About Stephen Fretwell

My story

My name is Stephen Fretwell, a locksmith based in Sheffield, and this is my journey.

I was born on a family farm on the outskirts of Barnsley. My family continues to farm but is now based in North Lincolnshire. When I finished my education at 16, I immediately started working on the family farm.

Looking back, I didn’t fully grasp it then, but that farm was an excellent training ground for the skills I now use as a Sheffield locksmith. My father often teased me for “fiddling” with things when I was young, but I was fascinated with objects, and I recall dismantling two old bicycles to create a faster one!

As I worked on the fields, my main focus was to move from one side of the field to the other as swiftly as possible to finish the job before the weather turned. The downside was that I frequently broke the farm machinery. Once again, Dad was there, and he believed that since “I broke it, I had to fix it.”

Through those experiences, I became adept at taking apart broken things and putting them back together, making them functional again. Little did I know that those formative years as a teenage farmer laid the groundwork for my career as a locksmith, where I faced daily challenges, figuring out the issues and skilfully fixing them.

Locksmith Sheffield

Accredited training for skilled locksmiths

In my late thirties, a significant change in circumstances sparked a strong desire for a new career. As I explored various possibilities, fate led me to stumble upon the locksmith industry unexpectedly. Intrigued, I initially decided to invest in a franchise, attracted by its widespread popularity and the advantage of entering the field with the support of an established company. However, after 18 months, I took a bold leap and ventured alone.

Though the franchise provided some initial training, I craved more knowledge and expertise. Luckily, fortune smiled upon me when I had the incredible opportunity to cross paths with Bennie Wells, a highly revered figure in the locksmithing world, often hailed as the “God” of locksmiths. Securing the chance to train with this esteemed guru was a stroke of immense luck. Those transformative two weeks spent under Bennie’s guidance completely shifted my perspective, and at that very moment, I fell wholeheartedly in love with the art of locksmithing.

When I started working as a locksmith, I discovered a profound passion for the job. Every day, I am presented with new learning experiences (and I continue to learn something new each day). I enthusiastically shared my newfound love with everyone around me, although I suspect I may have become a bit tiresome to those who listened—though no one ever mentioned it!

As expected, I am a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) member of The Federation of Small Businesses and an Accredited Locksmith. These all hopefully add credibility to me and my business.

Sheffield locksmith

Stephen Fretwell, local Sheffield locksmith

Contrary to what many believe, the locksmith industry encompasses many services beyond the occasional case of misplaced keys. While such incidents arise, they represent only a tiny fraction of our average workload. In truth, most of my time is dedicated to a diverse range of tasks. Each day brings new challenges, from repairing composite and uPVC doors to upgrading door locks, responding to eviction situations, addressing burglary incidents, and handling domestic matters. Additionally, I frequently fix uPVC window locks and handles, replace mortice locks, garage locks, shed locks, code locks, and a host of other responsibilities.

Choosing locksmithing as my career has proven to be truly rewarding, and I harbour no regrets about this decision. I aspire for locksmithing to be a lifelong companion until my eventual retirement, although that milestone lies further down the road.