1851 - Alfred Charles Hobbs formed a locksmihs company, based in Cheapside, London, called Hobbs & Co. 1852 - company registered; 1855 - became Hobbs, Ashley & Co.; about 1856 - became Hobbs, Ashley & Fortescue, 97 Cheapside; 1860 - Ashley died, and Hobbs sold the company to John Mathias Hart. In making the sale Hobbs stipulated that the company should retain his name at its head; company became Hobbs, Hart & Co. In about 1954 the company became a part of the Chubb group.