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JOSEPH BATES, J & E BATES, 101 LORD STREET, WOLVERHAMPTON. (c1820?-1995)
They claim, in the advert from 1953 (at the foot of this
section), to have been established "over 130 years",
which would put the date of their foundation back to about 1820.
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The advert, left, comes from the catalogue of the Wolverhampton Arts
and Industrial Exhibition of 1884, when they seem to be already well
enough established as brassfounders and makers of locks, latches and
keys.
Joseph Bates also refers to himself as a "dynamo nickel plater".
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| The advert, right, is from a guide book of
1888. Note that Bates now seems to have two works - the
Scarboro Works in Temple Street and the Tempest Works in Tempest
Street, which would be at least 200 yards away and across Snow
Hill.
They are now mainly advertising nickel plating and, from their
Tempest works, iron goods. It seems that these works were
a forge.
J. Bates of Temple Street, Wolverhampton, is listed in the
Wolverhampton Red Book of 1896 as a cycle manufacture.
It appears that
this was only one part of the business, as they were also brass casters
and made brass rim locks.
It seems as if Bates was offering his services in any form of
metal work that seemed likely to find a market. |
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This advertisement is from a Wolverhampton trade
directory for 1896. Although the title emphasises bicycles
and tricycles the illustration shows several sorts of locks and
a large assortment of handles for coal boxes - the manufacture
of which was a thriving Wolverhampton trade at the time. |
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His brother Edward must have joined Joseph Bates as they were
established as a limited company, in 1901, as J & E BATES & SONS
Ltd. In the Red Book of 1909 they were still listed as making cycles,
although little is known of this activity and it is probable it did not
continue much beyond this date.
They then progressed into making other types of locks, including
padlocks that were sold under the SETA trademark, i.e. Bates backwards.
The locks were also stamped J. Bates, the original name of the firm, and
never J & E Bates.
They also manufactured trunk locks that were sold
to India. Their production facilities included a plating plant, press
shop and polishing shop, and with these facilities they also started to
manufacture safes.
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Their business must have been very successful as they
were amongst the first people in Wolverhampton to have the telephone
installed, having the phone number 3.
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The business passed to a son, Joseph, and later to his son, Horace.
In 1938 Horace's son, Keith Bates, a great grandson of the founder,
joined the company, by which time they were concentrating on the
manufacture of cabinet locks, safes and pressings. They built new
premises on the opposite side (south side) of Temple Street (the
building still stands in 1994 as small workshops). At the start of WW2
the works were requisitioned by the Government and they became a RAF
store manned from Cosford. |
This advertisement from 1953 lays emphasis on the lock
making and safes side of the business.
When the premises were returned after the war the company did not
reopen their lock or safe department but concentrated solely on
pressings. When Horace Bates retired his son, Keith, carried on the
company name, moving to 101 Lord Street and operating purely as a
locksmith, doing lock repairs and key cutting, mainly for the local
council. He continued to do so until he died in 1995. (Information
supplied by the late Keith Bates)
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The company is still in existence at 101 Lord
Street, where this part of their works is still visible. |
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