Locksmith history lesson

The evolution of locks and locksmiths over the years

We’re a month into this third lockdown, and looks like we’ll be that way until at least March. This means even more dreaded home-schooling of our kids and that got me thinking about how I could unleash my inner Joe Wicks. Don’t worry – that’s not an unpleasant euphemism, and nor am I about to start leading keep-fit Zoom classes. Instead, my contribution will be a history lesson in the form of a whistle-stop tour through the evolution of locks and locksmiths over the years. Never fear – there will be no examination at the end, just count it as a bit of extra knowledge you’ve gained today, before having a cup of tea to celebrate.

Locks dating back 4000 years

Locksmithing goes back even further than the first lockdown. There is evidence of locks dating back 4000 years. These locks, as found in Ancient Egypt and Babylon were much larger than one would perhaps expect and made out of wood, with little of the sophistication found in modern-day devices. However, the rough concept was very similar to today’s locks – pins in the locks were moved by a giant wooden key. These keys were not likely to be clipped on to a key ring around one’s belt unless you wanted to end up bent over by the end of the day – they really were large.

The technology spread, albeit at much slower speeds than a 21st Century pandemic, and locks and keys were soon being used in Far East cultures including China as well as in Western Europe. The better-off citizens of Rome, sick of being robbed by their fellow inhabitants, were big on keeping all their valuables safe. By this time, the size of the keys had reduced, and the wealthy Romans – very much the Kardashians of their day would wear their keys on their fingers as rings. These became status symbols for these early influencers, many centuries before the Instagram days, as they showed other people that you were wealthy enough to need to lock away your property.

Early bolt locks fashioned from iron

This is all very well, you’re thinking, but when did locks begin to be made out of metal? Fortunately, I have the answer – it was over 1000 years ago around the year of 900AD – I’m afraid I don’t have the exact date. We can take a bit of national pride in this as these early bolt locks, fashioned from iron, are thought to have first been made in England. These then spread across Europe and, again, to China in a reverse Corona style, and locks began mainly being made out of iron or brass. These were paired with keys that operated the lock either by turning, screwing or pushing. (stop sniggering there at the back of the class)

Between the 14th and 17th centuries, the profession attracted more and more skilled metal workers, with intricate designs coming into fashion, commissioned by those who could afford it, such as the nobility. Locks were adorned with royal crests and coat of arms, and locksmiths became the artists of their day.

Despite this move forward in the aesthetics of locks, the actual mechanisms hadn’t moved forward much during this time. This would change in the 18th century, as advances in the fashioning of metal, accelerated by the Industrial Revolution meant that locksmiths were finally able to make more precise and sophisticated keys and locks that were more complex and secure.

In the late 18th century, the tumbler lock was invented by Robert Barron. This new lock required a lever to be raised to a certain height – too high or not high enough would not open the lock – and is a lock that is still used to this day to prevent burglars. Another famous locksmith from a couple of decades later in 1817 was Jermiah Chubb. The British Government had held a competition to find a new type of lock, following a major break-in at the Portsmouth Dockyard. Chubb won this competition with the lock that still bears his name, after a lock picker had tried in vain for 3 months to pick it. Not only was this lock much more difficult to pick, it would also show the lock owner if someone had tried to pick it.

The Chubb lock company

Following his success in the competition, Jeremiah started up the Chubb lock company with his brother Charles. For the next few decades they ruled the world of lock manufacturers, making improvement after improvement to key and lock systems. They increased the number of levers in the locks and also added a disc to the lock which prevented lock pickers from being able to see any of the internal levers.

Moving towards the end of the 18th century, and Joseph Bramah came up with a different type of lock to compete with the Chubb brothers. Bramah’s lock used a round notched key which would move metal slides within the lock. When these slides had been moved to a particular position, the lock would open. This lock arrived in a blaze of publicity, most of which revolved around it being “unpickable”

Linus Yale

Finally, as the 18th century ticked over to the 19th century, another behemoth of the lock industry emerged. Linus Yale perfected the modern version of a double-acting pin tumbler lock. Although a patent for this design dated back to 1805, it was Yale who perfected it in 1848 – his lock used pins of different lengths which prevented the lock from being opened unless the correct key was inserted in the lock. Yale keys and locks are still very much in use today.

Almost every lock today (bar electronic locks) will all owe something to the early locks of either Bramah, Yale or Chubb, albeit with a modification here or there. With these designs, the profession of locksmithing was able to become more streamlined. Whereas in the past, a general handyman may have turned their hand to keys or locks, the work of Bramah, Yale and Chubb meant that locksmiths had to become more specialised, concentrating on the fitting and repair of mechanisms.

Locksmiths now may specialise in commercial or domestic settings, and may be sole traders or part of a security company, but whatever form we take, we need to know the basics of these locks before specialising in other areas.

This whistle-stop tour has only scratched the surface of the history of locks and locksmiths, but hopefully has given a useful overview, and given you something to think about as you now relax and have that well-deserved cup of tea.