Fifteen Years Ago
and still some good advice?
In the January 1994 Crier was published a piece of advice (courtesy of Mr R. Sheldrick). This advice first appeared in the February 1917 number of the Parish Magazine, and was written by the Rev Lawrence Fisher, vicar of Swaffham Prior between 1897 and 1932.
ADVICE TO ALL
- Kill rats, mice, sparrows.
- Cultivate with vegetables every piece of available ground.
- Lend your money to the Government.
- Give your children oatmeal porridge once a day.
It seems the battle with vermin was close to the vicar's heart. He personally invested money in a campaign to destroy the rats, mice, sparrows and queen wasps that were devouring food badly needed by the country at war. Between the summers of 1916 and 1917, 4042 rats' tails were delivered to the (Old) Vicarage for a reward of £8.8s.5d, as well as 3072 mice (payment 10s.8d), 163 queen wasps (payment 6s.9d) and 313 sparrows and eggs (payment 2s.). Of the total £9.7s.10d paid out the vicar contributed £2.17s.9d. Six other members of the village subscribed between them £6.10s.1d. They were (in order of size of contribution) Mr Ambrose (farmer?) Mr Tosetti (banker?) Mr Allix (squire) Mr Woollard (farmer?) Mr Palmby (grocer) Mr Sturgess (butcher?). The going rate (for those who have not been able to work it out) was a halfpenny per rat's tail, a halfpenny per queen wasp, a farthing for an old sparrow, a penny per dozen for young sparrows and a halfpenny per dozen for sparrows eggs. "The important thing" wrote Mr Fisher "is to kill the old birds."