Oliver, Dennis – the Father of Farriers

Denis Frank Oliver (1919-2018)

The son of a teacher, Denis was born in Lincoln, where he went to the City School.

In 1942, he graduated from the Royal Veterinary College, Edinburgh, where he met his future wife, farmer’s daughter Nance Coutts, whom he married in 1946.

After a spell working in Northallerton, he bought the Avenue Road veterinary practice in 1943, a practice which up until then specialised in hunting horses.

With the quest for food, pig production came to the fore and Denis proved to be an expert in this field. He was engaged in early vaccination trials with the Ministry of Agriculture.

He also developed the pet side of the business.

He became responsible for veterinary care at Kesteven Agricultural College.

He was also a veterinary officer for the Royal Agricultural Society from 1953, becoming Chief Veterinary Officer in 1970 and continued his responsible for livestock health at the Royal Show (Stoneleigh) until 1994.

He became a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Farriers in 1966, examining and teaching farriers, becoming Master of the Company in 1980. At the age of 95 he was appointed ‘Father of the Company’, only the second such appointee in a century.

He retired in 1985, selling the business to Richard Huddart.

After retirement, he continued as an equine consultant.

And he was kept pretty busy away from animals, too.

He was a life member of Grantham Choral Society and played organ at Carlton Scroop church.