Wooden Prison Doors refurb, need some advice on the locks Ive found.

[gmanphotog]

This is as detailed an article as you will ever find about Charles Smith & Sons: (article deleted due to complaint by copyright holder : Team Leader)


This my less sophisticated (ie warded Charles Smith):

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[Shammon]

Hi, Many thanks, this is great what a great post of information.
Thanks
Andy

[gmanphotog]

Just looked at the video. This is awesome! Yours is probably more similar to my Gibbons lock than my Charles Smith. My Gibbons has an automatic bolt throw, but not the indicator dial. Mine is from 1916, but it still has that roughhewn hand made quality. On the backs of these things they almost go out of there way to make it look rough cut.

American Prison lock cases are almost always made of some sort of die cast metal and usually have a very finished look, even when handmade. Uk locks are handcut from sheet of steel. You can see that rough quality in the cladding of the doors and how it fits to the door. I really glad you showed how they are fitted.

An American jailsmith would look at that lock and wonder where the other half of it is. American Locks are always fully enclosed. There is no consideration that door itself will protect the mechanism. American Locks are typically highly armored locks encased in several more layers of armor. It why the door weighs 300 pounds- a 7 pound lock has 30 pounds of armor. It a wonder they can make a hinge for it.

Great video- looking forward to seeing more. Still sifting through em.

[Shammon]

The doors and locks were from a UK Police station in "Douglas" near Lanark in Scotland,that had closed. It was by pure chance I seen the advert selling them and I went to see them, I decided to video it etc as I have an interest in locks and Prison doors, as well as Escapology.

The info you posted is great as well as your pictures showing your lock, I will be also doing the same with the other lock when done with this one. One thing I have noticed is that the lock parts have each a small indentation in them like a metal puch mark. Il show this next in a video clip, looks like there possible id marks?

All the best
Andy

[chubbbramah]

Thomas invented the 'Pentonville' cell lock in 1842, as a cheap cell lock. It was widely used in provincial prisons, and in police stations. Smith was one large maker; they were also made by Gibbons. The OP's locks are a later development, adding levers and an indicator.

Many local police stations were quite modest, often only a couple of cells, occupied mainly by drunks, poachers, and petty thieves. Cells and their doors were rarely subjected to violent or skilled attack, and prisoners had to be 'conveyed before a magistrate as soon as may be', which except on Saturday was usually the next day. Larger stations, and prisons, would be able to separate men and women prisoners. Not common in small English police stations though.

The local history collection in the library might help date the building. Sometimes a retired local copper with an interest, or just a long memory, can be helpful on history.