Messent & Sons Funeral Directors and Mourning Carriage Proprietors

This invoice issued by Messent & Sons, Funeral directors, of 5 Thomas Street, Woolwich, sets out the cost of the coffin and funeral arrangements for the funeral of Sophia Elizabeth Beesley at Plumstead Cemetery in 1931. The standard part of the bill is printed with extra individual specified details typed in the spaces allowed.

The printed letterhead shows that the funeral directors at this date had a telephone and could be contacted by the telegraph. Messent & Sons specified that 'CREMATION' was undertaken and 'FUNERALS personally conducted to and from all parts of Great Britain and EMBALMING performed for conveyance Abroad'. As funeral directors and mourning carriage proprietors, the letterhead informs potential customers that estimates were given for funerals and removals by 'Automobile Transport Funeral Cars to and form any distance'. Messent & Sons had other branches in Charlton, Plumstead and New Eltham with the Eltham office having a telephone.