Worsley safe man?

Warren63

Hi all, just acquired this safe plaque and wondered if anybody could help with some info. It says Geo Worsley, safe man, Brighton and I wondered if this is the same Worsley as the more common Walker and Worsley? If so does anyone know if this was before or after the Walker and Worsley partnership? Many thanks for any information that can be given.

Huw Eastwood

Hi Warren, unlikely I think, as the one I’m thinking of (associated with Triumph works Birmingham and the Triumph lock) was Walker & Worsey, not Worseley.

Warren63

Yeah woulda helped if I checked the plate I was referring to before, instead of after the question. . . . Duh! My brain hurts….. Thanks for that Max (respect) and apologies to anyone else who has taken the time to listen to my pointless ramble !

Huw Eastwood

No worries Warren, it’s easy done. I think out of John Tann/Robert Tann, George Price/Cyrus Pryce, Samuel Withers/Thomas Withers etc, the Walker & Worsey causes the most confusion. In fact, if my memory serves me right, I think even Tann’s ‘official safe book’ bible mis-spelled that one!

safeman

Now my past mistakes are catching up on me by those who must be much younger than myself.

Yes I miss-spelt Worsey in 5th Edition of the Tann Safe Book. I’ve just noticed that I also miss-spelt Cyrus as Pryce.

I may be off-air for some time due a double dis-embowelling.

Ouch!

Huw Eastwood

Save yourself the punishment safeman, I think everyone would agree we’ll allow those 2 and you still keep perfect status.
In fact it’s that long ago I saw a Cyrus, I believed the Pryce spelling anyway 🙁giggle):

Russell Stoner

Quite interestingly, this plate was I believe to be a dealer plate. The original safe was in my humble opinion a Phillips & Son produced safe. I have no doubt that they sold on and let the dealer add their own plate.

Russ

Warren63 wrote
Hi all, just acquired this safe plaque and wondered if anybody could help with some info. It says Geo Worsley, safe man, Brighton and I wondered if this is the same Worsley as the more common Walker and Worsley? If so does anyone know if this was before or after the Walker and Worsley partnership? Many thanks for any information that can be given.

[unknown]

Warren63

Russell Stoner wrote
Quite interestingly, this plate was I believe to be a dealer plate. The original safe was in my humble opinion a Phillips & Son produced safe. I have no doubt that they sold on and let the dealer add their own plate.

Russ

A bit of a late entry for this one but………….. does anybody know if this means that its likely to have also used the same Climax detector lock that Phillips were using at the time? That would be handy to know as they’re a fairly common escutcheon to get hold of as oppose to not knowing what the heck to use on it.

[unknown]

Warren63

Russell Stoner wrote
Quite interestingly, this plate was I believe to be a dealer plate. The original safe was in my humble opinion a Phillips & Son produced safe. I have no doubt that they sold on and let the dealer add their own plate.

Russ

[unknown]

Leigh21

We have an old safe in our cottage which has the logo of ‘George Worsley Safe Man Brighton’. Also a separate royal coat of arms. Part of the cottage was used as a post office in the 1850s and 1860s and then became a bakers shop (the bakery is built on the back). I would be interested to know if the safe dates from the post office period. The only George Worsley I can find in Brighton censuses of the period was a china dealer. I have yet to search directories.

safeman

Leigh21 wrote
We have an old safe in our cottage which has the logo of ‘George Worsley Safe Man Brighton’. Also a separate royal coat of arms. Part of the cottage was used as a post office in the 1850s and 1860s and then became a bakers shop (the bakery is built on the back). I would be interested to know if the safe dates from the post office period. The only George Worsley I can find in Brighton censuses of the period was a china dealer. I have yet to search directories.

It sounds like the logo refers to a local dealer and not the maker.

Can you attach some pictures showing the outside and inside of the safe which might help to establish the actual manufacturer.

[unknown]

Leigh21

I tried to attach pictures before but don’t know how!!

Brian Morland MLA Hon

There you are Leigh, Pictures added to post number 10. Its the png format again, anyone else having problems with this format send the pics to me and I will add them for you.

Leigh21

Thank you Brian! ‘Safeman’ suggested a picture of the inside too, but I cannot open the door as there is a book shelf in the way! I reckon it is about 1 foot 4 inches deep as we can see the back protruding through the inglenook fireplace wall.

Chubby

I would think the safe is more likely to have been from the post office days. At one time every post office had to have a “Post Office Approved” safe. That allowed a certain amount of latitude. What the requirements were, I don’t know.

Leigh21

Thanks ‘Chubby’!