A Victorian lignum vitae policeman's truncheon

A Victorian lignum vitae policeman's truncheon, painted with a 'crown above VR and a shield', with a ribbed handle and a brass terminal, 34.7cm long.

Provenance: This truncheon belonged to the vendor's great grandfather. He was a village policeman in Kelston, near Bath and later in Bath. By repute he was on Bath railway station one day and he used the truncheon to keep away a large group of unruly men, as he was the only policeman there.