John Wheeldon, later known as John Gaunt, achieved widespread renown as a most unusual rat-catcher. His fame was reported widely across local and national newspapers from the early 1900s until his death in 1924. He was still recorded in magazines as late as the 1950s.
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| John Gaunt with his three terriers, three fox cubs and ferret. |
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| John with his tame fox and two terriers. |
John Gaunt of Ambergate had an interview with the Council on the question of rat-catching. The Hurst Hill tip is a terrible nuisance to the tenant near. Gaunt was engaged as professional rat-catcher at £3 per year and will make periodical visits.
John Gaunt who lives near Ambergate, Derbyshire, and is the official rat-catcher to the Midland Railway, has trained a fox to be as expert as reliable a rat-catcher as any of his dogs.
All railway companies suffer from periodical plagues of rats at their big warehouses, especially at the granaries. At Newark the Great Northern have recently been caused very considerable loss and trouble by the swarms of rodents, numbering thousands which infest the place. John Gaunt, who lives near Ambergate, is the official rat-catcher to the Midland Railway , and with his pack of terriers is an interesting and familiar figure in the district. He is usually to be seen carrying fox under his arm. It is a tame fox, which he has trained to be as expert a rat-catcher as any of his dogs.
The death is announced at the age of 82, of John Gaunt the famous Derbyshire ratcatcher.Gaunt lived for many years at Saw Mills, Ambergate but had latterly resided at Belper. A sketch of his somewhat remarkable career appeared in these columns in July last. He was for many years the official rat-catcher of the old Midland Railway Co. and was one of the few followers of his calling who trained for cubs to work with his terriers in the business of rat extermination. Apart from his one-time railway connection, Gaunt with his four-footed assistants, Gaunt was a familiar figure on various estates in Derbyshire, and the adjoining counties.He was also noted for the skill and resourcefulness he displayed in his work in the far distant part of the country. He used foxes for 45 years and carried them in bags from one place to another, though he would often be seen, as, for instance, in and about Derby Station with one or two juvenile Reynards under his arm or arms and a couple of alert little terriers at his heels. He has been called the prince of rat-catchers. Strange that Gaunt should have been gathered to his fathers – if so be he really is dead – just about the time of the Government rat week!
PUBLIC NOTICESDERBYSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL NATIONAL RAT WEEKThe week commencing Monday November 3rd has been selected by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries for concerted action throughout the county the DESTRUCTION of RATS and MICE. The public are urged to assist by special efforts in that week to destroy any rats and mice on their premises.
NOTED RAT-CATCHER DEADJohn Wheeldon, generally known as John Gaunt, the Ratcatcher was buried on Tuesday at the village of Crich. He was 73 years of age, and is believed to have killed over a quarter of a million rodents. He specialised in the use of foxes for ratcatching and was known the land over for his his other successful methods. Lately he lived the life of a recluse at Belper.MR JOHN GAUNTOn Friday last the death place of Mr John Gaunt and the residence of Mr Lee, Market Place, Belper. Mr Gaunt was at one time well-known as the famous rat-catcher and could frequently be seen with his dogs following his daily work. He died at the age of 74 years. The funeral took place on Monday at Crich, the chief mourners being Mr and Mrs Lee (Belper) and Mr and Mrs F.J. Lynam (Fritchley).
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