Unlocking History.....
and opening a doorway to the past
54 New Road
Willenhall
West Midlands
WV13 2DA
Tel: +44 (0)1902 634 542
Admission: Free
Opening Times:
Open Wednesday 12pm-4pm
Take a trip to The Locksmith's House, our Community Museum in Willenhall, to see in situ how one particular Black Country family lived and worked at the turn of the last century. The Locksmith's House celebrates the efforts of the individual lock makers who thrived over a century ago. Working from the back yards of their own houses, hundreds of small family businesses evolved. A visit to The Locksmith's House will demonstrate how such a business operated alongside family life.
The house is recreated with the actual belongings and furniture of the Hodson family of lock makers, the last inhabitants of 54 New Road, Willenhall. The working class family home is accompanied in the back yard by a two-storey workshop building. A working forge and machinery adds to the atmosphere. Our lock display gallery offers an insight into some extraordinary locks from across the ages. Our costumed guides will be happy to escort you around the property, and hands-on activities such as 'podging' a rag rug, toasting on the kitchen range and helping to forge a bar padlock in the workshop are firm favourites.
Find out about the latest work on the Locksmith's House archive collections by downloading the newsletter here