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Squire Locks - A British Success Story

Squire is a widely respected British brand within the security industry. Established in 1780 by William Squire, this family-owned business is recognised for making the toughest locks in the world. In this post we reflect on the companies history and the evolution of their exceptional range of padlocks.

Company Origins

Its interesting to note that William Squire began making locks over 240 years ago in 1780. The Industrial Revolution, which started mid-century, saw the introduction of machinery which put many people out of work. The population was growing at an incredible rate, cities were becoming overcrowded and life was exceptionally tough for many poor people.

At the other end of the social scale the rich, who made up only a tiny proportion of the population, lived lavish, luxurious lives in mansions and country houses. They enjoyed fancy parties, theatre, opera and being looked after by battalions of servants.

At this time, when William Squire began making just a small range of locks, most people didn’t even lock their doors. His early lock products included a small selection of mechanism padlocks, door locks and cabinet locks for furniture.

In the early 1800’s Squire supplied locks to the British Army during the Napoleonic wars. This involvement prompted the development of the very first lever padlocks and led to Squire supplying reliable locks to companies throughout the British Empire.

Henry and James Squire

Although the Squire history extends back over 8 generations it was Henry and James Squire (4th and 5th generation) who really established the Squire brand.

James Squire, born in 1862, was the youngest son of Henry Squire. Henry successfully lead the company throughout the second half of the 19th century. He was an outstanding businessman who developed Squire to become the leading manufacturer of cabinet locks, alongside their padlocks. He died in 1892 and his sons, James and Henry Alexander, incorporated Henry’s name into the registered company name ‘Henry Squire and Sons Ltd.’ in 1906. This is widely recognised as the beginning of the Squire Locks legacy that’s still with us today.

Technological Innovation

The Squire brand has not only survived two world wars and aggressive competition from many low-quality, cheap foreign imports, it has thrived. Thanks to unmatched expertise, experience and technological innovation Squire Locks is now the only independent family-owned British lock maker.

Moving with the times, innovative technological development combined with outstanding expertise and experience is the winning combination that`s underpinned the Squire success story. The company manufactures one of the most extensive and comprehensive catalogues of padlocks and other security devices in the world today and the current CEO, 8th generation John Squire, attributes much of the companies success to their loyal and highly skilled workforce.

“We’re incredibly proud to have such a loyal and talented team and some of the most experienced people in the business.”

Squire Padlocks

All Squire products are manufactured to meet the highest security standards using the latest design and production methods. Padlocks and other products are tested to ensure they meet Sold Secure, CEN European and LPCB (Loss Prevention Certification Board) standards, which ensure they consistently provide the highest possible levels of reliability and performance.

The extensive range of Squire Padlocks includes their iconic bicycle D-locks alongside motorbike disc locks, chain sets and much more. They offer an extensive selection of padlocks for all manner of applications from domestic to high-security. Their ‘Stronghold’ range of extra high security padlocks and security devices are recognised globally, setting the standards other manufacturers endeavour to match.

What People Say about Squire Locks

One of the best ways to evaluate any brand’s products is to look at what people say about them. Here is just a selection of the reviews we at Insight Security have received for some of the excellent Squire padlocks we have supplied.

For the Squire Eiger Mini - Motorcycle Disc Lock:

“Great little lock. Small enough to carry easily. Big enough to fit around a frame or fork with a chain as a more secure option.”

For the Squire Eiger 230 Heavy Duty Cycle D lock - Sold Secure Gold Rated:

“A better designed product than the old squire (gold rated) lock it replaced. Keyhole better positioned lock not "handed"- rt, or lft, key substantial”

For the Squire CBW85 High Security 85mm Block Wide Clearance Combination Padlock:

“Item was shipped very quickly and we received professional service at all times. the lock was easy to match to the chains we bought using the online guide on the website. The customer service was fantastic and the lock we purchased has been brilliant. The lock is exactly as described and does the job great, a high quality and weighty padlock.”

For the CEN4 Rated Squire WS75S 80mm Container Lock:

“Great, sturdy locks and super efficient service, as always, from Insight Security”

For the CEN4 rated Squire SS50CS 50mm High Security Solid Steel Close Shackle Padlock:

“A great value well made close shackle padlock, with a relatively high security rating. Works perfectly with 13 and 11mm security chain. Excellent service and advice by phone if needed from Insight Security. And rapid delivery. 5 star all round and will recommend and will use again.”

For the Squire SS65CS CEN6 High Security Stronghold 65mm Solid Steel Close Shackle Padlock:

“The padlock was purchased to go with the 16mm chain I also bought from Insight Security. Happy with both. But especially happy with the support from Insight Security who discussed my needs over the telephone. The website covers most things and in more detail than other sites.”

As you can see, Squire padlocks are consistently praised for being well made and extremely tough. Essential attributes for reliable security.

If you have any questions about padlocks or security remember that we are here to help. Give us a call on 01273 475500 and we’ll provide you with free, expert advice.

This message was added on Thursday 4th November 2021