The Parish of Westhoughton in the County of -- Lancashire --

This is taken from the Westhoughton Journal, November 1 1935.

In 1869 John Hibbert of Westhoughton, bought a second-hand hearse. The hearse passed into his possession for the modest sum of 39s. and, judging from the fact that originally the vehicle cost £70 it is presumed that John secured a bargain.

Deane Parish, had let hearses out for the past 23 years and the old vehicle being rather worse for wear, was due for replacement. The new parish of Westhoughton had not long been carved out of the Deane Parish, and for centuries most members of Westhoughton families had their last resting place at Deane Church.

It is rather remarkable that, despite the opening of a ground for burial in Westhoughton from about the year 1731, a considerable number of local funerals still took place at Deane.

In those remote days, funeral customs were very different from the mode known today. It has been said that there wasn't an undertaker in the country, and after the local joiner had done his necessary work, the relatives made all the other arrangements - which included the hiring of the parish hearse, as three miles was too far to walk and to carry the departed.

On the day of the interment, some obliging farmer would be prevailed upon to loan a horse, and the hearse would be brought from Deane. It is to be imagined that this conveyance would be used for all Westhoughton funerals at Deane. The vehicle could be obtained on the payment of half-a-crown, and the hirer would provide his own driver.

Each bidden guest (and oftentimes there were many unbidden guests) was provided with a glass of beer, a piece of cake, and a sprig of rosemary before leaving the house, and the funeral procession consisted of both "walkers" and "riders".

Chairs were put on any wheeled conveyance that was to be had - shandries, spring-carts and one-horse shays and (if the mourners possessed one) a coach of some description.

Over the Hill to Deane

So the cortege rumbled off over the hill to Deane. Those who walked did not mind taking a short cut across the fields, and some, no doubt, arrived at the church before the hearse.

After the interment many of the company retired to adjacent taverns to finish up the day, whilst the realatives proceeded home to spend the evening, and find mutual comfort, in each other's company.

Some of the "mourners" never saw anything of the obsequies after the cortege reached the church gate - the Stag and the Black Horse provided all the consolation they required, and when others joined them after the ceremony was over, the virtues and good points of the deceased were extolled until a late hour.

The journey home usually saw the women folk holding the reins - their lords and helpmates fast asleep in various stages of inebriation on the floor of the cart.