Name/Title
Hiatt "Darby" handcuffs c1930 - 1945Entry/Object ID
1825Description
A pair of Darby style chrome plated handcuffs, stamped "Hiatt" on both cuffs under the hinges and "British Made" on one cuff. No keyUse
To restrain prisoners. This type was in use across Sussex from at least the mid 19th century until the 1960s.Context
These type of fixed handcuffs are known as "Darbies" or "D" cuffs. "Darbies" is a 17th century word used to refer to all types of hand/wrist restraints and "D" refers to the shape of this style. This type, which were made by various makers, do not have a lock in the strictest sense as they have a simple bolt which is released by screwing in the "key". This simple robust design probably explains why these type of handcuffs were in use for over 100 years.
This particular pair were probably made before 1945, as after World War Two, Hiatt introduced a much less cumbersome swivel design (Nichols 2002 page 38). At this time handcuffs were not always personal issue. The provenance suggests they were used by one of the Sussex police forces. Identical handcuffs to these were still being used across Sussex into the 1960s, later ones being chrome plated as are these.
Hiatt were a Birmingham based company that made restraints from at least 1780, and whilst best known for handcuffs, they manufactured other police equipment throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. The company ceased UK production in 2008 following increased scrutiny over some of its products and their use abroad.