You may be thinking ‘only Locksmiths in Brighton will care about the history of locks’ but it would surprise you how much locks have changed over the years.
When seeing church locks it seems appropriate that the earliest representation of a lock should be found on a bas-relief in an Egyptian temple at Kamak dating from 2000BC. The Greeks are recognized with the invention of the keyhole, the point of a sickle shaped tool being inserted through a small hole in the door, and, with a slight rotary motion, closing or withdrawing a
large bolt A Linear B tablet dating to 1300BC, excavated in Crete, was translated.Keys are stated in the Old Testament, notably in Judges ch3 v25, written around 1170BC and Isaiah ch22 v22, from about 740BC. The initial lock mined came from the Palace of Sargon at Khorsabad in Iraq, dating from 700BC. As they were now made from metal a large number have survived. Padlocks with a spring tine mechanism were found at York when the Jorvik Viking settlement of 850 was discovered.
A small but useful source of data from this period through to medieval times comes from the art of the period; carvings, wall paintings, illuminated manuscripts and stained glass. Representations of everyday life occasionally show modern locks and keys and portrayals of St Peter can be an ironic source.
Church Locks in Brighton
Many altered types of locks can be found on church doors, depending on age, location and support. They might be rim locks, mortise locks or even padlocks, and be of entirely metal construction or of wood and iron. The doors of many historic churches still carry an old wooden lock, although you may find that a modem 5-lever mortise lock has been installed alongside it to meet insurance supplies.
The general name for the family of wooden locks is 'woodstock locks' a term dating back to the knowledge of trades springing from smithing, with some terms in common between the numerous branches.
Before development many Banbury locks were made by resident craftsmen, so even Locksmiths in Brighton wouldn’t have known how to use one. There are many variations to the normal deadbolt pattern, some having latch bolts in addition, operated by the key; some having double bolts and some double-handed for use in either a right-hand or left-hand application.
Better iron working techniques in the 18th century were used in the 'plate lock', when all the working parts were riding on a metal plate and the wood was merely a cover. Plate locks also had a long history of growth, characterised by the shape of the metal plate which reflected the increasing degree of mechanisation in forming the consistent recess in the stock.
Locks were not used just on the main doors; there will typically be locks on bell towers, vestries and organ lofts too, often as old as the church, occasionally remaining forgotten during a modernisation.
The general name for the family of wooden locks is 'woodstock locks' a term dating back to the knowledge of trades springing from smithing, with some terms in common between the numerous branches.
Before development many Banbury locks were made by resident craftsmen, so even Locksmiths in Brighton wouldn’t have known how to use one. There are many variations to the normal deadbolt pattern, some having latch bolts in addition, operated by the key; some having double bolts and some double-handed for use in either a right-hand or left-hand application.
Better iron working techniques in the 18th century were used in the 'plate lock', when all the working parts were riding on a metal plate and the wood was merely a cover. Plate locks also had a long history of growth, characterised by the shape of the metal plate which reflected the increasing degree of mechanisation in forming the consistent recess in the stock.
Locks were not used just on the main doors; there will typically be locks on bell towers, vestries and organ lofts too, often as old as the church, occasionally remaining forgotten during a modernisation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lock_(device)
http://www.londonlocksmiths.com/become-a-locksmith.html
http://callusfirst.uk.com/listing/haines-security/
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