100 year history
In the beginning
The Veterinary Practice in Shepton Mallet was founded by an Irishman, Tom Patterson. He graduated from Edinburgh University and settled in Somerset – apparently, simply because he liked the name! To begin with, Tom did his rounds on a motorbike and sidecar, before purchasing a solid tyred Trojan motor car – a rough but fairly reliable ride.
A veterinary visit was a special event in those days, and often an excuse for the farmer to invite the vet indoors to partake in some homemade cider, or a glass of ‘Mendip Coffee’ (a tumbler of whisky, hot water and sugar).
The early years
Before the war, veterinary work at the practice involved a lot of attention to horses, particularly working horses, as well as other farm animals. Tom was also the official veterinary surgeon to Wincanton Racecourse. After the war, more and more time came to be spent on TB testing as it became widespread in cattle during the 1940s. The increased workload meant an assistant was needed, and then in 1954 Lionel Stafford joined Tom as a partner in the practice.
On Tom’s retirement in the 1960s, Lionel was joined by Tom Pepper. Routine visits started to become popular and, through the 1970s, the practice grew with more vets, support staff and partnerships including Roger Eddy, Tony Williamson, John Brereton and Steve Tofts. The partnership ‘Eddy Williamson & Partners’ was a brand which lasted until 1997. For many years, domestic pets were usually seen on house visits with any surgical work done on Wednesday afternoons when TB tests weren’t performed. The new facilities at Charlton Road were much better equipped so people were encouraged to bring their pets in, and the small animal side of things soon began to flourish.
Keeping in touch
In 1953, the telephone number of the practice was Shepton Mallet 119. To ring another number, one picked up the phone to speak to the operator, giving the number required.
This all changed when the automatic telephone exchange was built in Paul Street in the early 1960s and numbers could be obtained by direct dialling. In 1966, it was decided to improve communications by installing radio telephones in the veterinary surgeon’s cars. This involved a receiving and transmitting unit in each car and a base unit at the surgery with a 50ft mast above the building.
New and expanding premises
In 1961,the practice needed more space and moved from Renwick House in Evercreech to a redundant builder’s yard in Charlton Road, Shepton Mallet, which they converted and furnished with items bought at a Air Ministry disposal sale. When the new surgery was then built in the 1970s, the old one was buried under Allyn Saxon Drive houses.
Everyone threw in ideas for a pleasant, functional building – the only slight niggle was the colour of the waiting room, chosen by Roger Eddy. Roger was colour blind! To house the ever-growing practice, the Allyn Saxon premises were extended in 2012, to include a spacious small animal reception, additional operating theatres and consulting rooms, new kennels and extra farm offices, meeting rooms and training areas. In 2018, the practice expanded further again, opening a modern purpose-built premises for small animal pet care in Wells, with two consulting rooms and an operating theatre.
“Perhaps the biggest development recently has been the introduction of our own night nursing team – a significant step-change that enhances our care and sees us nearer our goal of becoming a hospital”
Modern Practice
Today, the Shepton Veterinary Group remains proudly independent, and we continue to build on our long tradition of providing friendly, professional veterinary care to the local community. Our dedicated team of experienced vets, technicians, nurses and support staff offer specialist clinical procedures and preventative healthcare services to farm animals and domestic pets alike.
“What is consistent over 100 years is that the practice continues to be defined by its values of dedication, excellence, empathy, professionalism and community. These are the foundation of every decision that is made.”
100 Years of Shepton Vets: Our Story
With 100 years of memories now to our name, we decided to document some of them in a commemorative book. “100 Years of Shepton Vets” is our story – a beautiful hardback book with 180 pages of recollections, commentary and photographs from through the years. Featuring a forward by founder Tom Patterson’s son Bill as well as contributions from past and present staff, it captures key milestones in our history as well as changes in veterinary practice and the farming industry.
You’re likely to recognise many of the featured contributors, and smile at many of their stories! The book is available to purchase through the practice for a suggested minimum donation of £10 – with all proceeds going to the Farming Community Network charity, which helps farmers and their families with practical and mental health support.
