Featherstone, Thomas –  Caught poaching? Now that’s a queer ‘un

Thomas Featherstone,  (1879-1931)

THOMAS Robert Featherstone was an expert naturalist who could easily live off the land.

He knew where to find the best mushrooms, especially blue stalks.

Tom also knew where the rabbits and other game lived – for he was regarded as the best poacher in town.

And if ever the police found him in possession of game, his pet phrase was “now that’s a queer ‘un’.

And for that reason the nickname Queer ‘un stuck, not only for Tom but for others with his surname.

He seldom used snares, instead he had the rare ability of calling rabbits to him.

He would whistle them over and a sharp blow to the back of the neck saw them off.

And he didn’t care how far he had to go. He thought nothing of walking to Newark and back in a day.

He sold the game to local hotels and restaurants and was known to sell some of his game to the owner of the land off which it was poached.

Born in Filey, near Scarborough, he would sometimes spend the summer in his home town, driving donkeys on the beach at £1 a week plus meals.

Married to Rosanna, he was a labourer when in Grantham.

He found himself in trouble in 1915, after being conscripted into the Army Service Corps as a driver.

He was charged with being absent without leave after police found him in a cupboard in his Inner Street home, Grantham.

He admitted to police he had no pass and claimed his uniform was in a house near King’s Cross station, London. He was handed over to an Army escort but there is no record of his punishment.

He appeared before Grantham Magistrates at least 16 times, seven of them for poaching.