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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Selkirkshire => Topic started by: pelirroja on Saturday 16 May 15 20:37 BST (UK)
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My grandfather, James Renwick (1890-1976), immigrated to the U.S. in 1913. Before he left Scotland, he lived in the town of Denholm and was a mole-catcher. His father William Johnstone Renwick (1837-1938) also listed his profession as a mole-catcher. Furthermore, I have traced other Renwick family members in the Borders region who worked as mole-catchers. This goes as far back as the late 1700s. Does anyone know how a mole-catcher could enough money to support a family and where would he work? What equipment would he use? I have never seen trapping moles as a job.
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Hi pelirroja,
there are a couple of RootsChat topics about molecatchers here (including some and superstitions about moles)
Rootschat Reference Library,
http://surname.rootschat.com/lexicon/reflib-lexicon.php?letter=M
regards,
Bob
ps, a tip: the topics are longer than 1 page, so just click on the "print" button. They won't actually get printed, but they will be shown all together on one browser page.
pps.
as there are new facts and new links on this topic, I have added it to the Reference Library (http://surname.rootschat.com/lexicon/reflib-lexicon.php?letter=M) :)
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There are still people working as mole catchers in my part of the world. Some of them combine it with other agricultural odd jobbery, but would define themselves as mole catchers on a census.
Edit - here are some of the local ones
http://www.mole-catcher.co.uk/mole-trapping.php?county=Cumbria (http://www.mole-catcher.co.uk/mole-trapping.php?county=Cumbria)
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www.guildofbritishmolecatchers.co.uk/traps-ancient-and-modern.html
In the winter of 1903/1904 molecatchers were getting sixpence a skin as a result of the fashion of the day. By August 1904 the price had fallen 80%.
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The Abergavenny Chronicle, 13 Oct 1916
A mole catcher has been granted temporary exemption (from call up) on the ground that his work is of national importance
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Thank you to all of you who replied to my query about mole-catchers. I certainly learned a great deal about the profession of my ancestors and some of the odd superstitions about moles. I also didn't know about the RootsChat library. It was fun!
Bev
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My great great grandfather James Whammond born 1808. Aberlemno, Forfar, died 28 Dec 1888, Kirriemuir, Forfar, was also a Scottish mole catcher. Whether he was employed by an estate or he was freelance working for any customer who needed his services I do not know. Unusual name, unusual occupation.
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Pellirrooja. I still have a local friend who is a Dry Stone Dyker and Mole catcher freelance and works mainly on the local Border Golf courses and farmers..He is 82 and still wont retire. In bye gone days they hung the dead moles on the field wire fence to show the farmers how many they caught and how much money they were due. Some people still collect the mole hill earth for their gardens .He originally was registered to use poison from the local chemist but now only uses mole traps set into their runs.Farmers dont like them on their land as apparantly they transmit disease to animals.
A dying breed thats for sure
alan
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Thanks for the additional information. It is all interesting. I'm using all the comments, facts and superstitions about mole-catchers to create a document to add to my Scottish genealogy.
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What was your grandfather's profession after immigrating to the United States? There are plenty of moles in North America but, as far as I can tell, mole catching was never an occupational option there. I wonder why.
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Farmers dont like them on their land as apparantly they transmit disease to animals.
A dying breed thats for sure
alan
Not just that. The mole hills get in the way of agricultural equipment - for instance bar cutters and balers.
They can be harrowed out in spring before the grass grows too high.
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This is quite a good day's catch I think.
http://www.devonmolecatcher.co.uk/resources/_wsb_519x450_32+Moles+001.jpg
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To answer your question about my grandfather, he worked many years for a local railroad company. He also loved to garden and grew beautiful flowers. I've always regretted not talking to him more about Scotland.
Here in the U.S. mole-catchers are almost non-existent. Hardware or garden shops sell traps and other equipment to kill the moles in one's yard. If a family of moles gets started in a park or one's yard, it's a challenge to get rid of them. I don't know what a farmer would do so a professional mole-catcher might be very busy here.
Fascinating about the elderly gentleman, who still works as a mole-catcher.
Love the photo with the straw hat surrounded by the dead moles. Thanks again for all the responses.
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Pellirrooja. I still have a local friend who is a Dry Stone Dyker and Mole catcher freelance and works mainly on the local Border Golf courses and farmers..He is 82 and still wont retire. In bye gone days they hung the dead moles on the field wire fence to show the farmers how many they caught and how much money they were due. Some people still collect the mole hill earth for their gardens .He originally was registered to use poison from the local chemist but now only uses mole traps set into their runs.Farmers dont like them on their land as apparantly they transmit disease to animals.
A dying breed thats for sure
alan
Brings back memories. remember the family going to visit my gran in Sanquhar and the car journey always involved the road north through Crawfordjohn out to the old A74. We used to try and count the moles hanging on the fence at the side of the road as a sort of car game.
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Another question about the professional mole-catcher: What would have been the average annual wage of a mole-catcher in the 1800s?
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I suppose smart mole catchers always let the pregnant females 'escape' to ensure future catching jobs.
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I suppose smart mole catchers always let the pregnant females 'escape' to ensure future catching jobs.
Absolutely. Our local guy always jokes about leaving a breeding stock (probably not to his clients though).