Truncated truncheon

[Kevin Ross]

This truncheon belonged to my great grandfather, David Moore. He served as a Sergeant in the Devonport Borough Police. It can be seen that the truncheon has been shortened at the grip. My father, Sgt Moore’s grandson, has told me that this shortening was police practice of the time, and was done so the truncheons could more easily fit into pockets,

 

Did this really happen? It doesn’t really sound credible to me. Sgt Moore died in 1917 and my father wasn’t born until 1930, so it’s an account heard at best at second hand, and things do get misremembered or altered in good faith when passed on. 
 

But I would be delighted to hear that this was indeed what Policemen did back then. Many thanks for any help.

 

[I_♥_Police]

I've seen many examples and cant say I've ever seen this, having said that its long, long before my time so dont have any first hand knowledge. I am not an expert, however I have never seen any with a knoted type rope lanyard. I've only ever seen leather lanyards.

[Kevin Ross]

42 minutes ago, I_♥_Police said:

I've seen many examples and cant say I've ever seen this, having said that its long, long before my time so dont have any first hand knowledge. I am not an expert, however I have never seen any with a knoted type rope lanyard. I've only ever seen leather lanyards.

Thanks very much for this reply. As I say, it seems unlikely to me - this would have made it tricky to get any sort of purchase, I’d have thought.