William Lyttle

William Lyttle (1931 – June 2010) was an Irish eccentric, notable for digging an extensive network of tunnels under his home in De Beauvoir Town, London.

Lyttle was dubbed "The Mole Man of Hackney" by the Hackney Gazette due to his digging, a nickname that was later adopted more widely by the press.

Life Lyttle arrived in London from his home country of Ireland in the mid-sixties when he inherited 121 Mortimer Road in the London borough of Hackney from his parents. Records show Lyttle's occupation listed as civil engineer but no evidence exists that he was qualified or ever had a career in civil engineering. He also said that "There is great beauty in inventing things that serve no purpose." He was put on the top floor, to discourage tunnelling.

Lyttle was survived by one daughter but the Metropolitan Police were unable to track her down and failed to establish any heir or surviving relatives. The police described Lyttle as having been a "wealthy man". The investigating officer is reported as saying "From documents and bank statements I've seen, let's just say his finances were a lot better than most people's." The project ended due to Lyttle's behaviour.

Photographer Tom Hunter described Lyttle as the Patron Saint of Hackney. His story has been described as "woven into the fabric of Hackney's history".

121 Mortimer Road 121 Mortimer Road is situated in De Beauvoir Town in Hackney, London. Originally, the plot contained two modest Victorian, terraced houses which Lyttle knocked-through and connected soon after acquiring the property. He created a network of tunnels, wide and narrow, on several levels. Tunnels led in all directions, some of them up to in length, and reaching as far down as the water table. One excavation connected with the Dalston Lane tunnel, and the railway line. Lyttle dumped the clay he dug up in his garden and sometimes in empty rooms of the house. Serious complaints to Hackney Council started in or around the year 2000 leading to inspections but with no enforcement action taken.

In 2006, a large sink hole opened up spanning the road outside Lyttle's property revealing some of the tunnelling system below.

In 1998 the area surrounding and including 121 Mortimer Road was designated a conservation area due to its "special architectural or historic interest", increasing pressure on the council to act.

Legal challenges Lyttle was evicted by order of the Court in 2006. He contested the decision and returned to his home for a short time before the appeal was dismissed. The property was listed for sale for £500,000 in 2011 with no planning consent granted but failed to sell. Fraser later obtained permission to demolish the building and rebuild two, three-storey town houses.

In 2012 the property was sold for £1.2 million (equivalent to £ in ) to artists Tim Noble and Sue Webster. Webster is reported as saying she opted not to knock the house down but to pay homage to Lyttle by keeping its yellowing facade, as well as whatever else could be salvaged of Lyttle's original work.