Name/Title
Sussex Police chrome plated cape clasp c1970sEntry/Object ID
283Description
Chrome plated cape clasp and hook connected by a chain, with each part of clasp in the form of a Lion's Head.Use
To fasten a male police officer's capeContext
From the Victorian period police officers were issued with capes to wear over their tunics, during winter and at night. Whilst overcoats became more common in the 20th century, in some areas capes were periodically used until the 1960s, with both waterproof and woollen versions being available. Capes were last thought to have been issued in Sussex in the early 1980s.
The "Lion's Head" clasp was a generic design for uniform capes, not just those used by police, though this particular clasp was used in Sussex, as it came from the police uniform store. It is interesting as it is chrome plated. The museum has a number of uniform capes from the various Sussex Police forces and they all have black painted brass claps of this design, which appears to be the norm, even for capes issued during the Sussex Constabulary period. In fact until the 1970s it was normal practice for capes and overcoats to only have black fastenings so as to not be seen at night. Either this pair represent a use on a cape for ceremonial use, or as is possibly more likely, they were intended for a late issue cape some time after black insignia, buttons etc. were no longer used in Sussex, possibly in the 1970s. Some female officers did trial the Norman Hartnell designed cape in 1970 but these had a completely different design of clasp.