This brass door wedge is a simple security device to stop anyone entering your room in an Inn etc. The wedge would be pushed under your door and knocked down so that the teeth to the bottom would grip the floorboard. The wedge would then be pushed into the hinged split to lock the door. A few different makers produced these locks and both Hill and Bedington were known to have produced similar wedges, with Hill stamping his Registered 17th December 1847. Henry Underwood was a cutler who had established his business in Drury Lane by 1815. By 1823 he had also opened premises at 56 Haymarket, which is the address stamped to the wedge. Five years later he is listed solely at Haymarket and the business kept the same address at least until 1912 although the name had changed by 1865 to Underwood & Farrant. The wedge is also stamped VR to note the monarch of the day and this helps us to date the wedge to between 1837 and 1865. Given Hill’s patent the date is more likely to be closer to 1850. This wedge differs to others that we have seen in that the locking wedge is made of brass as opposed to beech. Circa 1850.
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