A flock of sheep

This evocative black‑and‑white scene captures an extraordinary moment in interwar London: a shepherd and his dog guiding a flock of sheep down Piccadilly, with the railings of Hyde Park on the right and elegant Edwardian façades to the left. Vintage motor lorries and saloons wait patiently as the sheep file past lampposts and trees, the city’s roar momentarily hushed by the bleating woollies.

Historical Context
Until the mid‑20th century, sheep were regularly grazed in the Royal Parks to keep the grass trimmed. Twice each year—often in spring and autumn—the flocks were driven through the streets between Hyde Park, Green Park and St James’s Park. These annual “sheep drives” became a quaint London spectacle, blending rural tradition with metropolitan life and attracting passers‑by who paused to watch these pastoral processions amid motorcars and hansom cabs.

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