Mr. H. Plews, Hand Shearing, West Scale Park, Kettlewell, July 1974: BU08575

The pattern of hand shears has remained unaltered since Roman times. Now, hand shearing of sheep has largely been replaced by the use of electric machines.

A generation ago everyone clipped sitting on a stool, but now it is more usual to stand on a sheet to keep the wool clean. The fleeces are wrapped and put into large woolsacks for transportation by wagon to mills in West Yorkshire.

The fleeces are graded and sold on to anything from the carpet or mattress trade to weavers and knitters.