Leg irons
Maker & role
Unknown, Maker
Production date
Early 19th Century
Mid 19th Century
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Object detail
Collection
Measurements
0 - Whole, L: 77.5 x W: 17cm (L: 775 x W: 170mm)
Credit line
Purchase, 2003
Hyde Park Barracks Collection, Museums of History New South Wales
Hyde Park Barracks Collection, Museums of History New South Wales
Caption
Convict leg irons, early-mid 19th century
Description
Known as darbies or slangs in the convict ‘flash’ slang language, leg irons were used widely as a way of punishing convicts who had committed crimes and misdemeanours after arriving in the colony. Top leg irons, like those pictured here, were designed to provide additional punishment. The pear shaped basils (rings) allowed the top irons to fit over the rivets of a set of standard leg irons, so that the convict would be 'double ironed'. The basils were fitted around the convict’s ankles and then hot rivets were put in place by a blacksmith, so the irons could not be removed.
Leg irons chafed the ankles, made loud clinking noises with every movement, and made working difficult and tiring. Running at any speed in irons was almost impossible - unless of course the convict could find a way to remove them.
Leg irons chafed the ankles, made loud clinking noises with every movement, and made working difficult and tiring. Running at any speed in irons was almost impossible - unless of course the convict could find a way to remove them.
Accession number
HPB2003/17
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