Name/Title
William IV painted constable's truncheon 1830 - 1837Entry/Object ID
972Description
Black painted wooden truncheon 19 inches (48cm) in length, with small royal crown over "WR" cypher painted in gold at end. Has a multi turned handle with a hole drilled for a wrist strap. There is an old circular sticker on handle numbered "4". No maker's mark.Use
For use by a constable as protection and as a symbol authorityContext
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 the crown because they were a symbol of the holder's authority for carrying out their duties. However they were also designed to be used and were not ceremonial items. The longer length, the type of handle and use of a hole for a strap, are all indicative of an earlier 19th century truncheon, 17 inches becoming a more standard size by the 1850s.
Given its provenance from Sussex Police, there is a strong possibility that this truncheon was used somewhere in Sussex.