American Toby Jug Museum 

London Bobby character jug produced by Mason's of Hanley, England, circa 1985. The name Bobby was derived from the Christian name of Sir Robert Peel, who as Home Secretary was responsible for the establishment of the Metropolitan Police Force of London, England. The familiar term has come to denote any member of the English police force, but is still more commonly used in London. Before 1829, authorities in London had few resources to cope with riot, crime and disorder. Confronted with political objections, Peel sponsored a successful bill creating the first bureaucratic police force in England. The 1829 Metropolitan Police Act was passed as a political compromise, applying only to London. The Act established the principles that shaped modern English policing. This enforcer of law and order can be seen in his distinctive helmet and uniform as he pounds his beat along the streets of Westminster, near the famous London landmark of Big Ben. The Bobby's truncheon forms the handle of the jug.