Press Release
New book reflects on the life of a renowned Norfolk dairy farmer
One of Norfolk’s best-known dairy farmers has recorded his life story in a new autobiography.
Across almost 200 pages, beautifully-illustrated with photographs spanning nine decades, Gavin
Paterson reflects on a fascinating life as his family established one of the finest pedigree cattle herds in
the country.
Entitled Breeding Success: My life as a Norfolk Farmer, the book is also an historical document,
telling the story of how Scottish families came down to East Anglia in the 1920s and 1930s and
transformed dairy farming in the region.
Written in collaboration with award-winning journalist and author Mark Nicholls, it documents how
the Paterson family went on to enjoy enormous success at cattle shows – including the Royal Norfolk
Show – with their pedigree Friesian (and later Holstein) cattle, over more than 60 years.
That began in 1952 when Gavin Paterson, now 85, visited the London Dairy Show at Olympia,
remarking to his father James Paterson on his return, “we have cows in that shed…that are just as good
as those which performed well at the Dairy Show.”
With head herdsman George Clare, Mr Paterson prepared a cow named Smallburgh Brenda for the
1953 event and much to everyone’s surprise, she was named Supreme Champion.
From then on, the Paterson herds enjoyed near-unrivalled success at such events, with Mr Paterson
becoming a well-known figure in dairy farming circles at local, regional and national level, including
serving as President of the Holstein Society.
In addition to the milk production side of the Paterson farming operation, the book examines arable
farming over their four farms on the Worstead estate in east Norfolk – which the family now owns –
from the horse era through to the labour-saving mechanisation of today.
However, Breeding Success also details other important elements of Mr Paterson’s life; his role with
Young Farmers’ Clubs in Norfolk; work as a local councillor; and the role he played in establishing
Worsted Festival and seeing it become one of the most popular summer events of the Norfolk calendar.
…more follows/
Originally intended to fund repairs to Worstead Church tower, since the mid-1960s it has raised
hundreds of thousands of pounds and also donated funds to other Worstead community projects –
including the building of a new Worstead Village Hall opened by the Queen Mother in 1985 - and
neighbouring worthy causes.
Mr Paterson was also a director of Norwich City Football Club from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s
and as a life vice-president, is still a regular at home matches.
Breeding Success records the evolution of an important aspect of farming in Norfolk through the eyes
of one of its most influential figures, telling the story from a personal perspective from the early years
of the 20th century up to the present day.
ENDs
Note to editors: Breeding Success: My Life as a Norfolk Farmer is available in hardback or
paperback from bookshops across East Anglia and will also be on sale at the Worstead Festival at the
end of July. It is also available online from www.poppyland.co.uk and from Mr Paterson at Church
Farm, Smallburgh, Norfolk, tel. 01692 536226. A selection of images and review copies are available –
this release and images are available fromb.
For more information call:
Mark Nicholls
Tel. 01362 696191/07771 508062
Email: mark.nicholls@mnmedia.co.uk
For more information and review copies call:
Peter Stibbons – Poppyland Publishing
Tel. 01263 510969/07799 127864
Email: Peter@poppyland.co.uk
Breeding Success – My Life as a Norfolk Farmer
Gavin Paterson
ISBN 978-1-909796-13-3
ISBN 978-1-909796-14-0
Publisher: Poppyland Publishing
Hardback RRP £14.95
Paperback RRP £12.95
3rd June 2015
3rd June 2015