Posted by Mark Lyons on June 26, 2001 at 00:12:32:
In Reply to: Re: WORD ORIGINS posted by Michael Stueber on June 25, 2001 at 14:44:09:
Hi Thanks for the time you took to look these words up. I was sure that Goal was the location of a jail or place of execution. Similar to how "bilboes" were named. I am trying to find the book that I thought contained an explanation that supported that idea. The other "darby" theory was that someone by that name had designed or helped manufacture or sell that style cuff. I will check out the OED....very good call!
So far the cuff display is limited to 3 tiers of glass shelves in a standard display case. Nothing too rare. We have the following: darby,adams,commings,maltby, bean prison, bean cobb, mattatuck,towers, pratt #1 (very nice one), marlin, pinkerton, some ball and chains, H&R super, various stages of peerless and smiths (94 and others, and the best item....an india darby with screw bolt chain links.( I am trying to get the rest of the committee to allow me to throw it away). A family member of an old retired deputy just gave us a nice 4 link marlin that has documentation of a murderer that was locked up in them. Original key too. Our jail items are a replica 1850 strap iron jail, (too hard to make and ship round bars then) a recreated 1930's jail with hammock type bed, and a modern bar type jail. We have the "clam shell" lever control box and key lockers. A very nice shank and contraband collection is also displayed. Inmate art makes up the rest of the display. I will get some pictures posted in a few weeks. Thanks again for your help on this project. Mark