Fitzpatrick
Funeral Home Records
1889 - 1980
As we were leaving for school, Mum reminded
us that a funeral procession might be making its way to the cemetery, at
about the time we would be walking home from school. If this should happen,
Cliff was to remove his cap and we were to stand at attention on the side
of the road until the last car went by.
In earlier times funeral processions consisted of a horse drawn hearse
and carriages. Quite often the family rented the carriages to convey the
members of the family from the church to the place of burial.
The records of Fitzpatrick Funeral Home of Saint John, from 1889
to 1980 have been microfilmed and are available for viewing at the Saint
John Free Public Library and at other institutions.
The information provided could be, the name of the person who ordered
the funeral with the person’s address, to whom the funeral is to be charged
with address, place of death, cause of death, age, date of death, place of
birth, religion, cemetery of burial and the minister’s name.
Details pertaining to the cost of funeral include, the price of casket,
plate, hearse, number of carriages, gloves, ribbon, candles, shroud, chairs,
newspaper notice, etc. Note was made of the dates of payment.
One funeral in 1901, cost thirty-six dollars and fifty cents, including
a charge of four dollars for the two carriages.
By the way, Patrick Fitzpatrick, who established the Fitzpatrick Funeral
Home in Saint John in 1864, came from Newcastle near Clonmel, County Tipperary,
Ireland. He was a cabinetmaker by trade, but like others before him, he was
involved in making caskets. By the 1880s, Patrick ceased to be known as
a cabinetmaker and became a full-time funeral director.
The original Fitzpatrick premises were located on Princess Street but
it was consumed in the great fire that swept Saint John in 1877. The business
was relocated to a new site at 100 Waterloo Street in 1887.
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