WORMOLD PATENT LOCKS CO LTD, 139 NORFOLK STREET, SHEFFIELD
In existence in 1905 when they patented a padlock for use by the
electricity and gas authorities for sealing pre-payment meters.
Over the years they specialised in this application with their
self-locking meter locks. They made lever locks with shaped keyholes,
and nozzle locks with hinged shackels. Still in existence in 1998.
DAVID WORRALL, FLETCHERS LANE, WILLENHALL
 |
David Worrall was a relation of the family who owned John
Worrall,
where he worked until he set up on his own in Fletchers Lane, Willenhall,
making mortice locks, in the late 1940s. |
David died in the late 1950s and the business was carried on for some
years by his wife and her sister Lucy, until his son Michael took over
the running of the business. He expanded the business to include a
turned parts section, which became the major part of the business.
With
the recession in the motor industry, they tried to resurrect the lock
making side that they had let tick over in the hands of David’s wife
and her sister; but they were unable to raise enough business and closed
down. (In existence in 1949 Willenhall Trade Directory. In existence
in December 1976 (AH records))
THOMAS WORRALL AND CO, CATHEDRAL WORKS, 17 DOCTORS PIECE, WILLENHALL
 |
Manufacturers of galvanised padlocks, also brass drawer, and brass
and iron cupboard, locks. In 1921 were at 48 Lower Lichfield Street.
In
1936 were listed as at Doctors Piece. Existing in 1974. Closed after
1974 and premises were later taken over by Quality Lock. (q.v.) |
JOHN WORRALL AND SONS LTD, THE CRESCENT LOCK WORKS, WILLENHALL
In 1815 a Charles Hartill produced padlocks in a cottage in the
Crescent, Willenhall. This cottage was later to become part of the firm
of John Worrall and Sons Ltd. In 1895 the Worrall family purchased the
premises in the Crescent and John Worrall began to make locks about 1895
and was listed at the time as a manufacturer of rim and dead locks and
patent four hand night latches.
John and his wife had nine children, most of whom worked in the
family business at some time. Ivor ran the business along with his
father. In the 1930s Len Llewellyn joined the company for a wage of 7/6
per week and Mr Cooper also joined as salesman. He then married the
bosses daughter and when John Worrall died Ivor, Len and Mr Cooper ran
the business. During this period the workforce grew to over 150 people.
Other members of the family also worked in the business at various
times. Guy later left to set up an architectural hardware business.
Lloyd set up in London, factoring locks and keys. Thomas (q.v.) set up
as a lock maker in Doctors Piece in the early 1920s. And David set up as
a lock maker in Fletchers Lane in the late 1940s. (Was there another
brother who worked for the firm?)
When Ivor Worrall died, Mr Cooper set about acquiring all the
family's shares and took over the running of the business with the help
of Len Llewellyn. Len would eventually become a 25% shareholder in the
business when they became a limited company on the 7th February 1963.
Mr
Coopers son, Harry (born 1925), joined the business in about 1962 and
took over the reigns from his father when he retired. Harry continued to
run the business along with fellow director Len Llewellyn.
The original workshops consisted of a row of cottages, a brew house
and a two storey workshop at the rear of the cottages. A new workshop was
built in 1925 behind the original cottages. In 1935 part of the row of
cottages was demolished when a new frontage, and extra workshops
including a brass casting shop, were built. The remaining cottages were
kept as a store. Further new workshops were built in 1968 to allow the
company to concentrate on the production of five lever mortice locks and
padlocks.
In 1985 there was a work force of about 45 but pre war the numbers
had been as high as 100. Harry Cooper and Len Llewellyn retired in the
1980s, leaving their sons Dominic Cooper and Andrew Llewellyn to run the
company. Andrew resigned as a director in the early 1990s, finishing 60
years of service by the Llewellyn family at John Worrall and Sons Ltd.
Harry Cooper died on the 24th December 1999 at the age of 74,
leaving Patricia A Cooper and Dominic J Cooper as directors.
In April 1999 the firm employed about 12 people, and in May 2000 they
employed 11.
On the 31st March 2000 they took over the manufacturng
rights and tooling of all cabinet locks previously made by H E Fletcher
(qv). (Industrial Heritage Winter 1985)( Blackcountryman Vol. 4-1)
(Dominic Cooper)
| Read an account of
John Worrall and Sons |
|
YALE AND TOWNE CO, WOOD STREET, WILLENHALL
|
Read the history of
the Yale Towne Co. |
|
EDWIN J. YATES & CO., MERRIDALE LOCK WORKS,
WOLVERHAMPTON
 |
This advert, from the catalogue of the 1884
Wolverhampton Arts and Industry Exhibition, is the only
known reference to this firm. |
YOUNG AND GLOVER, BELL STREET, WOLVERHAMPTON
 |
This advert is from the catalogue of the 1884
Wolverhampton Arts and Industry Exhibition.
If the advert is to be believed the company must have
been founded in 1834 or earlier.
Nothing else is known of this company. |
ZENI
| "Zeni" is a trade name of Walsall Locks
Ltd., q.v. |
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