The History

About G. Seller & Co

An Illustrated History

1910

William and Hannah Pratt were carriage masters. Hannah was also a laying out lady.

1914

William Pratt passed away. Hannah Pratt carried on with the business with the help of George Seller.

1916

Joseph Charles Barsby ‘Charlie’ was born. He was the only child of Charles Seabridge & Mary Hannah Barsby in Newbold Verdon.

1938

G. Seller became funeral directors with the introduction of our own carpenters.

1947

Charlie Barsby finished his 7 year apprenticeship as a wheelwright with Thomas Hodgkin. A wheelwright served the local community with the... read more

Hannah Pratt passed away.

1948

c. 1950

With the changing attitudes and need for motorised transport, families wanted the chance to visit their loved one... read more

Charlie Barsby bought the business from George Seller. George wanted to retire and gave Charlie the first refusal to purchase to which he... read more

July 1964

October 1968

G. Seller & Co. Ltd moved into a new purpose built funeral home that stands to this day, with the latest facilities including enclosed garaging for a Rolls Royce Fleet of 2 Phantom V Limousines and a Silver Shadow Hearse.

David Charles Barsby, Charlie’s youngest son decided to give up his aspiration of becoming a professional footballer and train to become an embalmer.

July 1971

December 1971

George Seller passed away.

David C. Barsby passed his embalming exams achieving the highest marks in the British Institute of Embalmers that year.

January 1972

May 1974

David C. Barsby gained his Diploma in Funeral Directing and became one of the youngest fully qualified Funeral Directors in the UK.

David and his wife, Rose, went to live and run G. Seller & Co.

December 1975

1979

G. Seller & Co. purchased the four cottages and Co-Operative store. The grocery store was to become a new memorial showroom and stone workshop.

1982

The car park and Old Co-Operative bakehouse was purchased after the Sunbro Hosiery Company ceased to trade.

1981-1983

This saw the updating of our fleet with 3 new Rolls Royce Phantom VI limousines. One of which was built for a Royal Tour of New Zealand.

The catering room was opened and a full drinks licence was granted.

1982

May 1988

Rose Barsby passed away.

May 1990

Joseph Charles Barsby senior passed away.

January 1991

David and Susan Barsby got married.

Joseph Charles Barsby, the only son of David and Susan Barsby was born.

November 1991

1995

Introduction of our first ever low line Volvo fleet.

2004

Newbold Verdon branch office opened.

2005

Introduction of our first Mercedes-Benz fleet.

The bakehouse was extensively refurbished.

2006

October 2011

Joseph Charles Barsby joined the firm.

Amy Elizabeth Smith joined the firm.

December 2014

March 2015

G. Seller & Co. Ltd purchased a new fleet of 3 black Mercedes-Benz Limousines.

June 2015

Newbold Verdon branch was extensively refurbished.

November 2016

Joseph and Amy got married.

The fourth generation, Alexa Elizabeth Barsby was born. Alexa is the daughter of Joseph & Amy Barsby.

January 2018

January 2019

The comprehensive 18 month renovation programme of the main office in Hinckley was finished.

A second member of the fourth generation of Barsbys, Rosie Grace Barsby was born. Rosie is the second daughter of Joseph & Amy Barsby.

July 2021

1947

Charlie Barsby finished his 7 year apprenticeship as a wheelwright with Thomas Hodgkin. A wheelwright served the local community with the manufacture of cartwheels and coffins for the bereaved. Later on this year Charlie Barsby with £25.00 in his hands formed a partnership with William Bostock and formed ‘Bostock and Barsby.’ William Bostock died suddenly in Charlies arms and out of respect Charlie always kept the name ‘Bostock’ in the firm’s name.

Charlie’s reputation for quality handwork, reliability and the ethos of doing a job properly meant that he started to be entrusted by the local community of Barwell and Newbold Verdon to undertake their funerals. Bostock and Barsby had evolved with the changing environment. From cartwheels and the increase in demand for motorised transport saw Charlie have the foresight to construct wooden bodies on a motorised chassis. These were the early interpretation to lorries that we know today.

c. 1950

With the changing attitudes and need for motorised transport, families wanted the chance to visit their loved one in a Chapel of Rest and the conveyance of their loved one to local crematoria. Charlie forged a relationship with a certain George Seller of Hinckley. When Charlie was called upon to serve a bereaved family, their loved one was conveyed to the Chapel of Rest in Hinckley. The hearse and following cars were also hired from George Seller.

July 1964

Charlie Barsby bought the business from George Seller. George wanted to retire and gave Charlie the first refusal to purchase to which he accepted immediately. Charlie felt that if he was to continue serving the bereaved, he had to become a complete funeral director. George Seller’s brother, Arthur confirmed he’d live at the premises in Hinckley, leaving Charlie to oversee Bostock & Barsby.

For an in-depth look into the history of G. Seller, please download this document G. Seller History (PDF)

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The History

An Illustrated History

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