Hello
My name is Richard and this is who I am and why you should put your trust in me.
I started my career training as an apprentice joiner/cabint maker in 1985. After this, I trained as a locksmith as I found that it was a rewarding and satisfying career move which I enjoyed and still do to this day. I learnt my locksmithing skills during the period from 1996 to 2001 training under a master locksmith namely Tom Steel of Steel's locksmiths Hull. Tom was the first Master locksmith in Hull and began trading in 1979. He encouraged me to join the Master locksmith association. Later on in my career I befriended a great safe engineer called John Hill. John was a former apprentice at Chubb safes and then went on to form his own company around the Derbyshire area. John is a wealth of knowledge and well respected in his trade. Although now retired, he continues to be my mentor and good friend.
I have been a member of the Master Locksmith Association since 1996 where I first joined as a student member. After a few years of study I took further examinations in 2001 to qualify me as an advanced student member. In 2008 I qualified as a Master Locksmith and I am now a full personal member of the MLA (Master Locksmith Association). Prior to my test I had to learn the many different types of lock and locking mechanisms. I have studied all aspects of locks, keys, and safes. Firstly purchasing any new locks on the market and then reverse engineering each particular lock whilst looking for flaws and generally evaluating these for my Examinations. I regularly purchase new locks that come on the market in order to keep abreast of them. I have had to learn and memorize many safety regulations and British Standards. Some of these standards include Disability Discrimination Regulations, Fire Doors, Access and egress of Public Buildings and so on. The Examination was a full day, it was taken at the MLA headquarters which is now in rugby. Since this time I regularly attend training seminars with the MLA around the country. This training is vital, for a professional safe and lock engineer has to be conversant with many modern security systems.
As a qualified master locksmith with many years’ experience I open, service and repair all makes and models of domestic , commercial and Gun Safes around the country. Do you have a locked safe that you need to open? Have you lost the keys or combination to your safe or the safe simply will not work? B C Master Locksmiths can help you. call or email for a speedy response.
Re: John Hill orbituary
It is with great sadness that I write to inform readers of the passing of my mentor and long time friend John Hill who passed away over the Christmas period 2025 .
John served a long apprenticeship with Chubb Lock Works, Wolverhampton in the 1960s . This was a time when it was the norm to serve at least 7 years as an apprentice. It was also a time when company transport was not available and often he would catch the bus with his tool bag to go out and do jobs.
He continued to work for Chubb for many years until the early 1980s. After this he set up his own company with his wife Colleen in the Matlock Area. Colleen was to undertake clerical and office duties. However, Colleen grew bored of this work and most time would accompany John on safe openings etc. After over 30 years of locksmithing together I am sure Colleen will be a very good locksmith in her own right.
I first met John many years ago through an advert on the MLA forum as he was retiring and selling some tools. I travelled from Hull to Matlock to meet him and see the items he was selling. It was not what I was expecting as there was a vast array of tools, picks and safe locks positioned out very neatly on his large dining room table. There was more, a lifetime of tools upstairs and in his workshop/garage. Mostly hand made over the years by his expert hand. At this particular time in my career I did not have much experience regarding safe work therefore did not know what half of this equipment was for. Patiently, John explained what and how all the tools worked etc.
Although most of this information went in one ear and out the other we kept in touch over the years and John was always there for me whenever I needed his advice. I would often call him and ask what is this tool for, how would you open this etc. Nothing was too much for him, often going into great detail with his explanations. Taking this time out helped me enormously and I am truly indebted to such a great locksmith and friend.I am honoured and very lucky to have met such a true gentleman.
John leaves behind his wife Colleen, his son Alex and his daughter Juliette .
Rip John
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