PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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Messrs WESTLAKE & SEARLE FUNERAL SERVICE The Plymouth business house of Messrs Westlake and Searle Funeral Service, funeral directors, cremators and monumental masons, operated from number 22 Edgcumbe Street, Stonehouse, and 142 Victoria Road, St Budeaux, during the 1950s, while their Funeral Home was located at 1-5 Pemros Road, St Budeaux. Although it was claimed in their advertisements that the business was established in 1832 [1], they apparently celebrated their 150th anniversary in 1963 when, if the adverts were correct, they were only 131 years old [2]. Mr George Westlake was born in Hatherleigh, Devon, where he was baptised on December 2nd 1808. He was the son of William and Mary Westlake. On January 26th 1836 Mr George Westlake married Miss Mary Ellacott, the daughter of James and Rebecca Ellacott. She was also born in Hatherleigh and was baptised there on January 11th 1815, when she was fourteen months old. [3] One of the witnesses at the marriage of George and Mary was a Mr Edmund Ford. At the time of the census in 1841 the Ford family and the Westlake family were sharing number 34 Edgcumbe Street, East Stonehouse. George declared himself as a carpenter. He and Mary had two children at that time and both had been born at Hatherleigh, the youngest, Ann Westlake, being only six months old, so they must have moved to Stonehouse towards the end of 1840 or beginning of 1841. Clearly the business must have been founded at Hatherleigh. [4] In 1847 George was listed as residing at number 8 Chapel Street, still in Stonehouse, again as a carpenter [5]. Presumably this was the 'small shop in Chapel Street' in which the business was supposed to have been started [2]. By the time of the census in 1851 the family's address was number 41 Chapel Street, where they had been joined by 19-years-old John Castmond as an apprentice carpenter. [6] George and Mary were still there in 1861 but young William had joined the Royal Navy as a carpenter and was at sea aboard "HMS Pelorus". George was employing one man and one boy. [7] When William came out of the Royal Navy he and his wife Mary went to live with Henry and Maria Taylor at number 19 Exeter Street, Plymouth. He declared himself to be an undertaker. [8] Mr George Westlake had moved to number 10 Chapel Street by 1871 [9] and then to number 25 High Street by 1881, when he was retired [10]. The business was now in the hands of Mr William Westlake and had been moved to number 22 Edgcumbe Street. William was a carpenter and furniture dealer employing three men and three apprentices. [11] In 1882 Mr George Westlake passed away, at the grand age of 74 years. [12] For 80 years from 1883 to 1963 the business was appointed as the official funeral directors for the Royal Navy in Plymouth. [2] When William retired the business was taken over by Mr William Henry G Westlake and his younger brother George, who represented the Mount Edgcumbe Ward for many years and was elected an Alderman of Plymouth City Council. [2] In 1946 the business passed to Mr William Gregory Westlake, William's eldest son. He was educated at Queen's College, Taunton, and between 1946 and 1954 he represented St Aubyn Ward (formerly the Mount Edgcumbe Ward) on the Council like his uncle. He was a keen sportsman, playing rugby, tennis and golf. [2][14] Mr Westlake acquired the business of Messrs A Searle & Son, of Pemros Road, St Budeaux, in 1949 upon Mr Searle's retirement. That gentleman (probably the son, Mr Cecil Edward Searle because Mr Alfred Edward Ralph Searle appears to have died in 1931) ) was one of the first undertakers in the County to become qualified in embalming. [2] During April 1973 Mr Cecil Edward Searle passed away at Barnfield Lodge, Barnfield Road, Livermead, Torquay, where he moved to upon retirement. He was 82 years of age and a widower. Mr Searle was a shareholder in Plymouth Argyle Football Club and a keen supporter until his death of Torquay United and the Torbay Bowling Club. [13] Mr William Gregory Westlake died at his home in Whitchurch, near Tavistock, on Saturday April 4th 1987 at the age of 79. He was survived by his widow, Christine, and a daughter, Jo. Mr Westlake was cremated at a private ceremony. [14] The business was bought by a Mr Michael Kelly. [14] At some date the name reverted to Westlake Funeral Services and the business continues in operation at St Budeaux today. Sources:
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