Working master locksmith Aidrian Cox has turned two decades of bedtime stories into a children’s book series that celebrates locksmithing and aims to inspire the next generation of the trade.
After more than 25 years running Locksmith Services of Grimsby, in North East Lincolnshire, Aidrian Cox is still helping customers every day. Away from the tools, he has spent the past two years transforming stories inspired by his locksmithing career into Lennox the Locksmith and Maisey Fox, the first in a series of children’s books that puts locksmiths firmly in the role of everyday heroes.
A bedtime story that never went away
Twenty years ago, I wasn’t thinking about becoming an author. Like most parents, I’d come home after a day’s work, put the kids to bed and make up stories to entertain them. The main locksmith character didn’t have a name back then, and the adventures became more imaginative as they went along, many of them were based on jobs I’d actually been to.
The stories stayed with me long after the children had grown up. I probably had 15 stories in my head, but life and work got in the way and they never made it onto paper.
Then, about two years ago, I started writing them down. Once I got going, everything seemed to fall into place. Before long I had enough material for a book, and now there are ten stories published with plenty more waiting to be told. I’ve even got ideas for two full-length feature films, so my imagination certainly hasn’t run out.
Finding the perfect locksmith
For years I had the stories, but I didn’t have the right name for my main character. One evening I was watching old heavyweight boxing matches featuring Lennox Lewis, and it suddenly clicked. Lennox sounded like a brilliant name for a locksmith. He’s a fantastic role model, it’s a memorable name and it just rolls off the tongue.
Once I had Lennox, everything else seemed to build around him. Maisey Fox became the learner locksmith, eager to develop her skills, while Lockpick the parrot provides plenty of comic relief throughout the stories. I originally wanted to call him Pickpocket, but thankfully my editor persuaded me otherwise. Looking back, I think she made the right decision.
Bringing locksmithing to life
One of the things I wanted to achieve was to show children that locksmithing is far more than simply changing locks. Lennox and his team are community heroes. They help people when they’re locked out, solve problems, keep homes secure and always turn up when someone needs them. Those themes are rooted in real locksmithing.
As tradespeople, we’re often attend people’s homes on one of the most stressful days they’re having. We solve problems, provide reassurance and leave people feeling safe again. That’s something children can understand, and I wanted to build stories around those positive values of trust, kindness and helping others.
The adventures take place in Keythopes, in the county of Lockshire, beside the River Tumblers. They’re fictional places, but they’re all inspired by my local area and, naturally, filled with locksmith references.
Why now?
If I’m honest, I reached a point where I thought if I don’t do this now, I’ll probably regret it. The stories had given my own children so much enjoyment over the years that it seemed a shame to leave them sitting in my head.
I’d tried approaching publishers years ago without much success, so the idea remained on the back burner until I was working at the home of a friend called Quinn Needham. I mentioned that I had some children’s stories that needed proofreading, and he recommended a local publisher. I sent over one story called: Lennox Nearly Gets a Free Trip to Jamaica as a sample, and within two hours I received a phone call. The lady at the publishing company happened to be from Jamaica herself and immediately connected with the character’s name. From there everything moved incredibly quickly and before I knew it the book was being prepared for publication. Sometimes things happen when the timing is right.
Promoting the profession
One of the biggest motivations behind the books is to promote locksmithing itself. We’re such a niche trade that most people never think about locksmiths unless they’ve lost their keys or locked themselves out. Children rarely grow up saying they want to become locksmiths because they simply don’t know what we do, and I want to help change that.
If these books encourage even a handful of young people to look at locksmithing as an exciting, skilled and worthwhile career, then they’ll have achieved something special.
The trade has given me a fantastic career over the past 25 years and I’d love to see more young people discovering the opportunities it offers.
Exciting developments
Publishing the book is only the beginning. We’re now developing a YouTube channel where all ten stories from the book will be brought to life through animation, making them even more accessible for younger audiences.
We’ve got voice-over artists lined up and one of my musician friends is writing an original theme tune called: Don’t Rock Out When You’re Locked Out. It’s an upbeat, cheerful song and I can’t wait to hear the finished version and feature it on the website.
The website itself has been another exciting part of the project. Matthew Riley from Deploy Media has done a fantastic job creating the graphics and bringing the world of Lennox the Locksmith to life online. It’s becoming much bigger than just a book.
A proud moment
The book has only been available on Amazon for a few weeks, but the response so far has been incredible. Receiving five-star reviews from families has been hugely rewarding because they’re enjoying the stories like my own children did all those years ago.
My family have supported me throughout the entire project and without their encouragement I probably wouldn’t have taken the plunge. I’m also speaking with the Master Locksmiths Association about sharing the project more widely within the profession because I genuinely believe it promotes our trade in a positive way.
As locksmiths, we spend a lot of time talking about technical standards, security products and training, all of which are incredibly important. But sometimes it’s worth stepping back and reminding people, especially children, why locksmithing matters in the first place.
If Lennox and his friends can make children smile, inspire their imagination and perhaps even encourage one or two of them to become locksmiths one day, then every hour spent writing these stories will have been worthwhile.
locksmithsg@btinternet.com
www.lennoxthelocksmith.com
More info
Aidrian Cox (MMLA, BLI) is a Master Locksmith with more than 25 years’ experience and was the first Master Locksmiths Association-trained and qualified locksmith in North East Lincolnshire. Operating as a mobile locksmith, he provides domestic and commercial security services across the region while continuing to develop the Lennox the Locksmith series of children’s books. The first title, Lennox the Locksmith and Maisey Fox, is available through Amazon, with animated YouTube stories and further adventures currently in development.