safe locks

[safeman]

Thomas Turner pattern detector lock ? Must be from the early period where Hobbs made the locks for Milners ?

Quite a puzzle this Oldlock as this is identical in all respects to the lock supplied to Milner by Turner since the 1840's for his first fire-resisting boxes and was later referred to in adverts as Milner's 6-lever Detector Lock alongside the Hobbs Protector at an additional cost of 10/-.

Can't imagine Hobbs having had any part in the manufacture of this fairly crude lock despite the fact their name is stamped on the plate unless they were just middleman until in full production themselves around 1852.

This Turner lock is quite memorable as it was the first lock I was given to cut new keys to as an apprentice in 1948.