You’ll probably know the story … but i’ll summarise it anyway …. Tip the collie belonged to shepherd and dog breeder Joseph Tagg.
Joseph and Tip set off from their home near Bamford to walk across the bleak Howden moors. That was on 12 December 1953. The weather was winter foul.
104 days later later the corpse of Joseph was found on Ronksley Moor by Sam Bingham and Joe Shepherd who were rounding sheep up. By his side was an emaciated bundle of matted hair. Tip had refused to leave her master. She was barely alive and was carried gently back down off the moors and nursed back to help.
On Whit Monday 1954 at the Bamford Sheepdog Trials, Tip had her own tent and was fussed by everybody. A commemorative stone, paid for by public subscription, was erected near the Derwent Dam.
The story of Tip features in a new podcast by Tom Raine on the bbcworldservice about a collection of songs by Sean Cooney all about dogs.
One third of The Young ‘Uns, Sean has a rich and multi-award winning legacy of folk songs in his quiver, but it was the recent retirement of Nessie his wife’s guide dog after 9 years loyal service that led Sean to research the life and work of other incredible dogs around the world.
The recounted stories include guide dog Roselle that led her owner down 1463 steps to safety from the 78th floor of the North Tower on September 11th, 2001.
The podcast closes with Sean singing the song he wrote about Tip at the folk club at the Hallamshire House pub in Sheffield.
Hopefully the finished collection of songs will be available for us all to enjoy in the not too distant future.
Dogs are the best.
Link to the podcast