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From
Webmaster ..........
6/9/07
The following
interesting email has been received by the BTMR and may
interest Members.........
Dear British Molecatchers,
I
would be very grateful if you could please forward the
following piece of family history to a suitable 'history
of molecatching' contact which you might know in the
Woodhouse Eaves/Charnwood Forest area of Leicestershire,
or provide me with their e-mail/telephone details.I am
trying to trace the farm where my father stayed while
working as a mole catcher in the area after the First
World War
My
father, Herbert Hampson, was born in 1901 and for one
season, I believe some time between 1919 and 1922,
worked as a professional molecatcher in Charnwood
Forest. He went for a job at the local labour exchange
at Belper, Derbyshire, and was offered one of two posts:
butler/groom at a local big house, or molecatcher in
Charnwood Forest. Being a countryman, he chose the
latter.
He
told me that he was employed by a man whose son was
working as a mole catcher at Peak Forest, North
Derbyshire. At that time, mole skin trousers and waist
coats were very much in fashion, and a single pelt could
fetch the premium price of 2s-6d (12.5p).
My
father's employer arranged for him to be billeted at a
farmhouse somewhere near Woodhouse Eaves. (Having read
some molecatching history details, it could be that his
accommodation was free of charge, indicating the
importance that farmers placed on the role of the mole
catcher).
As
I recollect, he had a photograph of himself (or could it
have been the farmer's son?) stood outside the farmhouse
front door with a double-barrelled shotgun under his
arm, and wearing britches and leggings. Sadly this
picture has disappeared. But I do remember the door was
overshadowed by ivy growing densely across the wall.
My
father approached local farmers and offered his services
to clear their land of moles. From what he said, there
appeared to be heavy infestations in the area. As well
as keeping all the moles caught for the valuable pelts,
he charged the farmers 2d per mole
killed.
He
was still using his old traps nearly 40 years later to
catch moles in our garden. They were the traditional
semi-circular wooden barrel design with curved wire
spring triggered by a small forked peg. I remember he
had the professional's disdain for placing the trap in
the mole hill, insisting that it must be placed some
distance away in the "run."
While in Charnwood Forest he came across an abandoned
quarry from which very hard stone for the making of wet
stones for sharpening knives, chisels etc had been
produced. I think this was called Mount Sorrel stone,
after the location in the Forest.
He
only worked one season (presumably summer time?) as a
mole catcher. He then became apprenticed as a motor
mechanic. I suspect that one reason he did not continue
to trap moles was that the price for the pelts declined
as natural mole skin clothes went out of fashion.
I
would be very grateful if you could suggest any way that
I might be able to identify the farmhouse at Woodhouse
Eaves, and trace descendants of the farmers my father
may have worked for or locals he may have met.
yours sincerely
Peter Hampson
Anyone wishing to
contact Peter can do so through the BTMR Webmaster
webmaster@britishmolecatchers.co.uk |
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