About Mears & Cotterill
Mears & Cotterill Funeral Directors was founded by John and Muriel Mears in Southfields in 1985. Branches in Tooting, Clapham and Brixton soon followed the first office in Southfields. These branches were later sold and a showroom was purchased next to the Southfields branch to enhance the memorial service.
Three Generations
John Mears was born in Westminster above the office of Whiteheads, Westminster Ltd, a Funeral Directors where his father, Alfred John Mears, was resident manager, having started there as a lad of fourteen. By the time John had left school to work as a coffin maker and polisher his father had risen to the position of Managing Director and eventually took over the Company in the late 50’s.
John remained in the workshop until his call up for National Service, which he spent in Singapore. Afterwards he returned to the Funeral trade, as a limousine and hearse driver. He eventually joined his father at Whiteheads, where as contractors to the Army & Navy stores he gained experience of sending Remains to all parts of England and many countries abroad.
When his father retired they decided to sell Whiteheads. John had by this time married and had two sons. He worked in the Funeral trade in general management until 1985 when he decided to open under his own name in Southfields.
John was pleased to have David Small, now his general manager, join him in the early days, David followed his father George into the trade some thirty years ago.
Peter Mears started in the funeral trade 22 years ago when he joined his parents, John and Muriel, to work as chauffeur and workshop manager. In 1998, Peter became manager of the Memorials Showroom. He has been managing Mears & Cotterill Funeral Directors since 2001.
The latest addition to our management team, Mr David Oatham, joined the company in 1997. David was born in Southfields, still has family in the area, and his son attends school locally.
The management team currently comprises Peter Mears,
David Small and David Oatham.
We offer personal supervision and sensibly priced funerals without loss of quality or dignity.
