Museums

Get closer to the objects of law and order history

Collections

Explore the featured collections at the Yorkshire Law and Order Museums: -

Handcuffs and Restraints - Prison and Police Museum

The display of handcuffs and other restraints within the Prison and Police Museum has been enlarged and now includes examples of some ten identified manufacturers of same.

These are on display in Galleries 12 and 13 and are a comprehensive collection showing examples of 9 British Manufacturers and one US manufacturer. According to Alex Nichols, the British Restraints Expert, we are the only museum who has a collection showing such a large number of British Manufacturers.

Manufacturers represented in the Handcuffs Collection: -

Hiatts - with both spellings of the name, Hiatt while it was owned by the LaTrobe family and then Hiatts after it was sold by them; we have examples of many styles of their restraints.

Froggatt - we have a very old pair of "Darbies" (on loan from Harrogate Museums & Arts).

Reuben Craddock & Son - a very heavy Boer War style Plug (Figure of) Eight.

Nichols - a pair of "Darbies".

Field & Son - "Darbies".

William Dowler & Sons - (Scissor) Grips & "Darbies".

Chubb - usual padlock styles including first example.

Stedall & Sons (originally known as Pfeil & Stedall) - small pair of Prison Service "Darbies" with PFEIL STEDDAL & SONS LONDON.

TKS (Toye, Kenning & Spencer) - these were originally made for this firm of clothing and equipment manufacturers by Peter LaTrobe after the LaTrobe faimly had sold Hiatt; when LaTrobe went into liquidation TKS had them made themselves.

Smith & Wesson (USA) - ratchet handcuffs.

... back to top