Item ST 38222 Hearse - Horse Drawn, 'The Seymour Hearse', pre 1920

Summary

Wooden horse-drawn hearse with oval glass-paned sides, known as 'The Seymour Hearse'. It was apparently used in Seymour by Diggle's Funeral Directors until the 1920s. Diggle's Funeral Directors were said to have had the motto 'When you cease to wriggle, go to Diggle'. The Williams sisters were thought to be the last to be carried in it. They had been operators of the railway refreshment rooms in Seymour. Diggle was one of two funeral directors then operating in Seymour. The other was operated by a man called Potts.

The hearse was purchased by Museums Victoria from the Seymour Historical Society in 1989. It had been held by the Society from the 1950s to 1989.

In 1920 Diggle's in Seymour conducted the funeral of Albert Luke Baker 'late of AIF' (The Age, 25 Aug 1920, p.10), although it is not known if this hearse was used to convey his body. This was probably Albert Baker, service no.770, who deserted before his ship departed for overseas (although his mother believed he had gone to Egypt). Two of Albert's brothers and his father also enlisted. Albert was stabbed to death during a fight in Sydney at the age of 25. The newspaper reported that he had a 'bad record'. Albert had been born on 30 January 1896 in Launceston, Tasmania to Henry Thomas and Isabel Frances E. Baker (nee) Perham. He was their second son. They were living in Seymour at the time of their son's death.

Physical Description

Large wooden hearse with metal base. Painted black with oval glass paned cabin.