Four generations of

Expertise

When he was only sixteen, Elbert V. Clark left his home in upstate New York and joined a traveling vaudeville show as a banjo player. In that time with the vaudeville show, he met and became friends with the famous escape artist Harry Houdini.

In 1901, Bert, as he was known, opened his own locksmith shop in Providence, Rhode Island. Whenever Houdini appeared at Providence’s Fays Theatre, he would always stop and visit with his good friend. And Bert would make the trick locks that Houdini used in his escape acts. One of these locks is on display today at the Harry Houdini Museum in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Bert and Harry were such great friends that they decided whoever died first would try to contact the survivor. In 1937, 11 years after Houdini’s death, Bert told a Providence Journal reporter, “I haven’t heard from him yet.”

In the 1930s, Bert was joined by his three sons: Walter, Harry, and Bert Jr. The four conducted the business together until Bert Sr. died in 1954. In 1964, Walter sold his share in his father’s business to his two brothers, opening his own business, W. H. Clark and Sons Locksmiths, with his own son Robert O. Clark. Walter passed away in 1984 and Robert ran the business alone until he was joined by his son Robert W. Clark in 1994.

In 2001, Robert W. Clark, great-grandson of Elbert became the manager and has been changing the business from a small locksmith enterprise to a security consultant and systems integration company. Today in 2019 Federal Security Technologies is a successful high tech company servicing many different clients ranging from schools in the area, TF Green Airport, and the Federal Government. All backed by four generations of locksmith heritage. You could say, unlike Houdini, the Clark family just can’t seem to escape the locks!

Our Office —
254 Warren Avenue
East Providence, RI 02914
(401) 265-1667