The Warren

[mrtheundertaker]

I live and work at The Warren Funeral Home in Leyland and was wondering if anyone had any history regarding the place. Here's what I know up to now.

The Warren stands in its own extensive grounds (approx. one and a half acre) and was owned by John Stanning who also owned the Bleach Works, which was on the site of which is now St. Mary's R.C. Church. He had it built for his manager, Mr Allen who lived at The Warren with his wife who was from New Zealand. In 1928 he renamed the property "Haere Mai" which is Maori for "Welcome". In 1951 The Warren became a funeral home owned by Tomlinsons, then in 1971/72 became McKenna's. It is now owned by The Co-operative Group and is still a funeral home.

I would like to know more about the property, exactly when it was built, who lived there etc. I have even been told we have a resident ghost and an unusual smell of burnt toast! Who is this ghost?

Any info much appreciated.

Thanks
Andrew

[anacortesdamp]

Andrew:

I remember Tomlinsons buying the Warren. I'm surprised it was as early as 1951. I thought it was at the time the first "South Towngate Redevelopment" property buyout first started.

During the 1950's, we lived at number 7 Church Road and I think we moved out in about 1959 or 1960. we sold to what is now the Sandy Lane Clinic group of doctors.

Our back yard opened out onto a small portion of the "Church Road Rec.", right alongside the entry to the Tomlinsons' builder's yard. They had a two stall garage which housed their trucks. Attached to it was a single garage which housed their late 1920's Rolls-Royce hearse. Behind the hearse garage was the room where they prepared the bodies for burial. They kept their Humber Pullman limousines somewhere else.

Old Andrew Tomlinson was still around then. There's one story about him that sums up what a character he was. He noticed that, when they did a Jewish funeral, the rabbi always slipped a gold sovreign into the shroud. He thought it was a serious waste of a pound and took it out again. After the secons funeral he asked the rabbi "Why the sovreign?". The rabbi replied that it was to pay the ferryman for their passage over the Jordan. Andrew's response was "I know two old buggers who had to swim".

Having been away from Leyland for just over 40 years, I find the timing of events I remember is often out of sync, so don't take anything as true without independent corroboration!


Frank Damp