Tithe funeral fluginwa

A very necessary service for the residents of the North Shore was established about 1890 when A.J. McLEOD, of the A]. McLEOD & Co. introduced a funeral business to the village of Stanley Bridge. The regions served by him stretched from Rustico, Hope River, BayView, Clifton, Sea View, French River, Malpeque, Margate, Stanley Bridge, Breadalbane, Hartsville, to as far away as Argyle Shore.

The first burial boxes used were the coffins. These were shaped like the body and had either a glass window or wooden top. These came in rough boxes and were padded and lined by Mr. McLeod. A cream colored silk was usually used as a liner.

Caskets later replaced the coffin and usually two or three were ordered at a time. These were purchased from the Montague Furnishing Company. Later orders were placed with Christie’s of Amherst, which became the Dominion Casket Company. The caskets were shipped by railway to Breadalbane Railway Station. In winter, a maximum of two caskets could be hauled from the station at one time. Due to weight and road conditions, it was dif- ficult for the horses to haul through pitched sleigh tracks.

Mr. McLeod took great pride in his horses and kept two ‘majestic blacks’ for hearse duty, although they were also used for everyday work. If a child or young person had died, he was known to bor- MK A-J- McLeod row a team of white horses from local people, if available, or owner Of’he from MacLean’s Funeral Home, in Charlottetown. “MCLeOd Funeral C0-

The horses had to be trained for their work and the brass-mounted harness - later silver-mount- ed - had to be well polished before it was used. Black head plumes with white tops, as well as

fringed nets, also adorned the horses.

Mr. McLeod owned two hearses. The first one was quite simple in design. The second wheeled—hearse was more elaborate and black-lacquered, with glass all around as well as the customary black shrouds and tassels. The carriage builder was W. Wadman Carriage Co. Ltd., (circa 1900), Summerside. In 1977, Donald MacLeod, A.J. McLeod’s grandson, removed the hearse and has it displayed in Blind River, Ontario. Donald has re-furbished the hearse and has used it in the Blind River annual summer parade, as part of the Ontario Provincial Police float,

of which Donald is a member.

The winter hearse was a low—sided sleigh with a high seat across the front of it so that the casket would slide under. During the winter, the wheels of the glass-sided hearse could be taken off

for winter roads, and be placed upon a bob—sled.

105