Gin Traps

Gin traps (derived from the word ‘engine’) are the standard old stereotypical rabbit

 traps. They were made for many years by the village blacksmith before mass

 production in the forges of the Midlands took over. They were banned for use in

 1958 in England and Wales, later in Scotland. They were made in many sizes

 depending upon the type of animal you were trying to catch from mice to lions. Some

 had small brass parts, but most were predominantly of steel construction. To dispel

 a common myth that seems to crop up from time to time ~ Gin Traps are perfectly

 legal to own, collect, buy and sell as items of historical importance, antiques or

 curiosities. It is purely the use of gin traps and similar devices that was made illegal

in 1958 by the Pests Act (1954) in England and Wales. They can be roughly sub-

classified into 4 main types according to the style of the main spring.