Frederick S. Holmes

Last updated
Frederick S. Holmes
Frederick S. Holmes.png
Born
Frederick Stacy Holmes

August 27th, 1865 in
Boston, MA
DiedNovember 10th, 1948 (age 84)
in Hathorne, MA
Education
  • Boston High School in Boston, MA
  • Private Engineering Instruction in Exeter, NH
Occupation Vault Engineer
EraEarly 1900s
Known for
  • Designer of the world's largest vaults
  • Pioneer in the vault engineering field
  • Designer of jamb-controlled vaults
Political partyRepublican / Independent
Spouse(s)Katherine E. Vincent, married on March 27th, 1886 in Chelsea, MA
ChildrenNone
Parents
  • George W. Holmes (father)
  • Frances A. Stacy (mother)
Engineering career
DisciplineMechanical Engineering
Practice nameFrederick S. Holmes
2 Rector St. New York, NY
Significant design
Signature
Frederick S. Holmes - New York State Employment Card Signature.png

Frederick S. Holmes was an American safe and vault engineer, [1] and inventor who designed the largest vaults in the world. During his career, Holmes designed over 200 vaults throughout the United States, Canada and Japan from 1895 [2] to 1941. The majority of Holmes designed vaults are located in New York's Financial District; many are publicly accessible and in buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. His name is engraved on the builder's plaques, typically located on the vault door's encased jamb controls.

Contents

Frederick S. Holmes Company Logo Frederick S. Holmes Company Logo.jpg
Frederick S. Holmes Company Logo

Holmes' vault designs evolved over time to keep up with attacks from safe-crackers or 'Yeggmen' [3] adept at vault penetration. A Holmes advertisement from 1921 reads, "Newly discovered methods of attack necessitate radical departures from hitherto accepted standards of design". [4] Holmes specialized in jamb-controlled vaults where the combination locks and bolt-throwing mechanism are located inside the vault creating a solid vault door with no spindle holes. Entry requires two points of attack (door and jamb), which doubles the time required for burglars to breach the vault. [5]

Holmes was an expert in his field and described as 'one of the leading, if not the leading vault engineer of America, and a man whose word is unquestioned by those who have had transactions with him'. [6] In recognition of significant contributions to the field of bank vault engineering, a tribute was written in The Journal of the Franklin Institute stating, [7] “Coincident with the modern development of the safe and bank vault industry was that of the profession of the Bank Vault Engineer. The industry owes much of its progress to the work done by the pioneers of this profession: William H. Hollar, [8] John M. Mossman, George L. Damon, [9] Emil A. Strauss, [10] Frederick S. Holmes, Benjamin F. Tripp, [11] and George L. Remington.” [12] Holmes is known to have collaborated with all these vault engineering greats except for Strauss.

Holmes collaborated with prominent architects such as Cass Gilbert and Alfred Bossom and leading vault builders including Bethlehem Steel, Carnegie Steel, Damon Safe & Iron Works, [9] Diebold, Herring-Hall-Marvin, J&J Taylor, LH Miller Safe & Iron Works, [13] Mosler Safe, Remington & Sherman, [14] and York Safe & Lock. [15]

Early life

Frederick Stacy Holmes was born on August 27th, 1865 in Boston, MA to George W. Holmes and Frances A. Stacy. His father was from Maine and worked as a Pattern Maker and his mother was from New Hampshire and was a housewife. Holmes attended Boston High School and received private engineering instruction in New Hampshire.

Career

Homes first worked as a Pattern Maker like his father, a Machinist and then a Mechanical Draftsman. He worked his way up to General Superintendent for safe and vault manufacturers in Chicago, Boston, and Philadelphia before venturing out on his own. Holmes was co-owner of Hoyer & Holmes with Isaiah Wellington Hoyer in Philadelphia that specialized in safe and vault design and construction. He worked as a Bank Vault Engineer for John M. Mossman from 1900-1904 where he designed the Maiden Lane Safe Deposit Company vault among others. Frederick S. Holmes started his company of the same name in 1901 and by 1910 was designing jamb-controlled vaults for which he was known. He was in private practice for 40 years where he designed his most notable vaults: Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, One King West Hotel & Residence in Toronto, and Sun Life Insurance in Montreal.


1879 to 18831883 to 18871887 to 18911891 to 18951895 to 19001901 to 1941
Pattern Maker and MachinistMechanical Draftsman [2] General Superintendent [2] for Chicago Safe & Lock [16] in Chicago, ILGeneral Superintendent for Damon Safe & Iron Works [9] in Boston, MA and Philadelphia, PACo-Owner / Bank Vault Engineer at Hoyer & Holmes, [17] a Partnership with Isaiah W. Hoyer in Philadelphia, PAOwner / Bank Vault Engineer at Frederick. S. Holmes, a private practice in New York, NY. Bank Vault Engineer was his most commonly used title, but similar combinations were used in his published works and advertisements
Encased vault door controls with illuminated combination viewer, pressure system, bolt-throwing hand wheel, and builder's plaque mounted on the vault's door jamb Vault Door Combination Viewer.jpg
Encased vault door controls with illuminated combination viewer, pressure system, bolt-throwing hand wheel, and builder's plaque mounted on the vault's door jamb
A typical builder's plaque located on the vault door's encased jamb controls. Typical Frederick S. Holmes Builder's Plaque.png
A typical builder's plaque located on the vault door's encased jamb controls.

Personal life

Frederick S. Holmes married Katherine E. Vincent from New Hampshire on March 27th, 1886 in Chelsea, MA. He was involved with industry groups such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (1913-1930), the Bankers Club (1920-1930), the Investigating Committee of Architects & Engineers (1926), the Engineers’ Club (1920-1930), the Hardware Club of New York (1914), and the New York State Society of Professional Engineers (1936). Holmes had an active social life with membership in the American Club in Toronto (1920), the Brotherhood of Man (1924), the New York Athletic Club (1914-1941), and the Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York (1920-1930). His political affiliations changed throughout his life; he was a registered Republican (1914-1930) and Independent (1924, 1926, 1931-1932). In 1932, Holmes was critically injured when struck by an automobile while walking home. He was 67 years old at the time and suffered a fractured skull from the hit-and-run driver. Holmes recovered and managed to work another nine years before retiring in 1941 at the age of 76. He died eight years later from arteriosclerotic heart disease on November 10th, 1948 in Hathorne, MA at the age of 84 and was buried at Exeter Cemetery in New Hampshire.

Published works

This list includes articles, copyrights, court testimony, interviews, patents, and speeches by Frederick S. Holmes in chronological order.

YearItem
1890Patent - US Patent 438,236 Electric Safe-Lock (electric controlled combination locks) with William H. Hollar [8] [18]
1891Patent - US Patent 459,226 Safe or Vault (soft metal joint packing) Signature Witness for William H. Hollar [8] [19]
1892Patent - US Patent 467,465 Electric Lock (electric controlled combination locks) [20]
1892Patent - US Patent 477,897 Electric Lock (electric controlled combination locks) with William H. Hollar [8] [21]
1892Patent - US Patent 477,898 Electric Lock (electric controlled combination locks) with William H. Hollar [8] [22]
1896Patent - US Patent 557,389 Removable Sill for Vaults or Safes [23]
1899Patent - US Patent 620,073 Safe (drill resisting construction) Assignor to William H. Hollar [8] [24]
1905Article - The Design and Construction of Modern Bank Vaults [25]
1908Patent - US Patent 901,710 Movable Ventilator for Vaults with George L. Damon [9] [26]
1910Court Testimony - Mosler Safe Co. vs. Maiden Ln Safe Deposit Co. (trial witness) [2]
1911Article - Vault Building - The Backward State of the Art, the Reason and the Remedy [27]
1911Article - Vault Building Problems [1] with portrait photograph at 46 years old
1911Article - Why Insure Against Anything that Never Happens? [28]
1912Article - A Renaissance of Vault Design [29]
1912Article - Uncle Sam to Build the World's Largest Treasure Vault [30]
1912Interview - World’s Largest Treasure Vault (P. Harvey Middleton interview) [31]
1913Article - Vault For Treasure [32]
1913Article - That $70,000 New York Bank Vault Robbery [33]
1913Article - Impregnable Safes (Spanish) [34]
1913Article - Vaults - A Criticism [35]
1916Article - Modern Practice in the Design of Bank Vaults Part 1 - Protective Principles and Construction Methods [36]
1916Article - Modern Practice in the Design of Bank Vaults Part 2 - The Requirements of Small Banks [37]
1916Speech - New Vault Construction to Resist the Cutter-Burner (NY State Safe Deposit Association Convention speech) [38]
1916Article - Reliability in Vaults and Safes [6]
1916Article - The Construction of Bank Vaults (a synopsis of the Brickbuilder articles listed above) [39]
1917Article - A New Concrete for Bank Vaults (describes Holmes's testing methods) [40]
1917Article - The Oxy-Acetylene Cutting Torch [41]
1917Article - Thoughts as to Erection, Arrangement and Fitting Up of a Safe Deposit Vault [42]
1921Article - Vault Construction for Small Communities [43]
1923Article - Harris, Forbes & Company's New Vault [44]
1923Article - Protecting Our Great Banks (by Edward H. Smith with Holmes contributions) [45]
1923Article - The World's Greatest Bank Vaults (by Edward H. Smith with Holmes contributions) [46]
1923Article - Vault Protection [47]
1924Article - The Romance of the Lock (by Edward H. Smith with Holmes contributions) [48]
1924Article - Safeguards that are Required Against the Modern Yegg [49]
1924Article - Vault Weaknesses that must be Overcome [50]
1925Article - There Are No Jimmy Valentines [51]
1925Article - New York Savings Bank Problems - Safety Deposit Vaults for All [52]
1926Copyright - Copyright with Ralph M. Hooker [53]
1927Article - Guarding America's Wealth - A Renaissance of Bank Burglary [54]
1928Article - Bank Vault Construction and Equipment [55]
1991Article - The Lure of The Lock (includes the abridged article 'Bank Vault Construction and Equipment', see above) [56]
2005Article - Monuments to Money: The Architecture of American Banks by Charles Belfoure, (Holmes article excerpts) [57]

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References

  1. 1 2 Bankers Magazine. (1911). United States: Bradford Rhodes. 1911.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Supreme Court Case on Appeal.(1910).(n.p.)".
  3. ↑ B and O Magazine. (1914). United States: Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. 1914.
  4. ↑ United States Investor.(1921). United States: Investor Publishing Company. 1921.
  5. ↑ Construction: A Journal for the Architectural Engineering and Contracting Interests of Canada. (1918). Canada: H. Gagnier Limited Publishers. 1918.
  6. 1 2 Coast Banker. (1916). United States: Coast Banker Publishing Company. 1916.
  7. ↑ Journal of the Franklin Institute. (1910). United Kingdom: Elsevier. 1910.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Encyclopedia of Pennsylvania Biography: Illustrated. (1914). United States: Lewis Historical Publishing Company. 1914.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Toomey, Daniel P. (1892). Massachusetts of Today: A Memorial of the State, Historical and Biographical, Issued for the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago. (1892). United States: Columbia publishing Company.
  10. ↑ "Chicago, Historical, Pictorial.(1902).United States:Rand, McNally & Company". 1902.
  11. ↑ "Bankers' Magazine and State Financial Register.(1908).United States:(n.p.)". 1908.
  12. ↑ "Coast Banker.(1913).United States:Coast Banker Publishing Company". 1913.
  13. ↑ "Sweet's Indexed Catalogue of Building Construction.(1907).United States:Architectural Record Company". 1907.
  14. ↑ "New York Illustrated.(1894).United States:A.F. Parsons Publishing Company". 1894.
  15. ↑ "United States Investor.(1914). United States:Frank P. Bennett & Company". 1914.
  16. ↑ "Chicago Securities: A Manual for Bankers, Brokers and Investors.(1888).United States:J.W. Strong". 1888.
  17. ↑ "Directory of the Principal Office Buildings in Philadelphia.(1896).United States:Waldeck Publishing Company". 1896.
  18. ↑ U.S. patent 438,236
  19. ↑ U.S. patent 459,226
  20. ↑ U.S. patent 467,465
  21. ↑ U.S. patent 477,897
  22. ↑ U.S. patent 477,898
  23. ↑ U.S. patent 557,389
  24. ↑ U.S. patent 620,073
  25. ↑ Review, Architectural (1905). Bank Buildings.(1905). United States: Bates and Guild Company.
  26. ↑ U.S. patent 901,710
  27. ↑ The Bankers Magazine.(1911). United States: Warren, Gorham & Lamont, Incorporated. 1911.
  28. ↑ The Bankers Magazine.(1911). United States: Warren, Gorham & Lamont, Incorporated. 1911.
  29. ↑ United States Investor.(1912). United States: Frank P. Bennett & Company. 1912.
  30. ↑ "New York Times (1857-1922); Aug 4, 1912; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The New York Times pg. SM4".
  31. ↑ The Technical World Magazine.(1912). United States: Technical World Company. 1912.
  32. ↑ The Illustrated Buffalo Express; Jan 13, 1913; United States, 1913
  33. ↑ United States Investor.(1912). United States: Frank P. Bennett & Company. 1912.
  34. ↑ America and American Industries.(1913). United States: Official International Body of the National Association of Manufacturers. 1913.
  35. ↑ The Bankers Magazine.(1913). United States: Bradford-Rhodes & Company. 1913.
  36. ↑ The Brickbuilder.(1916). United States: Rogers and Manson Company. 1916.
  37. ↑ "The Brickbuilder.(1916). United States: Rogers and Manson Company". 1916.
  38. ↑ New York State Safe Deposit Association Bulletin.(1916). United States: (n.p.). 1916.
  39. ↑ "The construction of bank vaults.(1916). Journal of the Society of Architects, 1907-1922, 9(105), 187-188".
  40. ↑ Bankers Magazine.(1917). United States: Bradford Rhodes. 1917.
  41. ↑ New York State Safe Deposit Association Bulletin.(1917). United States: (n.p.). 1917.
  42. ↑ New York State Safe Deposit Association Bulletin.(1917). United States: (n.p.). 1917.
  43. ↑ New York State Safe Deposit Association Bulletin.(1921). United States: (n.p.). 1921.
  44. ↑ Architecture and Building.(1923). United States: W.T. Comstock Company. 1923.
  45. ↑ Scientific American.(1923). United States: Munn & Company. 1923.
  46. ↑ The Burroughs Clearing House. (1923). United States: Burroughs Corporation. 1923.
  47. ↑ Bank Reference Number.(1923). United States: Rogers and Mason Company. 1923.
  48. ↑ Scientific American. (February 1924). United States: Munn & Company. 1924.
  49. ↑ The Bankers Monthly. (August 1924). United States: Hanover Publishers. 1924.
  50. ↑ The Bankers Monthly. (September 1924). United States: Hanover Publishers. 1924.
  51. ↑ Scientific American. (July 1925). United States: Nature America, Inc. Nature America. 1925.
  52. ↑ United States Investor. (November 1925). United States: Frank P. Bennett and Company. Frank P. Bennett & Company. 1925.
  53. ↑ "Catalog of Copyright Entries. Part 1. [B] Group 2. Pamphlets, Etc. New Series.(1927).(n.p.):(n.p.)". 1927.
  54. ↑ "Bankers Magazine.(1927). United States: Bradford Rhodes". Thomson Reuters (Tax & Accounting). March 1927.
  55. ↑ "Architectural Forum: The Magazine of Building.(1928). United States: Time, Incorporated". June 1928.
  56. ↑ Hopkins, A. A.(1991). The Lure of the Lock: A Short Treatise on Locks to Elucidate the John M. Mossman Collection of Locks in the Museum of the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen in the City of New York, Including Some of the "Mossman Papers"; with 500 Illustrations. (n.p.): Edwards Bros.
  57. ↑ Belfoure, C.(2011). Monuments to Money: The Architecture of American Banks. United States: McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers.
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