Name/Title
East Sussex Constabulary painted truncheon "5" c1880sEntry/Object ID
466Description
Black painted wooden truncheon, 15 1/4 inches (38cm) long, with black painted letters "E.S.C" within a gold shield, under which is the number "5" painted in gold. The handle has a multi turned grip and a leather wrist strap.Use
For use by a police officer for protectionContext
The earliest police truncheons tend to be 17-20 inches (43-51cm) long and are often highly decorated, usually with a crown and sometimes with the addition of a royal coat of arms. This was because in the days before police warrant or ID cards, the truncheon was the officer's badge of office and symbolised his authority from the crown for carrying out his duties.
However by the 1870s the public were well used to the concept of uniformed police and the need for such decorated truncheons declined. By 1880 warrant cards were issued as a form of ID and the truncheon became less symbolic. At the same time there was a move towards smaller 14-15inch truncheons, that could be carried in a pocket sewn into the trousers. By 1890s most police forces had discontinued decoration in favour of plain truncheons of this shorter length.
This truncheon is one of a number of similar examples from East Sussex Constabulary and is thought to date to the 1880s. Whilst the force is known to have adopted 14 inch truncheons for summer use in 1882 (Kyrke 1969 page 78), slightly longer decorated ones such as this may reflect the permanent adoption of short truncheons in the country in 1886 after the introduction of new winter tunics. The style and lack of a maker's mark suggests that these truncheons were locally made. The painted number represents an officer's collar number. Some of these truncheons have the letters "SC" and numbers stamped on the end of the handle, this one has no such stamps.