Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request Odd key and drink vessel found in New Brighton

Hellooo!
Found this drink container on the building site in New Brighton the other day. It was dug up out of a hole for the pipes to be laid. It was found in the area where the outdoor fair use to be opposite Lacy's bar. Moreso near where the amusement arcarde was near the seafront forgot the name of it. Think it was a building on it's own with outdoor fair rides in front of it...vague I know. I do remember the building from the late 80's...any pictures? Oh yeah and an appropiate age for the container, it was found about 4 feet below ground level so maybe it was dropped when the beach reached further inland??
Also found this key in the house, any idea whattype of lock it would have been used for? It's an odd shape as you can see by the photo. On one end of the key it says: E.Cotterill & co with two J's stamped on it either side of a symbol with the No. 22 on it and the other side Patent ACNE Birmingham.
Any idea how old?






http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k303/bmitchell1980/P5150164.jpg[/IMG]

Very


Nice find mate ,;-))

Oooh! Always wondered if anything was dug up with all the building going on!

At one time, there was a small dip in that location, just like the larger ones further along the prom. I think the last thing they had there before filling it in was trampolines.

It could be that the jar was just part of the original infill when they built the prom in the 30's? You've got me with the key?

By the way, that area in front of the Travellers Rest which is the name I will always know it by, used to be known as Niggers Hill. This was because they had minstrel shows there in Victorian or Edwardian times. No offence meant, times change!

looking at the key i would personally say it looks like a key for some kind of safe or money box given the elaborate style. would be very hard to copy or use some other tool to open the safe.

Hi,
The Key is definately from a safe or safe box. That company where famous for making really good ones. Would be great if you could find the safe!

The j's are the year code - which I am guessing is about 1882 - there doesn't appear to be adefinitive guide. E.Cotterill & co ran from 1846 to about 1930.

Could you tell me if the key is about 3.5" long or more like 5.5", or maybe even smaller, I'm guessing 3.5".

Most of E.Cotterill & co lock designs were used in safes and heavy duty padlocks. The locks are worth a lot of money (minimum $1000) in the collectors market

By the way, that area in front of the Travellers Rest which is the name I will always know it by, used to be known as Niggers Hill. This was because they had minstrel shows there in Victorian or Edwardian times. No offence meant, times change! [/quote]

You are over your PM limit. I was going to send you a rather blurred A4 scan of "Niggers Hill"

...could be wrong but wasn't that same area also once know as the Devil's Nest?

Ithink that key is in this list

http://www.belowstairs.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?REFPAGE=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.belowstairs.co.uk%2Facatalog%2Findex.html&WD=ho&PN=Online_Catalogue_Keys___Padlocks_54.html%23a2320

http://www.belowstairs.co.uk/

under keys and padlocks

link same as Brady.

Ahh.similar key, my key is larger than that with j stamped instead of n, the n stamped key is 1870 so mine may be earlier, plus it could actually be worth something even without the lock. Hmmmmm thanks

Think that was the cottages on the shore going back quite a few years. Cleared my pm's now Tatey.

hi could the key be a security clock key the security guards used to have to use the keys to make sure that the guard done his rounds by turning the clocks that where positioned around different parts of the site the one key used to do all the clocks just a thaught ??and as for the ginger beer lets just say security guards them days where mostly tipsy lol

PM sent.