This WW2 era, 1944 dated padlock is made by Walsall Locks & Cart Gear Ltd, and comes complete with the original key.

Founded in 1873 as a workers’ cooperative, Walsall Locks & Cart Gear Ltd grew from the heart of Britain’s Black Country lock-making industry. The company produced a wide range of padlocks and hardware, including wartime utility locks during WW2. Renowned for their solid construction, Walsall locks remain symbols of British craftsmanship and industrial heritage.

Around four inches across, and six and a half inches tall with an overall thickness of around one inch, this piece certainly has some weight and heft to it. It comes with the original key, attached with some string and works perfectly well. It opens, closes, locks and unlocks nicely. Cosmetically, this piece has CLEARLY been used, but in terms of function, it’s perfect.

The dust cover is of the sliding variety, and the cover is marked: “Secure 4 Lever”. This refers to the locking mechanism, not a model or maker. To the left of the dust cover, there are some markings. Notably, “Walsall Locks & Cart Gear Ltd” and below that, a date stamp of 1944 and then “G R” with the war-mark in the middle.