Padlocks hoard expected to sell for thousands

Michael Hamson said he unexpectedly inherited the Staffordshire house which was built in the 1700s

A handyman who inherited an 18th Century home made a rare discovery which could unlock thousands of pounds at auction.

Michael Hamson, 79, unexpectedly came into ownership of the house in Brewood, Staffordshire, when its former owner Mary Eileen Jones, who he had helped with odd jobs for decades, passed away in her 90s.

Looking around the old house, Mr Hamson said he discovered a "boatload" of padlocks, all dating from the 1800s and made by a company founded by one of Ms Jones' ancestors.

Experts estimate the hundreds of locks, designed for securing everything from prisons to castles, could be worth thousands of pounds.

The locks were designed for everything from trains and boats to churches and prisons

"We went in and there was a wooden crate all nailed together," Mr Hamson said of when he first viewed the house.

"It was covered in junk and when I wheeled it out, it had quite a lot of locks in."

Noticing a loose panel under the stairs, Mr Hamson said he pulled it off to find "another boatload" of stashed locks.

Mr Hamson said he found a "boatload" of locks in a crate and also hidden under the stairs in the home

They are all hallmarked with branding for E. Jones & Sons, a company founded by local entrepreneur Enoch Jones hundreds of years ago.

He was the great-grandfather of Ms Jones and Mr Hamson found out the business had stayed in the family until her father, Thomas, sold it.

"By the looks of it, he was too attached to let everything go so it's all come here," he added.

Expert Will Farmer said the locks could be worth several thousand pounds at auction

Antiques Roadshow expert Will Farmer said the rare discovery could be quite valuable.

"The fact these locks have been held for posterity in this old house to be discovered today is just such an incredible find," he said.

"I think at auction, if these were sold, you're looking at a value of somewhere between £4,000-£6,000."

The collection is set to go under the hammer at Fieldings Auctioneers in Stourbridge on 16 May.