Jack Black (rat catcher)

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Jack Black was a rat-catcher and mole destroyer from Battersea, England during the middle of the 19th century. At the time, England was ravaged by a massive population of rats that disrupted crops and spread disease, and Black's rat killing abilities made him a minor celebrity and he advertised himself as Queen Victoria's official rat-catcher. Though he has been called the rat's "most notorious enemy", he did not kill all rats. Black bred unusually coloured rats and sold them as pets, playing a large role in domesticating the animal. He had a flamboyant appearance, typically donning a self-made "uniform" of green overcoat, scarlet waistcoat, and leather sash adorned with metal rats.

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