WILLIAM H CLARK LTD, POPLAR WORKS,
WEDNESFIELD ROAD, WILLENHALL
Lever pad lock maker, established in 1905. In 1914 were at 55
Gower Street, Willenhall. In 1921 were at Wednesfield Road. Taken over by
George Anslow (q.v.) in 1965.
CLIFFORD BROTHERS, VILLIERS WORKS, VILLIERS STREET, WILLENHALL.
advert, 1955, supplied by
Trevor Dowson |
Established in 1868 as brass founders. Went on to produce padlocks,
and wood and cast lock furniture.
Directors in the 1930s were Charles, Alfred and John Clifford.
Jim Evans originally wrote here: "Existing 1970 but by 1990 were not making locks."
In the advert (left) from 1955 they refer to themselves
primarily as brass founders producing builder's hardware
but, amongst the door furniture, there is a padlock and a
hook and hasp. This seems to be another case of a
foundry which, for a while, made locks and the adapted to
the market, and gave them up again. |
JOHN CLULEY AND SON, ARGOSY WORKS, WOOD STREET,
WILLENHALL
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Established in 1854. Trunk, suitcase, attaché case and cabinet lock
makers.
In 1881 John Cluley, aged 24, was trading as a lockmaker, employing 19 men
and 2 boys at 79 Wood Street.
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Advert (right) from 1920.
Existing in 1953, not in existence in 1970. |
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| COLLEDGE AND BRIDGEN LTD, 78 CHURCH LANE, WOLVERHAMPTON
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Lock makers of every description, they also dealt in
high-class builders' ironmongery and general hardware. Existing in 1920 but not in
existence in 1970. Nothing else known. |
| F. N. COOKSON & CO., GUARDIAN WORKS, WOLVERHAMPTON
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The advert is from the catalogue of the 1884 Wolverhampton
Exhibition. Nothing else known, other than a padlock which shows a
connection between Cooksons and the great lock maker, Charles Aubin (qv). |
| RICHARD COOPER AND SON (WOLVERHAMPTON) LTD, CHURCH LANE,
WOLVERHAMPTON
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Read the history of
Richard Cooper and Son |
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COTSWOLD ARCHITECTURAL PRODUCTS LTD, MANOR PARK
INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, MANOR ROAD, CHELTENHAM, GLOS.
Incorporated as a limited company, 14th February
1974. Manufacturers of locking handles and fittings for window industry.
Directors in 1998 were Stuart Hewitt, Iain Morgan, Yurek Wronski and
Lesley McDonough. Employing 130. Also owners of Regent Lock Co Ltd. Chippenham.
(q.v.)
EDWIN COTTERILL AND CO, CLIMAX WORKS, LUDGATE HILL,
BIRMINGHAM
Established in 1840, by Edwin Cotterill, as manufacturers of rim mortice,
dead ,chest, till, cupboard locks and safes.
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On the 25th March 1846 Edwin
Cotterill obtained a patent, Number 11,152 for "Certain improvements in articles
applied to windows, doors and shutters". This was a wide ranging patent and
covered several latches. Some had the latchbolt sliding in the deadbolt. This
lock became known as "E Cotterill Climax Detector Lock". It was derived
from the Bramah lock (whose patent had long expired) although the sliders moved radially
with respect to the key. |
| In 1870 E Cotterill and Co were at Climax Works, Vittoria
Street. In 1886 the address was 93 Great Charles Street, Biringham. In 1890
they took over F E Wilson and Co and made a lock to Peter Wilson's patent, number 3257 of
1869. They were sold as the Cotterill-Wilson Lock.
In 1920 the address was
Climax Works Ludgate Hill Birmingham. |
(courtesy
of Trevor Dowson) |
(courtesy of Trevor
Dowson) |
Which of these addresses was the works is not
known but, as Ludgate Hill is a road off Great Charles Street, it is possible that these
two addresses were for the same building, which could have been offices.
The company
was almost certainly engaged in war work during the Great War and afterwards diversified
into pressings for the motor industry. They then almost certainly became victims of
the depression as no records can be found after 1930. (Locks and Keys Nov 1997) |
STEPHEN COX & SON, DUDLEY ROAD SAFE WORKS, SEDGLEY
Stephen Cox was established in 1890 and made
fire-resistant cabinets, strong room doors, floor and wall safes. Their
lock were mostly made by C. H. Buggins (qv). In 1972 they were at
Pensnett Trading Estate Brierley Hill. They went into receivership in
1982.
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Invoice heading, dated 1929 (from
Trevor Dowson). |
| Safe plate (from Trevor Dowson) |
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A safe in the Black Country Living Museum.
The upper plate reads: "Stephen Cox & Son Iron &
Steel Safe Engineers Sedgley" and the lower plate:
"Fire resisting safe". 
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THOMAS CROMPTON AND SONS LTD, ASHTON-IN-MAKERFIELD, NEAR
WIGAN
Rim, dead and mortice lock makers. Thomas Crompton founded the company in
1866 when he purchased the bankrupt hinge and builders' hardware company from James
Billings. He had worked there as a salesman. In the early days there was no factory as
such. All work was subcontracted to local blacksmiths and locksmiths, who manufactured
various products in their own homes in Ashton. Later a factory was opened making hinges,
hardware and stock locks by hand methods. In 1899 Thomas started making butt hinges by
machinery methods. He died in 1910 and his son Thomas took over the business. The firm
continued to expand as improved hinge making machines were added to the factory. In 1933
Thomas died at the age of 69 and the firm passed to his son John, who continued the
expansion until they employed over 1200 workers.
During the Second World War the company manufactured ammunition box
fittings, ammunition belt clips, Army vehicle fittings and components for aircraft.
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On the 12th April 1957 a new, modern factory was opened at
Haydock, where most of the hinge making was carried out along with modern Electro plating.
John Crompton sold the company in 1963 to Guest Keen and Nettlefold, who already had a
hinge making plant of their own, Nettlefold Stenman Hinges Ltd Cardiff.
(Stenman being the
name of the Swedish lock maker whose trademark was ASSA, which at that time was owned by
GKN). Soon after the take over the Crompton family left the business. Thomas Crompton and
Sons Ltd merged with Nettlefold Stenman Hinges to form a new company called Crompton
Nettlefold Stenman Ltd. The Cardiff factory was closed and it was probably at this time
that they ceased to make locks. |
They built a new £1 million factory on the Gerard Street
site in 1976, which brought all the Crompton activities under one roof. Because the
Stenman part of the association became more detached, it was finally decided in 1980 to
change the name to GKN Crompton Ltd. During its history GKN Crompton was the largest
employer in Ashton in Makerfield.
Taken over by J E Reynolds in 1995, they have a works at Haydock employing
130, and specialising in ironmongery.
Note by Frank Sharman: this firm is outside the area normally covered by this Gazetteer but was probably included by Jim Evans because of its size and importance. It remains of great interest because of the links to GKN and Assa, both of which have or have had strong local connections.
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