Tristan Farnon, the character in "All Creatures Great and Small," is based on the real-life vet Brian Sinclair. Brian Sinclair married Sheila Rose, the daughter of a general practitioner named Douglas Seaton, during or shortly after his military service in 1944. While the TV series has introduced a fictional romance between Tristan and the character Florence Pandhi, this is a creative addition and not part of the historical record. In real life, Brian Sinclair and Sheila Rose had three daughters and lived in Harrogate after his retirement. The books briefly mention Tristan marrying the daughter of someone high up at the Vet Ministry, linking his marriage to advancing his career, but details are sparse. Thus, Tristan Farnon marries Sheila Rose in reality, and this is the basis for the character's background in the series and books.