At Access Locks Courses, we provide a full introduction in the locksmith trade. One aspect we won't cover in detail is the history of locks, which you can read all about here. Our locksmith foundation course in Bristol will give you both the theory and practical knowledge to operate as a professional locksmith when the training is complete.
Locks and keys have been found in archaeological sites dating back to 4000 BC. However, the first truly effective locks were crafted by the Romans, and metal warded locks date from this period. The craft was revived in 9th century Britain, and more complex locks proliferated over the following 1000 years.
The Sumerians, Babylonians, and Ancient Egyptians, used locks for doors, chests and cabinets. When locks became more complex, their security in turn became more reliable, and locking doors proliferated on dungeons, castle keeps, and bank vaults.
The earliest known lock was found in the settlement of Nineveh, in ancient Assyria, and is around 6000 years old. Locks have also been found in ruins in Ancient Egypt, with wooden pin locks providing limited, but significant security for valuables and privacy.
Ancient locks worked with pins and bolts, preventing a handle turning unless a specially crafted key was inserted. Warded locks were a significant improvement, and used obstructions in the locking mechanism, which enabled many different types of key to be crafted, and for locks to remain secure unless that particular key was used. We provide a locksmith foundation course in Bristol, showing you the mechanism of all types of locks you are likely to encounter.
During the Industrial Revolution, more advanced locks were invented by pioneers such as Jeremiah Chubb, and Joseph Bramah, whose names you will still see on many locks and other machinery today.
