Traditional Ironmonger and Hardware Shop in Cockermouth.
J.B. Banks and Son Ltd, at 13-14 Market Place in Cockermouth is an extraordinary shop firmly rooted as a traditional Ironmonger and hardware shop, established in 1836.
Our range is very broad, offering just about everything you could need for your home, smallholding, garden or workshop, including; locks, key cutting, workshop, countryside management tools, ironmongery and fixings, kitchenware and household items, garden essentials and pest control, janitorial equipment, bee keeping supplies, and various other household essentials.
We also buy in quality second-hand joinery items, such as wooden work boxes, gouges, draining spades, potato forks, draw knives, etc, for resale. Please enquire via telephone or e-mail to check prices or discuss an order. A cheque is required with all orders, which must allow for a 14 day turnaround.
See our famous you tube clip with Prince Charles by clicking here
Check out our star car http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2riPnSu3HA
Everyone needs "four candles" or "fork handles" - ours are good quality white household candles wrapped with twine labelled & sent with a J.B.Banks information leaflet.
Museum & Exhibition - Upstairs in the rear of the shop is the original tin smithy & plumbers workshop, this contains hand tools, anvils, vices and hand machinery. We have recently discovered that this was in existence in 1829, several years before the shop opened & when George IV was in the throne. Our office is also upstairs with desks, pre QWERTY typewriter and various paperwork and prewar items.
We don't know what this is - can anyone help?
Downstairs you can find a large collection of locks from Tudor to present day, plate locks, padlocks, rimlocks and lots more. The original well used by the cottages for drinking water was opened up again in 1969- some say there is a passage to Cockermouth Castle inside the well, we have never explored it so it may be true.
Plus lots more on the heritage & history of the shop, Market Place and Cockermouth.
Free Entry
Museum open every day with last entry an hour before closing.
Everyday see a new visitor comment on Twitter.
www.bankscourthouse.co.uk Ground floor self catering apartment in Cockermouth with parking. Sleeps 2
www.taths.org.uk The tools & trades history society, founded to further the knowledge & understanding of hand tools and the trades and the people who use them.
www.kirkpatrick.co.uk Kirkpatrick Ltd is the oldest established manufacturer of black iron door and window furniture.
