The business was started in Feltham, Middlesex by James Lodge (1762-1836) who was a builder and carpenter and also became the Parish Clerk. James was born in Marnhull, Dorset and was one of seven children. His father died when he was four and his mother when he was thirteen so James and his sibling became orphans. Legend has it that he left Marnhull to escape the Press Gangs and was making his way to London when he happened on the village of Feltham and decided to settle there rather than continue to London.

His eldest son William (1789-1853) took over from him as the village builder and undertaker. In those days it fell on the local builder or carpenter to act as the undertaker as they had the necessary skills to make coffins. The term undertaker comes from the phrase ‘to undertake the arrangements’. Although these days we prefer to be called Funeral Directors most people still call us undertakers. William and his wife Charlotte had twelve children between 1823 and 1838.3rd generation…more