27/04/2025
Does it make anyone else sad to think how much history, tradition and culture we have lost in the last 100 years?
The gulf between city and rural life grows bigger every year..
Ninety-two years ago today, on the morning of 13th April 1931, London witnessed an unusual yet charming scene as a herd of 600 sheep was herded from Hyde Park to Green Park at the break of dawn. It was six o’clock in the morning when the drive began, capturing a moment that feels almost otherworldly today. The image, taken by Fox Photos, shows the sheep in mid-migration, a nod to a bygone era when livestock movements were part of the city's daily rhythm.
The photo offers more than just pastoral nostalgia—it also reveals a bit of chaos at the front of the herd. Some of the sheep appear to have broken ranks, adding a lively sense of motion and unpredictability to the scene. It’s a moment where the tranquility of early morning London is offset by a surge of hooves and wool, making the image all the more memorable.
Today, such a sight would be unthinkable in central London, but in 1931, it was a practical reality. The photo serves as a time capsule, capturing not just the event but the spirit of a slower, more agrarian-tinged chapter in the city's history—one where the capital still made room for the rhythms of rural life in its royal parks.
