Deyman’s Furniture and Undertaking Opened, 1872

Today, many people would find it odd to go furniture shopping at the funeral home. But in the nineteenth century, furniture making and undertaking were typically the same business, because both required the specialized skills of a joiner.

At that time, furniture or casket making was a skillful and painstaking art. Without the power tools that we take for granted today, a joiner had to carefully straighten (hardwood!) boards using hand planes, so they would neatly fit together into furniture. It took years to master these skills, and many villages like Fenelon Falls would typically only have one business with these particular abilities.

Brothers Humphrey and Lewis Deyman emigrated from Devonshire, England in 1871, setting up shop on the north side of Francis Street, west of Clifton in 1872. They soon moved to 54 Colborne Street (Bert’s Appliances/Highlands Propane parking lot) where the business would continue until 1956. Deyman’s made all kinds of wooden furniture, described in 1904 as, "every line of drawing, sitting, dining room and bedroom, kitchen and office furniture. Mr. Deyman makes a specialty of picture framing and carries a large stock of handsome mouldings. In 1912, Lewis’ son, Cecil "Dodger" Deyman, a famed local hockey player, partnered in the business and would succeed his father. Cecil travelled to Hamilton to take a course in embalming and furniture upholstery.

In the nineteenth century, death was very much a part of life. Most people died at home, with their family, and without the benefit of the painkillers that are often taken for granted today. Witnessing this experience, was often something that relatives would not soon forget. Often memorial services were held at home, as many rural churches did not have doors or aisles wide enough to accommodate a casket. Graves were dug by hand, which was typically more than a day of hard labour.

In 1956, Mendham Platten purchased the furniture and undertaking business for $12,000. He did not continue to make furniture and caskets. Instead, he also acquired Max Brandon’s striking house on Princes’ Street, at the head of Colborne Street, which he turned into a funeral home. Soon afterwards, the old Deyman’s furniture building was demolished to make way for a car lot at Armstrong Motors (Ford dealership). Since then the funeral business has been sold to Harold Wagg (1974), Paul Illman (1977) then Rob Jardine and Monica Bertrand-Jardine (2000).