When I joined the family business in 1947, my father and grandfather were working at high bench-type desks in the office.  At that time we were carrying out building work as well as being funeral directors.

When I first started I was put on the building side, which included general maintenance jobs to properties in and around Fareham.  I also worked in the coffin workshop until 1950.  In 1951 I attended Portsmouth Municipal College to learn building techniques two half days a week.  On Wednesdays I would attend the college in the morning and in the afternoon would go to different builder's merchants in the area to order paint, wood, glass etc.  I also attended college two evenings a week and then in 1951 took a course in embalming.  This took place in Portsmouth one evening a week.

After leaving college, I would meet clients and estimate work for the building trade, and also sort out accounts, but did not get involved in any labouring, apart from making coffins.  I also did a few removals.  People either telephoned or came to the office to inform us of a death.  The doctor would go to the house first and then a nurse would go to lay the person out, this was known as 'first offices'. Nurse March lived in Gordon Road, Fareham and I remember one evening, picking up Nurse March and then having to walk across the fields to 'Deans Farm' to lay the deceased out.  We would then make the coffin which would be taken back to the house that evening to put the deceased in.  The funeral director would go to the house everyday prior to the funeral taking place.  This would be five to seven days.

The local morgue used to be in Fareham cemetery (the little buildings on the north side of the cemetery). Sudden deaths would be taken to this local public morgue on a hand cart. The Coroner would go to the morgue and the post mortem would be carried out to establish the cause of death. The deceased would then be wheeled directly to the cemetery. We had a contract with Knowle Hospital to remove the deceased.  The deaths were mainly men affected during World War I.  The first removal van was a Jowett Javelin which was quite small and had a 2-cylinder engine.  The year was 1948.  Prior to owning our own van we would use Bill Lake's Buick hearse to do the removals and also for the funerals. I can remember other removal vehicles we had over a period of time.

In 1946 Charles Coghlan bought his first car which was a Morris Oxford, number plate FAA 181, normally though, he used his bike.  I learned to drive in the Morris Oxford. We continued to hire a hearse and limousine from Bill Lake until 1976. I then purchased an Austin Princess hearse from the firm where my son Richard was training. At the same time we purchased an Austin princess from Bill Lake. Both the Hearse and Limousine had 4 litre lorry engines in them. They were built specially for the funeral trade. The limousine's registration number was 206 XTR.
Prior to this I had always purchased an estate car so that we could double up for long distance removals. Yes, and they were always black! I had the only Black 'Simca' in the country.

For many years we had always had a small black van as a removal vehicle. These were always called 'Handy' by the funeral trade. Our last black van was an Austin, Registration H _ _ _ TEL. In about 1970 we purchased a Black Peugeot which was specially built so that we could use this as a small hearse or removal vehicles, should it be necessary.  In about 1980 we started using a larger white van for removals, this was not as conspicuous as a black van. We also had specific vans on the building side of the business. I can remember once driving up to see my Uncle in Shrewsbury, and to take my family there we put an old sofa in the back. There were no seat belts then!

When people began to have their deceased in the chapel of rest, instead of at home, we started using a chapel at St Christopher Hospital, Wickham Rd, Fareham. Prior to this, St Christopher's had been the old Victorian work house, incorporating a chapel for use by the poor. When the work house became a Hospital the chapel was not used any more, and my Father rented it for viewings. We also rented it out to other funeral directors.

Our chapel began being built on 15^th May 1952. The chapel plans were drawn up my Mr Trigg, a local architect and then built by our building side of M. Coghlan Ltd, our foreman being Mr Latty. The Chapel was dedicated on 16^th November 1954 by Rev A.H. Watkins (Vicar of St Peter & St Paul's Church, Fareham), Rev D.W. Hoare (Vicar of Holy Trinity Church, Fareham) and Rev David J. Lewis (President of Gosport & Fareham and District Free Church Federal Council, and Minister of the local congregational church)

By the early 1950's most viewings were held in our own chapel of rest and not at private homes.

I started driving on my 18^th birthday in 1946 and had two 2-hour lessons followed by two half hour lessons, but learnt most of the skills by watching Bill Lake.  I took the driving test in Portsmouth but was able to drive whilst learning without anyone with me.

My first funeral in 1950 was from Colenso Road, Fareham - an old Holy Trinity Church choir member.  In those days we hired the hearse and limousine from Trinity Garage which was run by Reg Howard and his son-in-law Bill Lake, who later became a bearer for us.  It was necessary to telephone them first to make sure they had the vehicles available because they also supplied the vehicles to Mr. Moss of Fareham, Mr. Freemantle of Titchfield, Mr. Knight at Wickham and Mr. Newbury of Warsash.  Their Austin hearse was very square and they later bought another one, rather like a Princess.   The limousine was a Buick. 

All the coffins were made from boards supplied by Messrs Dottridge.  The bottom was cut out first, then the ends put on, then the sides were shaped and fitted.  The shaping was done by using very hot water, brushed on or steamed.  Molding then covered the nails, with sanding down done by hand.  In the early stages, French polish liquid was applied with a rag, drying quickly it was built up in layers until highly polished.  We later used wax polish.  Most of the coffins were made of elm, oak only being used if a special request was made.  The coffins took eight hours to construct and Lionel Etherington and Peter Elmes had this task.  The coffins were pitched on the inside.  In the early 1970's coffins started to be bought in pre-made and were ordered from Ingell Parson.  Handles and plates came from Doridge's in London.  Some coffin plates were painted by hand with the name, date of death and age of the deceased by Hayters of Portchester.    Deliveries were made throughout the war.