The Premature Death of Field & Sons

I have just discovered that our previous view of the end of Parker, Field & Sons is incorrect. The dates that we all quote come from the Martyn Gilchrist whistle book.

This is how I have it listed in my British handcuffs book. "In the 1794 Directory of London and Westminster & Borough of Southwark, the company was listed as Field & Parker, located at 233 High Holborn, London. . . . the name of the company changed to Parker, Field & Sons from 1842 –1877, although their products were often marked just Field, 233 Holborn, London. From 1877-1883 the company relocated to 59 Lehman Street and the company name changed to Field & Sons. At this point the company seems to have gone out of business. "

This turns out to be wrong. Just this week I received a CD I bought off eBay that contains the pages of the "1901 POLICE CONSTABULARY ALMANAC" It includes an advertisement for Parker, Field & Sons. They have moved from Holborn Street, but the company is still in existance in 1901 and still selling handcuffs. I am pleased to find this, because I thought that some of the Field & Soncs handcuffs that I have seen were newer than 1883.

Joe

Just goes to show how easy dates can be wrong. Think I may be partly to blame here simply because the dates quoted in Mervy Mittons Book 'A policemans Lot' published in 1985. Mervyn Mitton lived about 10 miles away from me in Dorset and I visited him on numerous occassions - his collection of restraints was very limited but his Truncheons, Tipstaves etc were almost certainly the best in the world.
I did disagree on a few points with him especially regarding Hiatt, he claimed the name was spelt Hiatt or HYATT. Anyway, I remember he told me he got the dates regarding Parker, Field & Son(s) from a previous book. This was either Truncheons - their Romance and Reality by E.Fenn Clark published in 1935. or The History of Truncheons by E R H Dicken in 1952.
What we have all jumped to the conclusion is that they ended in 1883 at either 59 Leman Street or 122 Leman Street. Clearly they did not and it may be at this date they moved to Crescent Street? More research needed!
Chris Gower

I have just discovered that our previous view of the end of Parker, Field & Sons is incorrect. The dates that we all quote come from the Martyn Gilchrist whistle book.

This is how I have it listed in my British handcuffs book. "In the 1794 Directory of London and Westminster & Borough of Southwark, the company was listed as Field & Parker, located at 233 High Holborn, London. . . . the name of the company changed to Parker, Field & Sons from 1842 –1877, although their products were often marked just Field, 233 Holborn, London. From 1877-1883 the company relocated to 59 Lehman Street and the company name changed to Field & Sons. At this point the company seems to have gone out of business. "

This turns out to be wrong. Just this week I received a CD I bought off eBay that contains the pages of the "1901 POLICE CONSTABULARY ALMANAC" It includes an advertisement for Parker, Field & Sons. They have moved from Holborn Street, but the company is still in existance in 1901 and still selling handcuffs. I am pleased to find this, because I thought that some of the Field & Soncs handcuffs that I have seen were newer than 1883.

Joe

Click to expand...

Chris

These things are very difficult to sort out. It would be nice if we could get our hands on other old advertisements.

Does anyone have access to other old volumes of the Constabulary Almanac? It was first published in 1861 and is still published today.

Here is the Hiatt ad from the 1901 volume.



If we pool our resources we can buy a dozen pair of Model 104s for 33 shillings. Not bad.

Joe

I have just discovered that our previous view of the end of Parker, Field & Sons is incorrect. The dates that we all quote come from the Martyn Gilchrist whistle book.

This is how I have it listed in my British handcuffs book. "In the 1794 Directory of London and Westminster & Borough of Southwark, the company was listed as Field & Parker, located at 233 High Holborn, London. . . . the name of the company changed to Parker, Field & Sons from 1842 –1877, although their products were often marked just Field, 233 Holborn, London. From 1877-1883 the company relocated to 59 Lehman Street and the company name changed to Field & Sons. At this point the company seems to have gone out of business. "

This turns out to be wrong. Just this week I received a CD I bought off eBay that contains the pages of the "1901 POLICE CONSTABULARY ALMANAC" It includes an advertisement for Parker, Field & Sons. They have moved from Holborn Street, but the company is still in existance in 1901 and still selling handcuffs. I am pleased to find this, because I thought that some of the Field & Soncs handcuffs that I have seen were newer than 1883.

Joe

Click to expand...

Even better, we can get adjustable ones for 36 shillings a dozen. I would have thought they'd be more than that given the price of the 104s.

Although I suppose it's a fairly simple evolution of the Darby design, in hindsight at least.

I have just discovered that our previous view of the end of Parker, Field & Sons is incorrect. The dates that we all quote come from the Martyn Gilchrist whistle book.

This is how I have it listed in my British handcuffs book. "In the 1794 Directory of London and Westminster & Borough of Southwark, the company was listed as Field & Parker, located at 233 High Holborn, London. . . . the name of the company changed to Parker, Field & Sons from 1842 –1877, although their products were often marked just Field, 233 Holborn, London. From 1877-1883 the company relocated to 59 Lehman Street and the company name changed to Field & Sons. At this point the company seems to have gone out of business. "

This turns out to be wrong. Just this week I received a CD I bought off eBay that contains the pages of the "1901 POLICE CONSTABULARY ALMANAC" It includes an advertisement for Parker, Field & Sons. They have moved from Holborn Street, but the company is still in existance in 1901 and still selling handcuffs. I am pleased to find this, because I thought that some of the Field & Soncs handcuffs that I have seen were newer than 1883.

Joe

Click to expand...

Dear Joe,

Note in the 1901 Hiatt advert the establishment year is given as 1781 rather than as 1780.

Cheers,

Jack
http://www.editing.org.uk/tanis/collectibles.htm

I have just discovered that our previous view of the end of Parker, Field & Sons is incorrect. The dates that we all quote come from the Martyn Gilchrist whistle book.

This is how I have it listed in my British handcuffs book. "In the 1794 Directory of London and Westminster & Borough of Southwark, the company was listed as Field & Parker, located at 233 High Holborn, London. . . . the name of the company changed to Parker, Field & Sons from 1842 –1877, although their products were often marked just Field, 233 Holborn, London. From 1877-1883 the company relocated to 59 Lehman Street and the company name changed to Field & Sons. At this point the company seems to have gone out of business. "

This turns out to be wrong. Just this week I received a CD I bought off eBay that contains the pages of the "1901 POLICE CONSTABULARY ALMANAC" It includes an advertisement for Parker, Field & Sons. They have moved from Holborn Street, but the company is still in existance in 1901 and still selling handcuffs. I am pleased to find this, because I thought that some of the Field & Soncs handcuffs that I have seen were newer than 1883.

Joe

Click to expand...

I am curious what a lunatic lock is on page 161......

I have just discovered that our previous view of the end of Parker, Field & Sons is incorrect. The dates that we all quote come from the Martyn Gilchrist whistle book.

This is how I have it listed in my British handcuffs book. "In the 1794 Directory of London and Westminster & Borough of Southwark, the company was listed as Field & Parker, located at 233 High Holborn, London. . . . the name of the company changed to Parker, Field & Sons from 1842 –1877, although their products were often marked just Field, 233 Holborn, London. From 1877-1883 the company relocated to 59 Lehman Street and the company name changed to Field & Sons. At this point the company seems to have gone out of business. "

This turns out to be wrong. Just this week I received a CD I bought off eBay that contains the pages of the "1901 POLICE CONSTABULARY ALMANAC" It includes an advertisement for Parker, Field & Sons. They have moved from Holborn Street, but the company is still in existance in 1901 and still selling handcuffs. I am pleased to find this, because I thought that some of the Field & Soncs handcuffs that I have seen were newer than 1883.

Joe

Click to expand...

I'll stand corrected if anyone else knows for certain but I believe a lunatic lock was not a restraint as such but was a small key operated locking clip which could be attached to an item of clothing to prevent the removal of the clothing. Basically it prevents people who suffer from mental illness stripping off at inappropriate times .Some of the old Hiatt boxes show "Requisites for Mental Institutions" on their side and something similar is shown.

RMP

I have just discovered that our previous view of the end of Parker, Field & Sons is incorrect. The dates that we all quote come from the Martyn Gilchrist whistle book.

This is how I have it listed in my British handcuffs book. "In the 1794 Directory of London and Westminster & Borough of Southwark, the company was listed as Field & Parker, located at 233 High Holborn, London. . . . the name of the company changed to Parker, Field & Sons from 1842 –1877, although their products were often marked just Field, 233 Holborn, London. From 1877-1883 the company relocated to 59 Lehman Street and the company name changed to Field & Sons. At this point the company seems to have gone out of business. "

This turns out to be wrong. Just this week I received a CD I bought off eBay that contains the pages of the "1901 POLICE CONSTABULARY ALMANAC" It includes an advertisement for Parker, Field & Sons. They have moved from Holborn Street, but the company is still in existance in 1901 and still selling handcuffs. I am pleased to find this, because I thought that some of the Field & Soncs handcuffs that I have seen were newer than 1883.

Joe

Click to expand...

Hi
I kind of like the Cap Wrist Cuff chain with the funnel on the end. It is on the opposing side of the chain that the lock goes into. Does anyone have one of these chains? I have never seen one before.


mark
"Kuffs"
O--O

I have just discovered that our previous view of the end of Parker, Field & Sons is incorrect. The dates that we all quote come from the Martyn Gilchrist whistle book.

This is how I have it listed in my British handcuffs book. "In the 1794 Directory of London and Westminster & Borough of Southwark, the company was listed as Field & Parker, located at 233 High Holborn, London. . . . the name of the company changed to Parker, Field & Sons from 1842 –1877, although their products were often marked just Field, 233 Holborn, London. From 1877-1883 the company relocated to 59 Lehman Street and the company name changed to Field & Sons. At this point the company seems to have gone out of business. "

This turns out to be wrong. Just this week I received a CD I bought off eBay that contains the pages of the "1901 POLICE CONSTABULARY ALMANAC" It includes an advertisement for Parker, Field & Sons. They have moved from Holborn Street, but the company is still in existance in 1901 and still selling handcuffs. I am pleased to find this, because I thought that some of the Field & Soncs handcuffs that I have seen were newer than 1883.

Joe

Click to expand...

Hi,

Sorry Joe I should have added congratulation to my earlier message on unearthing this piece of information. Things once read have the habit of been taken for granted and accepted as correct. So well spotted.

RMP

I have just discovered that our previous view of the end of Parker, Field & Sons is incorrect. The dates that we all quote come from the Martyn Gilchrist whistle book.

This is how I have it listed in my British handcuffs book. "In the 1794 Directory of London and Westminster & Borough of Southwark, the company was listed as Field & Parker, located at 233 High Holborn, London. . . . the name of the company changed to Parker, Field & Sons from 1842 –1877, although their products were often marked just Field, 233 Holborn, London. From 1877-1883 the company relocated to 59 Lehman Street and the company name changed to Field & Sons. At this point the company seems to have gone out of business. "

This turns out to be wrong. Just this week I received a CD I bought off eBay that contains the pages of the "1901 POLICE CONSTABULARY ALMANAC" It includes an advertisement for Parker, Field & Sons. They have moved from Holborn Street, but the company is still in existance in 1901 and still selling handcuffs. I am pleased to find this, because I thought that some of the Field & Soncs handcuffs that I have seen were newer than 1883.

Joe

Click to expand...

I have a strait-jacket , arms down the front type with lunatic locks on all straps. These are a small rectangular brass fittings with a rectangular hole on the center. On one long side there is a tubular project . It is fitted to one strap like a belt bucket and the opposing strap is passed through the centre. A square ended thread bolt is then screwed down to fasten the strap by pressure alone.

I haven't yet worked out how to post photos so email me if you would like to see one.

Ian