Funerals

ABOUT A.E. SMITH & SON ~

A.E. Smith & Son is the oldest established Funeral Directors in Swindon. This local family owned Funeral Directors has been helping and advising local families for over 125 years.

The business was founded around1880 by Henry Smith who was a railway worker. The original premises were situated in Gordon Road, Swindon next to what is now an open air car park in Princes Street.

In 1940, after serving the local community for around sixty years, Henry passed over the reigns to his son Albert Edward who continued to develop the business.

In the mid 1960’s A.E. Smith & Son moved to their present site in Queens Drive, Swindon and these premises been expanded and refurbished as the business has continued to grow.

Albert Edward decided to retire in 1976. However, he wanted to ensure the business continued to be owned and managed by a family of funeral directors. He eventually sold his business to Lodge Brothers, a seventh generation family of funeral directors originally founded by James Lodge in 1780.

Today, Lodge Brothers continue to wholly own A.E. Smith & Son and the company is currently run by six members of the Lodge family (Andrew, Christopher, Michael, Beverley, Janet and Robert).

A.E. Smith & Son is managed by Ian Hanks who is an experienced Funeral Director with a Diploma in Funeral Directing. He is assisted by Funeral Arrangers Jeff Browning and David Daltrey.

 

ORIGINS & HISTORY ~

The business was started in Feltham, Middlesex by James Lodge (1762-1836) who was a builder and carpenter and also became the Parish Clerk. James was born in Marnhull, Dorset and was one of seven children. His father died when he was four and his mother when he was thirteen so James and his sibling became orphans. Legend has it that he left Marnhull to escape the Press Gangs and was making his way to London when he happened on the village of Feltham and decided to settle there rather than continue to London.

His eldest son William (1789-1853) took over from him as the village builder and undertaker. In those days it fell on the local builder or carpenter to act as the undertaker as they had the necessary skills to make coffins. The term undertaker comes from the phrase ‘to undertake the arrangements’. Although these days we prefer to be called Funeral Directors most people still call us undertakers. William and his wife Charlotte had twelve children between 1823 and 1838.

Their fourth son John (1828-1876) took over the carpentry and undertaking business from his father. John’s older brother William (1824-1902) took over the building business but as far as we know never undertook funerals. John and his wife Emma had eight children and then John died suddenly aged 48 leaving Emma to run the business and raise the children.

Their second son Stanley (1865-1941), named after the finder of Dr.Livingstone, gradually took over the business from his mother, after completing an apprenticeship with a local master carpenter. During the next decade he became a builder in his own right as well and became one of the Church Wardens. Stanley and his wife Janet had four children, two boys and two girls. Both Son George (1896-1965) and William (1902-1977) worked in the business with their father and eventually took over from him when he retired.

In 1939 the building side was closed down, leaving only the carpentry and funeral works. Soon after the war, William bought out his brother George to become sole owner until 1965 when he turned it into a Limited Company and gave each of his three Son, Stanley, William and John an equal share.

In 1972 the three brothers bought their main competitor W. Lock & Son and the Company has continued to expand through acquisition and by opening new offices. It now has offices in South-West London, Middlesex, Surrey, Wiltshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. Its Head Office, Ludlow House, is built on the site of Spring Farm once the home of William Lodge (1824-1902) who ran the building business in the third generation.

LODGE BROTHERS TODAY~

Stanley, William and John have now all retired and their children are responsible for continuing the family tradition of providing funerals and memorials for the local community. Robert, Andrew, Janet, Beverley, Christopher and Michael are the seventh generation of the family to work in the business.

Lodge Brothers achieved the Investors in People Award in July 2002 as recognition for the efforts of the Company and its staff in attaining such high levels of customer care both internally and externally.

As members of the National Association of Funeral Directors we abide by their Code of Practice and strive to uphold the good reputation the Association has gained over the last 100 years as the professions premier association.

In 1989-90 John Lodge was elected President of the Association having previously been President of the London Association of Funeral Directors a honour his nephew Robert Lodge has also held. Lodge Brothers are also members of the National Association of Memorial MaSon and abide by their Code of Practice. Christopher Lodge is currently secretary of the London Association of Memorial MaSon.

In 2000 Lodge Brothers were invited to join Selected Independent Funeral Homes as recognition of our high standards of professionalism within the Funeral industry. This association has members worldwide and membership is only through invitation. In 2003-4 Andrew Lodge was elected Chairman of the European Group.