Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

Hello

Please can you help, I was approached a while back by a chap who was distantly related to me, He asked did I know anything about the Drury family having a funeral business, well I said no did not think it was my family, needless to say I hung my head in shame as I found out more about the Drury family. I found some references to undertakers on marriage banns and some census, even a joiner who made cabinets, on the next census he turned his hand to making coffins, I also found an in-law that was a stonemason. All would be useful in a funeral business.
The cousin 3 times removed sent me a couple of files from the British newspapers 1710 to 1950 in relation to this business. I have attached the files and hope I am allowed to share them so you can see what I mean. The longer article is regarding a scandal of a body without a shroud from the workhouse. It is quite interesting even if you cannot help me.
Is anyone out there able to help me find more information on the business? I don’t have access to trade directories.
I think it will be Liverpool as the family live here and have occupation on Liverpool census.
I think they dissolved the Drury and Slater Funeral business, Thomas George Drury and James Slater. If I understand correct
It state’s the business will carry on by Thomas George Drury 90 St Anne Street from 24 September 1875
Was this his home address or premises?

Can you tell me when the joint business started?

Did they have more than one Funeral establishment?

Any information you can give me I would be grateful.

How long did the business last when Thomas George Drury took over?

Would there be any photo’s anywhere and where should I look?

We cannot find any will’s passing the business on but we think it might have been in the family for a couple of generations going on mentions in census his son a coffin maker and marriage certificates.

Do you have any better luck finding a will? Or is there somewhere else I should be looking?

I have included what I know from the census their address changes by a few doors, apart from 1st and last census.

Thank you for taking the time to look and thank you for any research done because of my request I do appreciate it.

This is how I am connected to the Drury’s

My great grandmother is Florence Ada Drury, Born 1887 in Liverpool Died 1987 She Married William Henry Hartley Born 1886 we thought he died in the war but he did not and I am trying to retrace his steps after the war.

Florence Parents are Alfred G Drury born 1858 died 1928 married Elizabeth S Williams born 1880 died 1898

Alfred’s parents are
Thomas George Drury born 1823 died 1886 and Ann Elizabeth Powell born 1825 died 1900 I think he had a previous wife Mary Ann Miller born 1820 died 1860

Hope I make sense.
...............................................................................................................
1851 Census HO 107 / 2190

Address 112 Beacon Road, Liverpool

Thomas George Drury Born in Liverpool 1823 died March 1886,
Age 28 his occupation: Driver

Ann Elizabeth Powell Born about 1825 age 28 Wife

Harriett Drury born 1848 age 3, Daughter

George Powell age 57 Occupation a Mason, Father In-law
...............................................................................................................

1861 Census RG 9 / 2710

26 Richmond Road, Everton, Liverpool

Thomas George Drury Born in Liverpool about 1823 died March 1886, age 38
Occupation Funeral Undertaker

Ann Elizabeth Powell Born about 1825 age 38

The children include:-

Harriett Drury age 13
William Drury age 10
Thomas Drury age 8
Sarah Drury age 5
Alfred G Drury age 2
..............................................................................................................
1871 Census RG10 / 3792

Schedule 36; ? 92 St Ann Street. Liverpool

Thomas George Drury Born in Liverpool about 1823 died March 1886, age 46
Occupation Undertaker

Wife is Ann Elizabeth Powell Born Liverpool about 1825 age 46

Children and a servant:-

George age 17 Apprentice,
Sarah Ann Born 1857 age 14
Alfred 1859 age 12
Elizabeth Burgess servant, Occupation Domestic servant

...............................................................................................................
1881 Census RG 11 / 3633. St Anne’s Liverpool

90 St Ann Street. Liverpool

Thomas George Drury Born in Liverpool about 1823 died March 1886, age 58
Occupation Funeral Undertaker

Ann Elizabeth Powell Born Liverpool about 1825 age 58 Wife

Alfred G Drury age 22 Occupation Joiner. Son
Edwin Hall age 6 Grandson
John Battersbee age 22, Son In-law
S. A. Battersbee age 34 Daughter
John R Battersbee age 6 months

92 -96 St Ann Street. Liverpool uninhabited

...............................................................................................................
Son from above

1891 Census RG12 / 2990 Liverpool
23 Irvine Street, Liverpool

Alfred G Drury age 31, Occupation Coffin Maker Under, marked employer
Elizabeth Drury, wife and children.
...............................................................................................................

http://s63.photobucket.com/user/marie13 ... 3/library/

1870 Green's Directory,

Thomas G Drury, James Slater,
90 St Ann Street,
Undertakers.

It looks likely the home and business premises was 90 to 96, in 1881, 94/96 were probably occupied, just by no one the enumerator could get any sense from

There is a list of our forum members who have copies of directories, send a pm in case they don't see this post, also a link to the Historical Directories online so you can do a bit of browsing yourself. I'll do a check of my own to see what I can find.

Browsing through the 1843 directory I came across an advert for a different undertaker and I found it interesting to note that they were also Linen Warehousemen and Silk Mercers, makes sense I suppose as they would also have supplied the shrouds, something for you to check for your own family.

There is no sign in 1843, the only Drurys in case they help are
John, Warehouseman, St Michael's Place, 4 Upper Surrey St.
Robert, Victualler, 3 Litherland Alley
Wm, Ironmonger and Silversmith, 6 Botanic View, Edge Hill, shop 23 Castle Street

Only entries I have found so far is
1863 Slaters - Undertakers
Drury Thomas G. 167 Richmond Rw

1869 Drury & Slater 90 St Anne St, and 113 Richmond Row

Not occupying the Richmond Row address in 1881. But at 90 Richmond Row is Drury ALFRED, undertaker. Also Drury William Undertaker, 110 Mill Street, Toxteth Park.

1900 Drury William, Undertaker, 75 Tweed Street, West Derby Road

Liverpool Mercury, April 16, 1867, Bankrupts,

Under the heading,

Local Assignment, Composition and Inspectorship Deeds,

Hello Bertieone Bert, and MaryA

Thank you for your information it is a huge help. Thank you for including the article. It was good to see.

How do I search the historical histories online is there a link? plus I am really dumb how and who do I send a PM?

MaryA
I think all those Drury will be mine there are so many of them and I know the occupations sound familier on the extended family with the same names.
I think Alfred is my great grandmothers father.

The last address my great grandmother lived before Everton was pulldown was Mill lane, I know there is a William Drury on a marriage certificate who was an undertaker I think he married an Eleanor Rufsell. I need to check exactly where in the tree he is, I think Florence my great grandmother's uncle.

I think the whole family ended up in business, I know one Married a Watson and went into Hulliage, another Drury sold Cars,around 1920 There is definatly a "Smith" so I would imagine they would be closely linked wth the linen as well. So all in all your leads look very good and a huge thank you.

There is a tiny bit of video called memories of Everton by Dave Watson on youtube with about 2 seconds of a funeral palour, but also Everton, The Mill road House, lots of streets and My great grandmother, Florence, Her sister Everlyn and Gertrude. Now I am wondering if this is the actual funeral palour.

I will get the link and post it ASAP so you can see it. It has a little bit of Lime street, and Emanuelle church too. It will bring back memories to anyone from the area.

A Huge thank you

Kind regards

Marie

Link,

http://leicester.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm ... 5coll4/hd/

http://www.forum.liverpool-genealogy.or ... 16&t=13794

Hi Bertieone, Bert

Thank you for your link I appreciate it. You are a wealth of knowledge, thank you so much for sharing, I enjoy your other posts too helping others, It is so nice learning about others.

Thanks again Marie

...................................................................
I Found the link from youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5DnTx6BztQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzjWC_r-zjc


Hopefully the above links will work it should be Memories of Everton 1965 unedited part 1 and part 2, by Dave Watson.

I was not sure if it should be attached here or seperate.

We loved it and family and friends who lived in Everton back in the day have happy memories after seeing.

The last little old lady with a huge door in a street oposite that is being knocked down oposite is my great grandmother Florence Drury in Mill Street.

There are two great aunts also, The one in a house with a teapot is my great aunt Evelyn Drury there is also my great aunt Emily Drury with hat on chatting to bloke on another bit think She married Robert Watson's The Haulage yard W A Williams is also on it. This was Owned by Gertrude Drury and husband James Albert Williams.

There are men gambling, old cars, lots of streets, and street signs, Margaret street is one of them, the funeral palour only a second near middle 4.56 on bar just corner of sign when it shows Aber Street and public bath sign. , plenty of Pubs and houses backing on to a park Grant Gardens where the necropolis was before it was a park, Emanuelle church on the island was which was Everton, Liverpool 6

I can not believe the kids playing in rubble how dangerous not to mention the dirt!

Hope you find it interesting.

Kind regards

Marie

Thanks for the links Marie, enjoyed them, how wonderful it is to have videos of your family like that.

I'm glad the directory entries were useful, good luck with the online searches.

Hi All
Late coming to this but my maternal grandmother was Elizabeth nee Perry (born 1880, died 1974) who was a daughter of Harriett nee Drury. Harriett and Robert Perry had 16 children, with 13 surviving past infancy.
She told me that the family funeral firm was put out of business by a bigger firm called McDougalls (not sure of the spelling).
My mother (born 1909) remembered seeing horse drawn hearses in her childhood but probably not the family ones.
I was also told that Harriett was once fined for getting a lift in a hearse which had not been fumigated after carrying a smallpox victim.
Another snippet which would seem to fit with the stonemason is my grandmother telling me that an ancestor was a mason who worked on the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral.

(I think Marie and I may have had some correspondence via GR?)
Regards
Linda

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Marie is a current member of the forum and the Society, so she should pick up a message that you have replied. Hope you can exchange more information.

marie131963 wrote: I will be in touch with the forum very soon, Miss everyone at the Library is that now Wednesday afternoon's? I can't make till school holidays and is it the 3rd floor. Also I have never been to a full meeting are they now in the library on the 4th floor or have I miss understood?

Hi Marie, I'm glad you have made contact with your relative.

Here is the list of meeting dates, Wednesday at the moment until June as unfortunately the library was double booked and we had to switch to accommodate them, but all are detailed on this page.
http://www.liverpool-genealogy.org.uk/l ... lendar.php

The meetings are on 4th Floor, but the Help Desk is still on 3rd Floor in the Record Office and still remains on Tuesday afternoons. Look forward to seeing you.

What a lovely compliment, thank you.

Blushing, I have to say that your compliments go to all our forum helpers, without them we couldn't do as much as we do for all those who enquire.

Thank you so much for sharing that story too, it's lovely to make relative, I hope your correspondence lasts a long time with this new friend.

Hi
I've PM'd Marie (first time doing a PM so hope I got it right!). As I live away from my roots, boards are very useful in both providing info or setting me sometimes on the right track because of how someone else approached a problem ....so thank you all.
I'd love the Heir Hunters to knock on my door - not because I want an inheritance but because they'd solved my biggest problem!
Best wishes to all

LindE49 wrote: I'd love the Heir Hunters to knock on my door - not because I want an inheritance but because they'd solved my biggest problem!

Not as much fun as trying yourself