Name/Title
Homemade catapult c1960Entry/Object ID
2280Description
Homemade catapult 5 1/4 inches (13.5 cm) long,. with wooden handle, wire arms metal clamps, with rubber elastic, broken at one end. Has a paper label marked in ink "HQT/79"Use
For use to fire projectiles at a target and possibly as an offensive weaponContext
In the 1950s there was a large rise in violent crime in the UK. In particular, in 1951 there were 800 cases of armed robbery, assault with intent to rob or robbery with violence. At that time it was not an offence to carry a weapon in a public place only to carry a weapon during the commission of a crime. This meant that a police officer may well find a well known criminal in possession of a weapon, perhaps with the intention of committing a robbery but be powerless to act. As a result the 1953 Prevention of Crime Act was passed, making it an offence for a member of the public to carry a weapon in a public place.
Catapults or "slingshots" are not deemed to be offensive weapons per sae, so their possession is not automatically an offence. Only if they are used as an offensive weapon or are intended for such use does possessing them become an offence.
This item is one of a number that came to the museum from Sussex Police as confiscated weapons. It was common for the police to retain collections of such items for training purposes and for lessons in schools. The paper label suggest this was indeed the case, "HQT" is probably short for "Headquarters Training" and the "79" either a year date or item number.