Black painted wooden truncheon 17 inches (43 cm) long with bulbous unpainted tip under which is an incised line and in gold lettering "WR" and below that "IV". There is a hole in the handle for a wrist strap. No maker's mark. (NB the current item label shows the incorrect inventory number).
Use
For use by a constable as protection and as a symbol authority
Context
This truncheon has the cypher of William IV who reigned from 1830 - 1837. It is relatively plain and it could have been used by either a parish constable or an early police officer. At this time truncheons were decorated with royal marks, often crowns, because they were a symbol of the holder's authority for carrying out their duties. These truncheons were also designed to be used and were not ceremonial items. The bulbous end on this example may have originally been painted with a crown.
This item came from Sussex Police together with other truncheons with local provenance, and there is a strong possibility it was used somewhere in Sussex.
