Jeremiah Cowdy & Co. London. A newly discovered handcuff mark.

The handcuff shown below was recently purchased on eBay. It has an unusual marking, which under good light can be seen to be, "J COWDY & Co LONDON". Conventional WARRANTED WROUGHT and HARD markings can also be seen. The handcuff is lightweight and does not look like just another Hiatt clone.



I had never heard of J COWDY, but a quick trip to Google turns up the company Jeremiah Cowdy & Co of London. The company is listed in a 1893 issue of the The Electrician A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Electrical Engineering, Industry and Science.

"JEREMIAH COWDY AND CO. (LIMITED).This Company was registered on September 13th, with a capital of £10,000, in £1 shares, to purchase and carry on the business of iron and steel merchants, lamp manufacturers, iron and brass founders, wire drawers, carried on by Jeremiah Cowdy and Co"

They have a full page advertisement in Sells Dictionary of the Worlds Press 1887 London,



The advertisement shows a wide assortment of lamps including watchman's lamps and lists an assortment of other products. No mention of handcuffs, but the variety of objects that they do list illustrate the necessary expertise. The watchman's lamp shows a possible link to law enforcement.

I am always fascinated by these strange ones that turn up now and again.

Has anyone else ever heard of this company?

Joe

Nice work Joe.
Without keen eyesight we may never have known the cuffs history.

You didn't ask for an opinion but...
The link between a watchman's lantern and handcuffs is highly likely. If Cowdy had a contract to supply Police you'd expect a lot more of their cuffs to show up. My next thought is, if they were not selling a lot of them, was it worth their while actually making them in London? They were in London at a time when Parker Field and Sons were in decline and there was room for other retailers of handcuffs. They are not cast bows - so were made by a skilled craftsman. They could still have been made by different Birmingham makers ie Hiatt, Froggat, Thompson. The key, if original, looks very much like the early Hiatt and Froggatt keys.
Paul

The handcuff shown below was recently purchased on eBay. It has an unusual marking, which under good light can be seen to be, "J COWDY & Co LONDON". Conventional WARRANTED WROUGHT and HARD markings can also be seen. The handcuff is lightweight and does not look like just another Hiatt clone.



I had never heard of J COWDY, but a quick trip to Google turns up the company Jeremiah Cowdy & Co of London. The company is listed in a 1893 issue of the The Electrician A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Electrical Engineering, Industry and Science.

"JEREMIAH COWDY AND CO. (LIMITED).This Company was registered on September 13th, with a capital of £10,000, in £1 shares, to purchase and carry on the business of iron and steel merchants, lamp manufacturers, iron and brass founders, wire drawers, carried on by Jeremiah Cowdy and Co"

They have a full page advertisement in Sells Dictionary of the Worlds Press 1887 London,



The advertisement shows a wide assortment of lamps including watchman's lamps and lists an assortment of other products. No mention of handcuffs, but the variety of objects that they do list illustrate the necessary expertise. The watchman's lamp shows a possible link to law enforcement.

I am always fascinated by these strange ones that turn up now and again.

Has anyone else ever heard of this company?

Joe

Click to expand...

Great work Joe, by the look of the shine on the shoulder of the key, looks like the cuff need so grease.
(How many darbies is in your collection now?) 10,563 LOL

Ian

The handcuff shown below was recently purchased on eBay. It has an unusual marking, which under good light can be seen to be, "J COWDY & Co LONDON". Conventional WARRANTED WROUGHT and HARD markings can also be seen. The handcuff is lightweight and does not look like just another Hiatt clone.



I had never heard of J COWDY, but a quick trip to Google turns up the company Jeremiah Cowdy & Co of London. The company is listed in a 1893 issue of the The Electrician A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Electrical Engineering, Industry and Science.

"JEREMIAH COWDY AND CO. (LIMITED).This Company was registered on September 13th, with a capital of £10,000, in £1 shares, to purchase and carry on the business of iron and steel merchants, lamp manufacturers, iron and brass founders, wire drawers, carried on by Jeremiah Cowdy and Co"

They have a full page advertisement in Sells Dictionary of the Worlds Press 1887 London,



The advertisement shows a wide assortment of lamps including watchman's lamps and lists an assortment of other products. No mention of handcuffs, but the variety of objects that they do list illustrate the necessary expertise. The watchman's lamp shows a possible link to law enforcement.

I am always fascinated by these strange ones that turn up now and again.

Has anyone else ever heard of this company?

Joe

Click to expand...

Great work Joe!

Interesting history of this company and nice Darbys.

sincerely

... --- ...

Johan Ahlberg

The handcuff shown below was recently purchased on eBay. It has an unusual marking, which under good light can be seen to be, "J COWDY & Co LONDON". Conventional WARRANTED WROUGHT and HARD markings can also be seen. The handcuff is lightweight and does not look like just another Hiatt clone.



I had never heard of J COWDY, but a quick trip to Google turns up the company Jeremiah Cowdy & Co of London. The company is listed in a 1893 issue of the The Electrician A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Electrical Engineering, Industry and Science.

"JEREMIAH COWDY AND CO. (LIMITED).This Company was registered on September 13th, with a capital of £10,000, in £1 shares, to purchase and carry on the business of iron and steel merchants, lamp manufacturers, iron and brass founders, wire drawers, carried on by Jeremiah Cowdy and Co"

They have a full page advertisement in Sells Dictionary of the Worlds Press 1887 London,



The advertisement shows a wide assortment of lamps including watchman's lamps and lists an assortment of other products. No mention of handcuffs, but the variety of objects that they do list illustrate the necessary expertise. The watchman's lamp shows a possible link to law enforcement.

I am always fascinated by these strange ones that turn up now and again.

Has anyone else ever heard of this company?

Joe

Click to expand...

Census records and others from 1841 to 1891 show that Jeremiah Cowdy was born in St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands, married in England in 1849 and died in 1900. He was a Railway Depot Clerk and Iron Merchant. Weren't handcuffs carried on trains?
Paul

The handcuff shown below was recently purchased on eBay. It has an unusual marking, which under good light can be seen to be, "J COWDY & Co LONDON". Conventional WARRANTED WROUGHT and HARD markings can also be seen. The handcuff is lightweight and does not look like just another Hiatt clone.



I had never heard of J COWDY, but a quick trip to Google turns up the company Jeremiah Cowdy & Co of London. The company is listed in a 1893 issue of the The Electrician A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Electrical Engineering, Industry and Science.

"JEREMIAH COWDY AND CO. (LIMITED).This Company was registered on September 13th, with a capital of £10,000, in £1 shares, to purchase and carry on the business of iron and steel merchants, lamp manufacturers, iron and brass founders, wire drawers, carried on by Jeremiah Cowdy and Co"

They have a full page advertisement in Sells Dictionary of the Worlds Press 1887 London,



The advertisement shows a wide assortment of lamps including watchman's lamps and lists an assortment of other products. No mention of handcuffs, but the variety of objects that they do list illustrate the necessary expertise. The watchman's lamp shows a possible link to law enforcement.

I am always fascinated by these strange ones that turn up now and again.

Has anyone else ever heard of this company?

Joe

Click to expand...

Paul
Thanks for the info.

Ian
The more important question you should have asked, "how many Darbies are not it your collection?"


The answer to the question you did ask. Quite a few.
The answer to the question you did not ask. Several.

Joe

The handcuff shown below was recently purchased on eBay. It has an unusual marking, which under good light can be seen to be, "J COWDY & Co LONDON". Conventional WARRANTED WROUGHT and HARD markings can also be seen. The handcuff is lightweight and does not look like just another Hiatt clone.



I had never heard of J COWDY, but a quick trip to Google turns up the company Jeremiah Cowdy & Co of London. The company is listed in a 1893 issue of the The Electrician A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Electrical Engineering, Industry and Science.

"JEREMIAH COWDY AND CO. (LIMITED).This Company was registered on September 13th, with a capital of £10,000, in £1 shares, to purchase and carry on the business of iron and steel merchants, lamp manufacturers, iron and brass founders, wire drawers, carried on by Jeremiah Cowdy and Co"

They have a full page advertisement in Sells Dictionary of the Worlds Press 1887 London,



The advertisement shows a wide assortment of lamps including watchman's lamps and lists an assortment of other products. No mention of handcuffs, but the variety of objects that they do list illustrate the necessary expertise. The watchman's lamp shows a possible link to law enforcement.

I am always fascinated by these strange ones that turn up now and again.

Has anyone else ever heard of this company?

Joe

Click to expand...

Nice find Joe. I hope your next book on British restraints is not to far away.

Damon

The handcuff shown below was recently purchased on eBay. It has an unusual marking, which under good light can be seen to be, "J COWDY & Co LONDON". Conventional WARRANTED WROUGHT and HARD markings can also be seen. The handcuff is lightweight and does not look like just another Hiatt clone.



I had never heard of J COWDY, but a quick trip to Google turns up the company Jeremiah Cowdy & Co of London. The company is listed in a 1893 issue of the The Electrician A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Electrical Engineering, Industry and Science.

"JEREMIAH COWDY AND CO. (LIMITED).This Company was registered on September 13th, with a capital of £10,000, in £1 shares, to purchase and carry on the business of iron and steel merchants, lamp manufacturers, iron and brass founders, wire drawers, carried on by Jeremiah Cowdy and Co"

They have a full page advertisement in Sells Dictionary of the Worlds Press 1887 London,



The advertisement shows a wide assortment of lamps including watchman's lamps and lists an assortment of other products. No mention of handcuffs, but the variety of objects that they do list illustrate the necessary expertise. The watchman's lamp shows a possible link to law enforcement.

I am always fascinated by these strange ones that turn up now and again.

Has anyone else ever heard of this company?

Joe

Click to expand...

Can u post a photo of the end caps please, thanks !

LK D~D

The handcuff shown below was recently purchased on eBay. It has an unusual marking, which under good light can be seen to be, "J COWDY & Co LONDON". Conventional WARRANTED WROUGHT and HARD markings can also be seen. The handcuff is lightweight and does not look like just another Hiatt clone.



I had never heard of J COWDY, but a quick trip to Google turns up the company Jeremiah Cowdy & Co of London. The company is listed in a 1893 issue of the The Electrician A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Electrical Engineering, Industry and Science.

"JEREMIAH COWDY AND CO. (LIMITED).This Company was registered on September 13th, with a capital of £10,000, in £1 shares, to purchase and carry on the business of iron and steel merchants, lamp manufacturers, iron and brass founders, wire drawers, carried on by Jeremiah Cowdy and Co"

They have a full page advertisement in Sells Dictionary of the Worlds Press 1887 London,



The advertisement shows a wide assortment of lamps including watchman's lamps and lists an assortment of other products. No mention of handcuffs, but the variety of objects that they do list illustrate the necessary expertise. The watchman's lamp shows a possible link to law enforcement.

I am always fascinated by these strange ones that turn up now and again.

Has anyone else ever heard of this company?

Joe

Click to expand...

Nice Darcy!

How does Joe find so many interesting cuffs?
Do you think Cowdy actually made this cuff or is it private labled from Hiatt or Froggatt?
Will a key from some of your others in the collection operate this cuff?

Nice addition!


TV.M.i.n.o.a.n.h-s

The handcuff shown below was recently purchased on eBay. It has an unusual marking, which under good light can be seen to be, "J COWDY & Co LONDON". Conventional WARRANTED WROUGHT and HARD markings can also be seen. The handcuff is lightweight and does not look like just another Hiatt clone.



I had never heard of J COWDY, but a quick trip to Google turns up the company Jeremiah Cowdy & Co of London. The company is listed in a 1893 issue of the The Electrician A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Electrical Engineering, Industry and Science.

"JEREMIAH COWDY AND CO. (LIMITED).This Company was registered on September 13th, with a capital of £10,000, in £1 shares, to purchase and carry on the business of iron and steel merchants, lamp manufacturers, iron and brass founders, wire drawers, carried on by Jeremiah Cowdy and Co"

They have a full page advertisement in Sells Dictionary of the Worlds Press 1887 London,



The advertisement shows a wide assortment of lamps including watchman's lamps and lists an assortment of other products. No mention of handcuffs, but the variety of objects that they do list illustrate the necessary expertise. The watchman's lamp shows a possible link to law enforcement.

I am always fascinated by these strange ones that turn up now and again.

Has anyone else ever heard of this company?

Joe

Click to expand...

Here is a picture of the end caps. Nothing special. The more unique thing about the cuffs is the weight. They weigh only 264 grams or 9 and 3/8 oz. This makes them lighter than about 95% of the Darbies in my collection.
Joe

The handcuff shown below was recently purchased on eBay. It has an unusual marking, which under good light can be seen to be, "J COWDY & Co LONDON". Conventional WARRANTED WROUGHT and HARD markings can also be seen. The handcuff is lightweight and does not look like just another Hiatt clone.



I had never heard of J COWDY, but a quick trip to Google turns up the company Jeremiah Cowdy & Co of London. The company is listed in a 1893 issue of the The Electrician A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Electrical Engineering, Industry and Science.

"JEREMIAH COWDY AND CO. (LIMITED).This Company was registered on September 13th, with a capital of £10,000, in £1 shares, to purchase and carry on the business of iron and steel merchants, lamp manufacturers, iron and brass founders, wire drawers, carried on by Jeremiah Cowdy and Co"

They have a full page advertisement in Sells Dictionary of the Worlds Press 1887 London,



The advertisement shows a wide assortment of lamps including watchman's lamps and lists an assortment of other products. No mention of handcuffs, but the variety of objects that they do list illustrate the necessary expertise. The watchman's lamp shows a possible link to law enforcement.

I am always fascinated by these strange ones that turn up now and again.

Has anyone else ever heard of this company?

Joe

Click to expand...

JOE

LK D~D

The handcuff shown below was recently purchased on eBay. It has an unusual marking, which under good light can be seen to be, "J COWDY & Co LONDON". Conventional WARRANTED WROUGHT and HARD markings can also be seen. The handcuff is lightweight and does not look like just another Hiatt clone.



I had never heard of J COWDY, but a quick trip to Google turns up the company Jeremiah Cowdy & Co of London. The company is listed in a 1893 issue of the The Electrician A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Electrical Engineering, Industry and Science.

"JEREMIAH COWDY AND CO. (LIMITED).This Company was registered on September 13th, with a capital of £10,000, in £1 shares, to purchase and carry on the business of iron and steel merchants, lamp manufacturers, iron and brass founders, wire drawers, carried on by Jeremiah Cowdy and Co"

They have a full page advertisement in Sells Dictionary of the Worlds Press 1887 London,



The advertisement shows a wide assortment of lamps including watchman's lamps and lists an assortment of other products. No mention of handcuffs, but the variety of objects that they do list illustrate the necessary expertise. The watchman's lamp shows a possible link to law enforcement.

I am always fascinated by these strange ones that turn up now and again.

Has anyone else ever heard of this company?

Joe

Click to expand...

Hi, you won't know me, but about 12 years ago I bought a pair of Victorian handcuffs which I fell in love with. Today I got them out
to find out more about them and I came across your page here.
Well, my handcuffs are marked Froggatt Warranted Wrought and the key I have with them is the same shape as the one in your picture. So might that make your Jeremiah handcuffs made by Froggatt?

The handcuff shown below was recently purchased on eBay. It has an unusual marking, which under good light can be seen to be, "J COWDY & Co LONDON". Conventional WARRANTED WROUGHT and HARD markings can also be seen. The handcuff is lightweight and does not look like just another Hiatt clone.



I had never heard of J COWDY, but a quick trip to Google turns up the company Jeremiah Cowdy & Co of London. The company is listed in a 1893 issue of the The Electrician A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Electrical Engineering, Industry and Science.

"JEREMIAH COWDY AND CO. (LIMITED).This Company was registered on September 13th, with a capital of £10,000, in £1 shares, to purchase and carry on the business of iron and steel merchants, lamp manufacturers, iron and brass founders, wire drawers, carried on by Jeremiah Cowdy and Co"

They have a full page advertisement in Sells Dictionary of the Worlds Press 1887 London,



The advertisement shows a wide assortment of lamps including watchman's lamps and lists an assortment of other products. No mention of handcuffs, but the variety of objects that they do list illustrate the necessary expertise. The watchman's lamp shows a possible link to law enforcement.

I am always fascinated by these strange ones that turn up now and again.

Has anyone else ever heard of this company?

Joe

Click to expand...

It is an interesting question about English keys.
From my collection where the key numbers match the cuffs and are fairly sure be to the original keys, it seems that at one stage the same identical style of key, was used by Hiatt, Froggatt, Field, Thompson and Nichols (from right to left). To me that suggests that each cuff manufacturer was getting their keys from the same supplier in Birmingham. Of course not all threads were the same but there may have been a standard set of threads available including left hand threads. Other variations include the length and width of the tube.

Alternatively the heads of the keys were supplied and the handcuff manufacturer made the threaded tube. The early keys had a rolled tube with a seam up the side. I hope someone else can tell me exactly when they stopped making keys like that.

As to the shape of the key, the Cowdy key looks like the chunkier backstrap darby key. This style was used until at least WW1.
Joe's book shows the different styles of oval shaped keys used from the late 1800s to late 1900s.
Except for the modern keys, it is near impossible to date a cuff by its key. You then need to help determine age by whether they say Warranted Wrought, British Made, subtle changes in cuff style and methods of manufacture and how the iron has aged, and more importantly the dates that the manufacturer were in business. Not an easy task when the "Darby" was made for over 200 years!

The handcuff shown below was recently purchased on eBay. It has an unusual marking, which under good light can be seen to be, "J COWDY & Co LONDON". Conventional WARRANTED WROUGHT and HARD markings can also be seen. The handcuff is lightweight and does not look like just another Hiatt clone.



I had never heard of J COWDY, but a quick trip to Google turns up the company Jeremiah Cowdy & Co of London. The company is listed in a 1893 issue of the The Electrician A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Electrical Engineering, Industry and Science.

"JEREMIAH COWDY AND CO. (LIMITED).This Company was registered on September 13th, with a capital of £10,000, in £1 shares, to purchase and carry on the business of iron and steel merchants, lamp manufacturers, iron and brass founders, wire drawers, carried on by Jeremiah Cowdy and Co"

They have a full page advertisement in Sells Dictionary of the Worlds Press 1887 London,



The advertisement shows a wide assortment of lamps including watchman's lamps and lists an assortment of other products. No mention of handcuffs, but the variety of objects that they do list illustrate the necessary expertise. The watchman's lamp shows a possible link to law enforcement.

I am always fascinated by these strange ones that turn up now and again.

Has anyone else ever heard of this company?

Joe

Click to expand...

Only just discovered this post so a bit late in responding.

It seems unlikely that the "Watchman's Lamp" referred to in Cowdy's advert would be connected with the Night Watch. More likely to be intended for individuals who sat by the side of roadworks at night, employed by local councils and stationed there to warn pedestrians and traffic of a potential hazard.

The City of Limerick maintained a uniformed night watch until 1922 and possibly the last true night watchmen died still in office in 1956. He was employed by the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield Cathedral and had full power of arrest. However, these instances tend towards being fossilised occurrences and the old parochial night watch would have been defunct by 1887, the date of said advert.