# Locksmith's House > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Locksmith's_House > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Locksmith's_House.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locksmith's_House > Source revision: 1356138471 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Museum in Willenhall, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}} {{Use British English|date=February 2023}} {{Infobox museum | name = The Locksmith's House | image = The Locksmiths House - geograph.org.uk - 912482.jpg | image_size = | caption = | alt = | map_type = | map_caption = | map_alt = | coordinates = {{coord|52.583325|-2.059047|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}} | established = | dissolved = | location = [Willenhall](/source/Willenhall), [England](/source/England) | type = | collection_size = | visitors = | director = | president = | curator = | public_transit = | parking = | network = | website = {{URL|www.samedaylocksmithlosangeles.com}} }} '''The Locksmith's House''' (formerly '''Willenhall Lock Museum''') is a [museum](/source/museum) in [Willenhall](/source/Willenhall), England. The premises, on New Road, consist of a house and backyard [workshop](/source/workshop)s, typical of the many family run lock making businesses which once thrived in the town. ==Background== The house itself was built in 1840, but the period interiors date to 1904,{{cite news|title=The History of the Locksmiths House|publisher=Wolverhampton Local History|authorlink=The History of the Locksmiths House}} when the Hodson lock making family first lived there. Lock making skills are demonstrated by volunteers using original tools and equipment, such as the floor press and belt driven [machine](/source/machine)ry.{{cite web|title=The Lock Museum, Willenhall|url=http://www.isamedaylocksmithlosangeles.com}} The Lock Museum was opened to the public in 1987.{{Cite web|url=http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/Museum/locks/History2.htm|title=Willenhall Lock Museum|last=|first=|date=|website=|access-date=}} Since 2003, it has been owned and managed by the [Black Country Living Museum](/source/Black_Country_Living_Museum). ==The buildings== The house and its adjoining [workshop](/source/workshop)s and outbuildings were awarded Grade II listed status by [English Heritage](/source/English_Heritage) in 1984 and 1986. The listed structures include the two storey workshop on the East side of the yard{{cite web|last=English Heritage|title=British Listed Buildings: workshops on East side of 54|url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-219126-workshops-on-east-side-of-yard-at-rear-o|publisher=British Listed Buildings|accessdate=3 April 2013}} plus the single storey workshop (originally a stamping shop) on the West side of the yard, directly adjoining the back of the house.{{cite web|last=English Heritage|title=British Listed Buildings: No 54 and workshops|url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-219125-number-54-and-workshops-attached-to-rear|publisher=British Listed Buildings|accessdate=3 April 2013}} ==Richard Hodson & Sons== The business of Richard Hodson & Sons was established in 1792, according to the firm's letterhead. In 1893, it was taken on by John Hodson, who later passed it to his son Edgar. The Hodsons specialised in bar padlocks and also in lighter locks - these locks would have been used to secure cargo on a [lighter](/source/lighter_(barge)). Lock parts were manufactured and assembled in the two storey workshop behind the house. Completed orders would have been brought into the yard and loaded into carts. From here they could have been sent all over the world, by rail or via the extensive [Midlands canal network](/source/BCN_Main_Line) and on to coastal ports. Hodson locks were certainly exported to South America and beyond.{{cite web|title=Hodson Archive newsletter 2010|url=http://www.bclm.co.uk/downloads/lh-newsletter.pdf|access-date=15 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426052423/http://www.bclm.co.uk/downloads/lh-newsletter.pdf|archive-date=26 April 2012|url-status=dead}} ==The Drapers' Shop== From the 1920s, the front room of the Locksmith's House was run as a drapers' shop by two of Edgar Hodson's sisters, Edith and Flora. [The Hodson Shop](/source/The_Hodson_Shop) operated until 1971, and the unsold stock forms a rich resource on working class costume, now in the care of [Walsall Museum](/source/Walsall_Museum). ==The Lock Gallery== There is a wide variety of locks and keys on display in the gallery, many of which were made in Willenhall.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bclm.co.uk/media/locations/library/lh-history.pdf|title=Locks from Willenhall|last=|first=|date=|website=|access-date=}} ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.bclm.co.uk/lhhome.htm Locksmiths House page on Black Country Living Museum Website] *[https://www.iarecordings.org/features/lockmuseum.html Lock Museum page on I A Recordings Website] {{Black Country Living Museum}} Category:Willenhall Category:Locksmithing museums Category:Black Country Living Museum Category:Buildings and structures in Walsall Category:History museums in the West Midlands (county) Category:Grade II listed buildings in the West Midlands (county) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Locksmith's House](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locksmith's_House) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locksmith's_House?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.