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Listing: Locally listed in 2004. Co-op Funeral directors.
Red brick with Belfast roof. Used to garage funeral cars but once used as
stables.
Comment: An interesting reminder of the days when horses
dominated the roads. This and the shop and accommodation next door may
have been built as undertakers' premises. In 1914 it appears in a local
trade directory as occupied by F. W. Collins, undertaker. A date stone on the
shop says 1907, so this may be the date of the whole thing. By 1924
Collins are listed as here and at 50 Wellington Road. It is only in recent
years that Collins moved out of here and the premises were taken over by the
Co-op. F.W Collins & Son (Funeral Directors) Ltd now have modernised
premises on Wellington Road. (Thanks to Reg Aston for information).
Once the Co-op was a dominant force in Bilston. It is said that
committed Co-op members would get married on a Monday so that they got double
divi on the reception held at the Co-op. What they did about funerals has
not been noted.
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