Seaway News
When he opened a furniture store and undertaking business on Lancaster’s Main Street in 1859, tinsmith and part-time undertaker Bill Henderson launched what would evolve into Cornwall’s longest-operating funeral parlor. It is also believed to be one of the oldest such firms in Ontario. In those years, home wakes and home funerals were still common.
Ca. 1899, John A. McArthur joined Henderson’s firm and succeeded him. His sons Robert and Alexander later joined him there. The McArthurs also briefly operated a Martintown location.
In 1935 the McArthurs launched a funeral home in Cornwall under the name McArthur Bros. We see them listed at their current address in the 1940 Bell directory, apparently as tenants. The Lancaster operation was closed but the firm resumed a Lancaster presence in 1977.
In 1948, brothers Robert Sangster McArthur and James Alexander McArthur purchased the East half of Lot 2 S.S. of Second Street and structures from Hilliard McLean. In 1953, James’ half interest was transferred to Robert. In 1955, the Meldrum Funeral Home at 331 Second Street East was acquired by John Alexander MacDonald MacNeil and incorporated into the McArthur Bros. & MacNeil Funeral Home firm. Thorold Lane’s funeral home in Aultsville was also absorbed by the firm in that era.
For decades, the firm continued working from the Victorian style house at 428 Second Street East. A 1958 Standard-Freeholder photo reveals its appearance prior to the 1967 expansion.
In follow-up to a 1958 agreement for sale, in 1963 the property was placed in the name of McArthur Bros. & MacNeil Limited and saw a single-storey addition with a 200 seat chapel, additional visitation parlor, kitchen and offices at the front of the building opened in 1967.
In 1975, Donald W. Derry was at the helm and in 1997 Derry Funeral Home Inc.’s ownership transferred to a numbered company that was operated by Frank Curry.
Miller’s Funeral Home, founded in 1938 at 126 Augustus Street, was brought into the Derry fold in 1999 and became the McArthur Bros. & MacNeil Augustus Visitation Centre from 1999 until its closure in 2002.
More recently the Second Street East location was added to the Parker Funeral Homes group owned by Bonnie Parker and the business later closed. As for the building, the once gracious house is believed to have been constructed ca. 1889 for Judge James Wm. Liddell. Liddell (1852-1921) served as Cornwall’s mayor in 1891and was a local junior county court judge for the High Court of Justice for Ontario (1901-1921).
Don Smith is Curator / Manager at the Cornwall Community Museum.
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