Frederick S. Holmes was an American safe and vault engineer, and inventor who designed the largest vaults in the world. During his career, Holmes designed more than 200 vaults throughout the United States, Canada and Japan from 1895 to 1940, considered to be the golden age of bank vault construction. 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, located on vault door encased jamb controls]].
Holmes' vault designs evolved over time to keep up with attacks from safe-crackers or 'Yeggmen' adept at vault penetration. Holmes addressed the "arms race" with burglars in an advertisement from 1921 that reads, "Newly discovered methods of attack necessitate radical departures from hitherto accepted standards of design". He also said, "Whatever a man puts together, a man can take apart if you give him enough time - it is time we are fighting for". 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. The pinnacle of vault door design and security was the invention of combination viewers which were used on the largest vaults ever built.
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'. In recognition of significant contributions to the field of bank vault engineering, a tribute was written in The Journal of the Franklin Institute stating, “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, John M. Mossman, George L. Damon, Emil A. Strauss, Frederick S. Holmes, Benjamin F. Tripp, and George L. Remington.” Holmes worked with all these vault engineering greats except Strauss.
Holmes collaborated with prominent architects such as Alfed Bossom, Cass Gilbert, Darling, Pearson & Cleveland, Walker & Weeks, and York & Sawyer. He also worked with leading vault builders including Bethlehem Steel, Carnegie Steel, Damon Safe & Iron Works, Diebold, Herring-Hall-Marvin, J&J Taylor, LH Miller Safe & Iron Works, Mosler Safe, Remington & Sherman, Stiffel & Freeman, and York Safe & Lock.
Early life Frederick Stacy Holmes was born on August 27, 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 where he designed the Maiden Lane Safe Deposit Company vault among others. Afterwards, he started the Frederick S. Holmes company and by 1910 was designing the jamb-controlled vaults for which he was known. Holmes was a member of many Investigating Committees of Architects and Engineers which were multidisciplinary review boards assembled to study a building, project, or failure, combining architectural judgment with engineering analysis. He was in private practice for 35 years where he designed his most notable vaults.
Career timeline Year(Age)Position / CompanyPatent (Year)1879 to 1883(14 to 18)Pattern Maker and Machinist / company unknown1883 to 1887(18 to 22)Mechanical Draftsman / company unknown1887 to 1893(22 to 28)General Superintendent of safe and vault manufacturing at: Damon Safe & Ironworks in Boston, MA and Philadelphia, PA (bank locks, express boxes/chests, safes, and vaults) Chicago Safe & Lock in Chicago, IL (safes, combination/time locks, and vaults)438,236 (1890)459,226 (1891)467,465 (1892)477,897 (1892)477,898 (1892)1893 to 1901(28 to 36)Co-Owner / Bank Vault Engineer at Hoyer & Holmes, a partnership with Isaiah Wellington Hoyer in Philadelphia, PA - services included architecture, safe and bank vault construction and superintendence, bank lock inspection and guaranteeing, engineering consulting, metallic fittings, and structural iron work.557,389 (1896)620,073 (1899)1901 to 1905(36 to 40)Designer at J. M. Mossman Co. in New York, NY - services included designing and superintending of safe and vault construction, sale and repair of express boxes, money chests, safes, and time locks also time lock guaranteeing.1905 to 1940(40 to 75)Owner / 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. 1911 - Engineer and Superintendent for construction of the Bureau of Engraving & Printing's Money, Stamp, and Plate vaults of the US Treasury. 1936 - Bank Vault Engineer for the Public Works Department in New York State's Architecture division.901,710 (1908)2,081,316 (1937)
Notable works This list contains all (33) known combination viewer vault locations; there are (3) unlisted whose locations are unknown or undisclosed.Sorted alphabetically by the Location Name (original) column. Location Name (original)MapCityStateYear BuiltVault BuilderBuilding Architect🗺️HartfordCT1931 James Rogers🗺️TokyoKanto1932York Safe & Lock Co.Uheiji Nagano🗺️TorontoON1939 Chapman & Oxley🗺️TorontoON1931J&J Taylor Ltd.Sproatt & Rolph🗺️TorontoON1931J&J Taylor Ltd.York & Sawyer🗺️New YorkNY1928Mosler Safe Co.York & Sawyer🎞️🗺️CincinnatiOH1913Herring, Hall, Marvin Safe Co.Cass Gilbert 🎞️🗺️ Toronto ON 1914 Remington & Sherman Co. Darling & Pearson🗺️New YorkNY1923Remington & Sherman Co.Starrett & van Vleck 🎞️🗺️ClevelandOH1923York Safe & Lock Co.Walker & Weeks🗺️CincinnatiOH1927York Safe & Lock Co.Harry Hake🗺️PittsburghPA1931York Safe & Lock Co.Walker & Weeks🗺️MinneapolisMN1915York Safe & Lock Co.Cass Gilbert🎞️🗺️New YorkNY1924York Safe & Lock Co.York & Sawyer🗺️New YorkNY1915York Safe & Lock Co.Ernest Graham🗺️PhiladelphiaPA1921York Safe & Lock Co.Paul Cret🗺️BostonMA1923Mosler Safe Co.York & Sawyer🗺️Jersey CityNJ1920York Safe & Lock Co.Alfred Bossom🗺️New YorkNY1916York Safe & Lock Co.York & Sawyer📷🗺️ProvidenceRI1917Remington & Sherman Co.Walker & Gillette🎞️🗺️New YorkNY1913Carnegie Steel Co.Trowbridge & Livingston📷🗺️New YorkNY1927York Safe & Lock Co.William Gompert📷🗺️SpringfieldMA1927Remington & Sherman Co.Kirkham & Parlett🗺️New YorkNY1925Diebold Safe & Lock Co.Everett Waid🗺️AlbanyNY1912Remington & Sherman Co.York & Sawyer🗺️BostonMA1924Remington & Sherman Co.Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge📷🗺️BostonMA1921Herring, Hall, Marvin Safe Co.Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge📷🗺️PhiladelphiaPA1922 Ritter & Shay🎞️🗺️HarrisburgPA1940York Safe & Lock Co.Joseph Huston🗺️PhiladelphiaPA1927 Cram & Ferguson🗺️ProvidenceRI1917York Safe & Lock Co.York & Sawyer🗺️MontrealQC1928York Safe & Lock Co.York & Sawyer🗺️MontrealQC1913York Safe & Lock Co.Darling, Pearson & Cleveland
Published works This list includes books, articles, court testimony, interviews, patents, and speeches by Frederick S. Holmes. (grouped by year) Year Item Description1890Patent438,236 Electric Safe-Lock (with William H. Hollar)1891Patent459,226 Safe or Vault (Patent witness for William H. Hollar)1892Patents 467,465 Electric Lock (Assignor to James W. Torrey)
477,897 Electric Lock (with William H. Hollar) 477,898 Electric Lock (with William H. Hollar)1896Patent557,389 Removable Sill for Vaults or Safes (Assignor to George S. Clark)1899Patent 20,073 Safe (Assignor to William H. Hollar)1905ArticleThe Design and Construction of Modern Bank Vaults1908Patent901,710 Movable Ventilator for Vaults (with George L. Damon)1910Court TestimonyMosler Safe Co. vs. Maiden Lane Safe Deposit Co. (trial witness)1911Articles Vault Building - The Backward State of the Art, the Reason and the Remedy Vault Building Problems with portrait photograph at 46 years old Why Insure Against Anything that Never Happens?1912Articles and Interview A Renaissance of Vault Design Uncle Sam to Build the World's Largest Treasure Vault World’s Largest Treasure Vault (P. Harvey Middleton interview)1913Articles Burglary Made Easy Impregnable Safes (Spanish) That $70,000 New York Bank Vault Robbery Vault For Treasure Vaults - A Criticism1916Articles and Speech Modern Practice in the Design of Bank Vaults Part 1 - Protective Principles and Construction Methods Modern Practice in the Design of Bank Vaults Part 2 - The Requirements of Small Banks New Vault Construction to Resist the Cutter-Burner (NY State Safe Deposit Association Convention speech) Reliability in Vaults and Safes The Construction of Bank Vaults (a synopsis of the Brickbuilder articles listed above)1917Articles A New Concrete for Bank Vaults (describes Holmes's testing methods) The Oxy-Acetylene Cutting Torch Thoughts as to Erection, Arrangement and Fitting Up of a Safe Deposit Vault1921Articles Bank Vaults and Fixtures (Holmes was a contributing author) Vault Construction for Small Communities1923Articles Harris, Forbes & Company's New Vault Protecting Our Great Banks (by Edward H. Smith with Holmes contributions) The World's Greatest Bank Vaults (by Edward H. Smith with Holmes contributions) Vault Protection p. 3051924Articles The Romance of the Lock (by Edward H. Smith with Holmes contributions) Safeguards that are Required Against the Modern Yegg Vault Weaknesses that must be Overcome1925Articles There Are No "Jimmy Valentines" New York Savings Bank Problems - Safety Deposit Vaults for All1926BookFrederick S. Holmes, Bank Vault Engineer by Ralph M. Hooker (Investigating Committee of Architects & Engineers)1927ArticleGuarding America's Wealth - A Renaissance of Bank Burglary1928ArticleBank Vault Construction and Equipment1937Patent2,081,316 Vault (pioneer patent consultant)1991ArticleThe Lure of The Lock (includes the abridged article 'Bank Vault Construction and Equipment', see above)2005ArticleMonuments to Money: The Architecture of American Banks by Charles Belfoure, (Holmes article excerpts)
Personal life Frederick S. Holmes married Katherine E. Vincent from New Hampshire on March 27, 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 1940 at the age of 75. He died eight years later from arteriosclerotic heart disease on November 10, 1948 in Hathorne, MA at the age of 84 and was buried at Exeter Cemetery in New Hampshire.
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