This painted wooden police truncheon dates from the reign of King William IV (1830–37). It is decorated with a crown and the letters WIVR, standing for King William IV. For some pupils, its function may be obvious, for others it may be mistaken for a rounders or baseball bat, or for something else entirely. Pupils can be encouraged to formulate a range of questions, such as: What is it made of? What would it have been used for? How does its design reflect this use?...