History Of Locks 33
< Another safe lock with
anti-pressure and powder
proof qualities, the key
which is original is marked:
‘Nettlefolds Guardian’ and
on the other side Perry.
An early ‘Aubin Maker’ safe
lock from the period 1854-1875,
note the way the key hole is
blocked by the addition of a
block attached to the bolt tail.
‘a fantastic
array of locking
devices’
Many visitors to the exhibition
appreciated the skill and art
of Aubin including many with
an eye to investment and
opportunity, after all wasn’t that
the idea of the event. One such
person was the already very
successful Nettlefold family.
John Sutton Nettlefold, and his
sons Edward John and Joseph
Henry, who had a few years
earlier in, 1842, built a factory
at Wolverhampton. They were
so impressed with Aubin and
his ideas that they provided the
capital for him to build a factory,
The Guardian Lock Works, on
their estate. They also jointly
patented the A1 Guardian lock,
something that Aubin had never
been able to do due to high costs
of the patent process. He must
have been very capable since
they also made him General
Manger of their works.
^ An example of an Aubin
pocketed lever but with integral
springing. Note, no false
notches, they weren’t necessary
with anti-pressure features
The f