William Eades, builder & undertaker
William was born in Croydon, England and trained in the building trade. He was said to have made the wheels for Queen Victoria’s first train carriage.
In 1860 he married Sarah Richards and they emigrated with their family to Wellington in 1874.
He purchased a building business in Cuba Street and also worked as an undertaker. Funerals were priced from £1 10s, Adults from £5. In 1885 his business advertised it had joined the telephone exchange. In 1886 he presented the Pacific Lodge of Druids, of which he was a member, with an altar. James Flyger joined him in business in 1887 and in the same year they commissioned a new hearse from Mr J H Hutchens, Courtney Place:
“The body stands upon a strong carriage of the old English type. The roof rests upon six Corinthian pillars, and is surmounted by heavy cornices and fretwork edges, and seven Corinthian cases in lieu of plumes. There are plate glass sides to the hearse, decorated by silk curtains inside”. (Evening Post 17 Aug 1887).
William died at Wellington hospital, aged 60, in 1895. Cause of death was heart disease.
In 1904, his widow Sarah took on the licence of the Te Aro hotel on the corner of Dixon and Willis Streets. It had nineteen rooms. In 1905 the hotel was burgled by William Clifford and £1 10s from the cash register, £2 10s worth of liquor and £3 5s worth of clothing belonging to a border was stolen.
Sarah died in Auckland aged 75 in 1911 and is interred in this plot with William.
James Flyger continued the undertakers business and died in 1918. He is buried in Bolton Street Cemetery.
