POLICE - EARLY HANDCUFFS.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Start of a short series on early forms of restraint of prisoners. Having said that, means of confining a prisoner have not really changed very much from the early idea of a length of raw hide and two handles - wrapped around the wrists it could be tightened and used as a leading cuff. Metal handcuffs - with separate locks really start from the 17th Century (1600's) and variations began almost immediately.

There are several extremely rare pieces on this picture.

Centre - 2nd. from top : Early 19th. C. leading cuffs. One around the prisoner - and the side that opened, on the Constables wrist.

2nd. down on right : Majority of opinion is that these were invented to hold Boer Prisoners of War between 1899-1902. There is a

double lock and the key has double ends. You had to unscrew the plug and then this gave access to the lock.

After the Boer War they continued in use in British Prisons for dangerous prisoners.

3rd. down on right: The original pattern from 1829 when the first Metropolitan Police 'marched-out'. Very rare - they were carried

in the back pocket of the swallow tailed coatee.

All others are variations on the 'D' shaped handcuffs, which were in use for nearly 200 years.

Since I no longer have many of these , I have taken the picture - and the next two - from my book.

'The Policeman's Lot'. Mervyn Mitton. Quiller Press . 1985. Copies can be bought on line - type on book title.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Known as 'ASSIZE CHAINS' these were developed to control difficult prisoners over journeys of distance.

The old Court system meant a senior judge travelled on a Circuit around the area of his jurisdiction. He went in great style - escorted by mounted police and with a retinue of servants. Whole buildings would be reserved for his use. However, it usually meant that he sat in Court only a few times a year - and only in the main town of a County. For example - in Dorset, he would have court only in Dorchester. This meant that prisoners had to be brought considerable distances - and often by horse carriage or, railways.

The chains consisted of a pair of handcuffs, on a longish chain. From this ran chains to ankle cuffs and in addition - two 28 lb. (27kgs.) were on chains from the wrist chain. These had to be hand carried. The result was that not many prisoners escaped...

When I bought these, it was from a man who answered an advt. I had in the paper. He asked me to meet him in a pub carpark on a Sunday afternoon. When I arrived he had the chains stretched out on the ground and over 50 people standing in amazement. Imagine how embarrassed I was to negotiate purchase - they didn't know I was a police officer and must have thought I was into those strange things people do with chains !!!!!!

[Mervyn Mitton]

This is an original Ball and Chain. Would be locked around an ankle and the 56 lb. (26 kgs) ball carried in the hands. Would be used for dangerous prisoners and also for going to the Assize Court. About 150 years old - only carronades - short rage cannons with a big bore - fired anything as big.

When my book first came-out it was sold Worldwide and a great old man (I seem to remember he was in his late 80's) living in Ontario, Canada, got very excited and started writing to me. He was sure that the example in the Ontario Museum was larger and even at his age, marched down there - insisted they take it out of the display case and weigh it - so that he could tell me he had found a larger one. He just wanted to add to the knowledge of the book and I wrote to him for some time. Yes - their's is larger - I think it was 66lb. (32 kgs.) Must have been difficult to move with it in your hands.

[leigh kitchen]

I have a pair of the "Early 19th. C. leading cuffs", hanging on a nail on the wall in the garage, for some reason I'd been under the impression that they were used whilst escorting a prisoner in court.

The "D" shape cuffs were still in use during the 1980's & possibly early 90's, retained by some of those who'd been issued them & who prefered them to the new ratchet style.

One "old soldier" explained to me that he liked being able to put the cuff on & turn it around so that the wrist could'nt be removed while he turned the key - it did'nt inflict pain, it was just that the side of the wrist went into the cuff & you then swivelled the cuff so that the top or bottom, a wide part of the wrist was presented to the narrow opening, & had the wrist restrained during the process).

That did'nt make sense to me, spend ten minutes trying to keep the cuff in place while you turn the key, easier to slip on ratchet cuffs such as the Hiatt 62 or 69 or whatever they were. Also, the D cuffs came in different sizes, so if you were dealing with large or small wrists, it could be a problem.

[Mervyn Mitton]

I'd forgotten that this thread had been started. This is an interesting set of convict chains. They are based on the old slave chains, in that not only do they lock on each ankle - they also have a hole in the centre of the chain through which a further chain could be threaded and then padlocked to a firm surface. For transporting prisoners by sea - or, long distances in a cart, this was ideal. These were found in a warehouse on Durban Docks and have the stamp for the South African Constabulary. They only existed for a few year from 1906 and are therefore, rare.

[Mervyn Mitton]

[Mervyn Mitton]

[Chris Boonzaier]

what a unique subject!

I love these... every bedroom should have a pair!

[Chris Boonzaier]

sorry, I meant guardroom.. dont know how bedroom came out...

[Mervyn Mitton]

This will probably the final thread from me on this subject - these photos just arrived from my collection in U.K..

This one shows some early forms of ratchet handcuffs - which have been around since the early 1900's.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Early pair of prison leg irons - around 1900

[Mervyn Mitton]

Some early examples. On left - about 1850's pattern without chain. Centre: Very rare - these were the style carried by the first Metropolitan Police in 1829. They went into a pocket in the back of the frock coat. Right : Heavy prison cuffs with a double lock - these were invented to hold Boer War prisoners.