THE ROYAL RATCATCHER

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 100, 22 January 1927, Page 24

THE ROYAL RATCATCHER

War against rats, which has again, been declared all over the country, would in times gone past have been organised by the Royal ratcatcher, an official who wore a gorgeous uniform of scarlet, embroidered with yellow worsted, and bearing figures of rats destroying wheat sheaves (says the Manchester “Evening News’’). In 1741, the bolder of this office was one Gower, whose salary was £lOO a year, and who was known bv the title of “Rat Killer to His Majesty,” who, in that year, was George 11, whom Thackeray described as “a dull little man of low tastes.” When the office was abolished is uncertain, but a pamphlet published in 1813 had a portrait of the Royal ratcatcher on the title page. The occupation has always, been regarded as honourable, and, indeed, the man who could rid the country of its rats would deserve all praise and honour. Tn Italy in the seventeenth century the official ratcatcher was allowed to wear a sword and carry a box of poisoned lozenges as emblems of bis office. Tri China to-day he 'parades’ the streets with a live rat ill a. bag.