Now! Then! 2024! - Yorkshire On This Day

Excerpt

Mole-catchers have usually 12d. a dozen for all the old moles they catch, and 6d. a dozen for young ones. But we, who have much employment and work for them, pay (for the most part) but 10d. a dozen for old ones, and 4d. for young ones. Now, as for those that send purposely for a mole-catcher to get a single mole in a house, garden or the like, they will seldom take any less then 2d. and sometimes 3d. for her, if they get her, because they have payment only for those they catch, and if they miss, the loss is theirs. Their manner is never to fall in hands with mole-catching till St Mark’s Day be past, because their breeding time is always about a week afore St. Mark’s Day, and if they should kill them afore they have young, their profit would be so much the less. These creatures have usually five young ones at a time, and never above. Sometimes they can find but one, two, three, or four in a nest. And as for their nests, they are usually in hedge roots, or tree roots, and sometimes in the hills, or plain ground. They are seldom above a foot deep. They do the most harm in moist or rainy weather, when the ground is soft, doing indeed very much harm to enclosures all winter long, so long as the weather is open, and till such time as they be by frosts prevented.

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

Abbreviations:

• ER: East Riding
• GM: Greater Manchester
• NR: North Riding
• NY: North Yorkshire
• SY: South Yorkshire
• WR: West Riding
• WY: West Yorkshire

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Original

Mole catchers have usually 12d. a dozen for all the olde moles they catch, and 6d. a dozen for younge ones; but wee, whoe have much imployment and worke for them, pay (for the most parte) but 10d. a dozen for olde ones, and 4d. for younge ones; nowe as for those that sende purposely for a molecatcher to gette a single mole in an howse, garden or the like, they will seldome take any lesse then 2d. and sometimes 3d. for her, if they gette her, because they have have payment onely for those they catch, and if they misse, the losse is theires; theire manner is neaver to fall in hands with mole catchinge till St. Marke day bee past, because theire breedinge time is allwayes aboute a weeke afore St. Marke day, and if they should kill them afore they have younge, theire profitte woulde bee soe much the lesse. These creatures have usually five younge ones att a time, and neaver above; sometimes they can finde but one, two, three, or fower in a nest; and as for theyre nests, they are usually in hedge rootes, or tree rootes, and sometimes in the hills, or plaine grownde; they are seldome above a foote deepe; they doe the most harme in moist or rainy weather, when the grownd is softe, doinge indeed very much harme to inclosures all winter longe, soe longe as the weather is open, and till such time as they bee by frostes prevented.

252 words.

Tags

Tags are assigned inclusively on the basis of an entry’s original text and any comment. You may find this confusing if you only read an entry excerpt.

• Agriculture (10) ·
• Driffield (12) ·
• East Riding of Yorkshire (66) ·
• 📌Elmswell, East Riding of Yorkshire (19) ·
• Feast of Saint Mark (1) ·
• Mark the Evangelist (1) ·
• Mole (animal) (2) ·
• Yorkshire Wolds (23) ·

All tags.

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