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Description

Victorian Police Officers used wooden rattles as a means of raising the alarm. Rattles were cumbersome, awkward to operate and prone to rot/warping. Police officers were often subject to attacks from their own rattles, resulting in their replacement with whistles in the 1880s.

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Comments (1)

Ross Mather Police Memorabilia of Wales Collection's profile picture
This rattle is very unlikely to be as late as 1860. Rattles by then, were coming towards the end of their time - having been in existence since Georgian times. Later ones from c.1860, were much smaller and had hinged handles that folded, making the rattle more compact and able to fit into an officers pocket.

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