On a pleasant sunny day early in August a group of 18 members and visitors enjoyed a fascinating visit to the Locksmith's House in Willenhall. We travelled back to a time when Willenhall was the world centre of the lock making industry at the end of the nineteenth century. At that time there were in excess of 200 independent lock makers located in Willenhall.

The house and adjoining workshop have been retained and restored as they would have been at that time when the Hodson family occupied the house, running a drapers shop in the front room of the house and the lock making business in the backyard workshop. Helen guided us through the house and described the history of the house and family. Then Andy demonstrated the operations in the forge and explained the operations required to make a lock and the types of locks the family had produced there.

Now an outpost of the Black Country Living Museum, this small museum is a real gem and I would encourage any member who has not been there to consider a visit.

Mike Pearson
August, 2016