Foulk Stapleford (spelled on the tipstaff 'Foulkstaplford') is a small village in Cheshire. This painted wooden tipstaff would have been carried as a symbol of office by the constable or, almost certainly in this case, the official appointed by the parish church to keep order in the village. The painted coat of arms is that of George III.
The tipstaff was the forerunner of the warrant card. When an arrest was made, the suspect had to be touched, traditionally on the right shoulder, with the staff for an effective arrest, in the same way that today in the UK, when a warrant card is produced to effect an arrest, the officer must hold the suspect by some part of his clothing.
A tipstaff with a carved crown is exceptionally rare - they were never made in any quantity and very rarely for provincial use, ie mostly for London.
This tipstaff measures 11.25 inches overall and some 70% of its original paintwork remains. In better shape, this would cost nearer £1,000.
If you want to comment on this item—re quality, age, etc—please email me.
[Militaria : Tipstaffs Truncheons : British : 19th Century]
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