Hobbs & Co

Alfred Charles Hobbs (1812 – 1891) was born in Boston in America. He became a salesman for one of America’s foremost lock manufacturers – Jones & Newell in 1840. He travelled to London for the 1851 Great Exhibition and caused a storm when he managed to pick both a Bramah lock and also the famous Chubb detector lock.

As a result of his newfound fame, he formed a company in London which was formally registered as Hobbs & Co. The firm went through various incarnations becoming Hobbs, Ashley & Co in 1855 and then Hobbs, Ashley & Fortescue and finally Hobbs, Hart & Co in 1860 based in Cheapside in London. They were very successful using advanced machine production methods.

In 1860 Alfred returned to America after the death of his partner Ashley. He had never intended to stay in Britain, so was happy to sell the thriving firm on to John Mathias Hart, whilst maintaining a beneficial interest in it. He returned to England in 1872 to celebrate their 21st anniversary.

Alfred Hobbs died in 1891.