City of London
Domine Dirige Nos (Lord Direct Us)

Introduction

Whilst truncheons for the City of London are quite numerous, highly decorative examples in good condition are to be prized. Only rarely are they decorated with the full arms of the City (i.e. arms, supporters and crest) and normally just bear a red cross on a white ground with a sword in the first quarter.

The City of London Police, which exists today, was formed in 1839, a full ten years after that of the Metropolitan Police. Its formation came about when moves were made to regularise the policing arrangements for the whole capital and amalgamate the City and Metropolitan Police districts. The Corporation of London made an urgent petition to Queen Victoria, which resulted in The City of London Police Bill and the establishment of a force 500 strong.

Of the examples shown many of them do not have the usual clues to helping date them accurately.
(See 'Dating Truncheons').

The City was also divided into twenty-six areas know as wards. It is not uncommon for truncheons to have initials, which relate to the ward. However as a number of these all have the same letters it makes further identification impossible. For example there are eight wards beginning with the letter 'C'.

City Wards

The wards of the City of London which have existed since the thirteenth century are as follows:

Aldersgate	Cornhill
Aldgate	Cripplegate Within
Bassishaw	Cripplegate Without
Billingsgate	Dowgate
Bishopsgate	Farringdon Within
Bread Street	Farringdon Without
Bridge Within	Langbourn
Bridge Without *	Lime Street
Broad Street	Portsoken
Candlewick	Queenhithe
Castle Baynard	Tower Street
Cheap	Vintry
Coleman Street	Wallbrook
Cordwainer

* The ward of Bridge Without (or Southwark) is included in the list but in fact is not one of the Wards of the City proper.

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