What is the earliest British Army handcuff?

Does anyone know when the British Army started carrying handcuffs? I know they had them around 1788 when taking prisoners to Australia, but leg irons were used mostly in Australia as far as I know, riveted on as a punishment in chain gangs and not much different to slave trade irons.

The cuffs from this period I assume would have been some kind of "plug 8" or plug shackles on chain. I've found no mention of cap wrist locks being used even though they are a very old design.

What is the earliest M&C (Ministry & Crown) or B /|\ O (Board of Ordinance) marked cuff that collectors have? I have a Hiatt darby marked M&C 1860 but B /|\ O were earlier.

What about in Wars? We hear a lot about cuffs from the 2nd Boer War (1899-1902) and later. What about in the American War of Independence (1775-1783), if the British took prisoners, how did they hold them?
American Civil War handcuffs seem to be well documented which is why I'm more curious about earlier British Army handcuffs.

Any thoughts

Paul Davies

Paul

You ask a very good question. What did the British Army used prior to the M&C era?

I have one cuff marked B.O. with a broad arrow /|\. It does not look like a factory mark, but I think it is ok. It is on a Hiatt backstrap Darby marked Hiatt and Birmingham.

In a related question has any one seen a Plug 8 style cuff with military or a broad arrow mark? This is a relevant question since the plug 8 cuffs are older than the Darbies.

Joe

Does anyone know when the British Army started carrying handcuffs? I know they had them around 1788 when taking prisoners to Australia, but leg irons were used mostly in Australia as far as I know, riveted on as a punishment in chain gangs and not much different to slave trade irons.

The cuffs from this period I assume would have been some kind of "plug 8" or plug shackles on chain. I've found no mention of cap wrist locks being used even though they are a very old design.

What is the earliest M&C (Ministry & Crown) or B /|\ O (Board of Ordinance) marked cuff that collectors have? I have a Hiatt darby marked M&C 1860 but B /|\ O were earlier.

What about in Wars? We hear a lot about cuffs from the 2nd Boer War (1899-1902) and later. What about in the American War of Independence (1775-1783), if the British took prisoners, how did they hold them?
American Civil War handcuffs seem to be well documented which is why I'm more curious about earlier British Army handcuffs.

Any thoughts

Paul Davies

Click to expand...

I would like to ask if any one has seen or heard of a Darby or plug leg iron with the British /|\ broad arrow mark . A collector I know says he has 2 pairs but I have not seen them. Thanks

Does anyone know when the British Army started carrying handcuffs? I know they had them around 1788 when taking prisoners to Australia, but leg irons were used mostly in Australia as far as I know, riveted on as a punishment in chain gangs and not much different to slave trade irons.

The cuffs from this period I assume would have been some kind of "plug 8" or plug shackles on chain. I've found no mention of cap wrist locks being used even though they are a very old design.

What is the earliest M&C (Ministry & Crown) or B /|\ O (Board of Ordinance) marked cuff that collectors have? I have a Hiatt darby marked M&C 1860 but B /|\ O were earlier.

What about in Wars? We hear a lot about cuffs from the 2nd Boer War (1899-1902) and later. What about in the American War of Independence (1775-1783), if the British took prisoners, how did they hold them?
American Civil War handcuffs seem to be well documented which is why I'm more curious about earlier British Army handcuffs.

Any thoughts

Paul Davies

Click to expand...

Hi Tom, I have several plug eights with broad arrow, They are certainly around.

Does anyone know when the British Army started carrying handcuffs? I know they had them around 1788 when taking prisoners to Australia, but leg irons were used mostly in Australia as far as I know, riveted on as a punishment in chain gangs and not much different to slave trade irons.

The cuffs from this period I assume would have been some kind of "plug 8" or plug shackles on chain. I've found no mention of cap wrist locks being used even though they are a very old design.

What is the earliest M&C (Ministry & Crown) or B /|\ O (Board of Ordinance) marked cuff that collectors have? I have a Hiatt darby marked M&C 1860 but B /|\ O were earlier.

What about in Wars? We hear a lot about cuffs from the 2nd Boer War (1899-1902) and later. What about in the American War of Independence (1775-1783), if the British took prisoners, how did they hold them?
American Civil War handcuffs seem to be well documented which is why I'm more curious about earlier British Army handcuffs.

Any thoughts

Paul Davies

Click to expand...

Of course there are lots of broad arrow marked darbies dating up until the Korean war (1950-53) and probably later, but the inclusion of M&C or B.O. make them earlier. Board of Ordinance would be 1850s and earlier. Here in Australia in the 1820's the British Colonial Government advertised in the newspapers for tenders to supply 100 pairs of handcuffs and 300 pairs of leg iron for instance - the ratio is telling. These may not have had "factory" stamps of B /|\ O. It is more likely that the government Quartermaster's office applied the marks to their newly acquired property including pots and pans, tools and every other kind of "Birmingham ware". But if bought in Britain they may have been factory marked. I have a few cuffs marked with Parish names or Police Divisions where the regular marks of HARD or WARRANTED WROUGHT have been moved from their usual positions to make way for the extra information.

I guess it wouldn't matter too much who supplied a riveted leg iron, but for handcuffs with a key, you'd want some kind of uniformity wouldn't you? It would make sense to buy a bulk order from a Birmingham factory rather than have Colonials make their knock-offs of Hiatts, although I hear that is the case. Considering it was a 6 to 8 month round trip by ship between Sydney and London, the colonies had to have been resourceful.

Does anyone know when the British Army started carrying handcuffs? I know they had them around 1788 when taking prisoners to Australia, but leg irons were used mostly in Australia as far as I know, riveted on as a punishment in chain gangs and not much different to slave trade irons.

The cuffs from this period I assume would have been some kind of "plug 8" or plug shackles on chain. I've found no mention of cap wrist locks being used even though they are a very old design.

What is the earliest M&C (Ministry & Crown) or B /|\ O (Board of Ordinance) marked cuff that collectors have? I have a Hiatt darby marked M&C 1860 but B /|\ O were earlier.

What about in Wars? We hear a lot about cuffs from the 2nd Boer War (1899-1902) and later. What about in the American War of Independence (1775-1783), if the British took prisoners, how did they hold them?
American Civil War handcuffs seem to be well documented which is why I'm more curious about earlier British Army handcuffs.

Any thoughts

Paul Davies

Click to expand...

Hi Ian,

Are you saying you have several pairs of plug 8 marked leg irons or cuffs , I was wondering about leg irons.....thanks Tom

Does anyone know when the British Army started carrying handcuffs? I know they had them around 1788 when taking prisoners to Australia, but leg irons were used mostly in Australia as far as I know, riveted on as a punishment in chain gangs and not much different to slave trade irons.

The cuffs from this period I assume would have been some kind of "plug 8" or plug shackles on chain. I've found no mention of cap wrist locks being used even though they are a very old design.

What is the earliest M&C (Ministry & Crown) or B /|\ O (Board of Ordinance) marked cuff that collectors have? I have a Hiatt darby marked M&C 1860 but B /|\ O were earlier.

What about in Wars? We hear a lot about cuffs from the 2nd Boer War (1899-1902) and later. What about in the American War of Independence (1775-1783), if the British took prisoners, how did they hold them?
American Civil War handcuffs seem to be well documented which is why I'm more curious about earlier British Army handcuffs.

Any thoughts

Paul Davies

Click to expand...

Hello,

...with a section making it a violation not to state Board of Ordnance when that is what is meant!

Oh, to be connected firmly with life's most important aspects and issues. (I wonder what it's like...)

Cheers,

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

Does anyone know when the British Army started carrying handcuffs? I know they had them around 1788 when taking prisoners to Australia, but leg irons were used mostly in Australia as far as I know, riveted on as a punishment in chain gangs and not much different to slave trade irons.

The cuffs from this period I assume would have been some kind of "plug 8" or plug shackles on chain. I've found no mention of cap wrist locks being used even though they are a very old design.

What is the earliest M&C (Ministry & Crown) or B /|\ O (Board of Ordinance) marked cuff that collectors have? I have a Hiatt darby marked M&C 1860 but B /|\ O were earlier.

What about in Wars? We hear a lot about cuffs from the 2nd Boer War (1899-1902) and later. What about in the American War of Independence (1775-1783), if the British took prisoners, how did they hold them?
American Civil War handcuffs seem to be well documented which is why I'm more curious about earlier British Army handcuffs.

Any thoughts

Paul Davies

Click to expand...

Thanks Jack, you had me reaching for the dictionary.
I am bored with ordinance, but not with the Board of Ordnance.
Not as bad as provenance / providence though!

Paul

Does anyone know when the British Army started carrying handcuffs? I know they had them around 1788 when taking prisoners to Australia, but leg irons were used mostly in Australia as far as I know, riveted on as a punishment in chain gangs and not much different to slave trade irons.

The cuffs from this period I assume would have been some kind of "plug 8" or plug shackles on chain. I've found no mention of cap wrist locks being used even though they are a very old design.

What is the earliest M&C (Ministry & Crown) or B /|\ O (Board of Ordinance) marked cuff that collectors have? I have a Hiatt darby marked M&C 1860 but B /|\ O were earlier.

What about in Wars? We hear a lot about cuffs from the 2nd Boer War (1899-1902) and later. What about in the American War of Independence (1775-1783), if the British took prisoners, how did they hold them?
American Civil War handcuffs seem to be well documented which is why I'm more curious about earlier British Army handcuffs.

Any thoughts

Paul Davies

Click to expand...

Hi Tom, I was talking about handcuffs (plug eight)

Paul D, have you noted any errors in my spelling??

Ian

I found this 11 year old thread when searching 'Board of Ordnance' and unfortunately jack is no longer with us to correct our spelling but I found Joe's Hiatt 'B of O' cuff again which is very nice. I'm not sure if i've posted my BofO cuff on here since then. It is a Field and Son cuff with a partial but easily recognisable stamp on the backstrap hinge. BofO ceased using that name in 1855 which helps to date this cuff.