In the 18th century, Rotterdam’s watchguards patrolled the streets carrying a rattle. The rattle consisted of a wooden frame with a hammer inside. When they made a small movement with their hand, the hammer struck the wood and produced a strong sound. They used this sound to indicate the hour and to let residents know they were nearby and patrolling the area.
During their watch, they checked whether houses were securely locked. They issued warnings in case of fire or high water levels. They also kept an eye on sewer cleaners, who had a tendency to dump muck into the harbors or canals; when they caught them doing so, they issued a fine.
If they encountered vandalism, theft, or other crimes, they used their rattles to make a distinctive sound to alert other guards in the area and attempted to catch the culprit and hand them over to the bailiff. During their shifts, they were armed with a saber and a lance and often walked with a dog.
