History of PB Wright & Sons
The present owners' father and grandparents in one of PB Wright and Sons' landaulettes (early 1900s)
For six generations the Wright family has provided funeral services to all sections of our community, a service provided with care, dignity understanding and respect.
The Scottish west coast Funeral Directing Firm of P.B.Wright and Sons was founded in 1853 in Port Glasgow, the original company started off as spirit merchants, and needed a horse and cart to deliver their wares. The Peter Wright of those days died in his twenties leaving his wife to carry on the business. His son became a joiner and glazier, making small coffins for families suffering the sadness of infant mortality.
The horse and cart would be used to deliver windows, doors or coffins, the first premises was in the old Harbour Masters Office in Port Glasgow and then Scarlow Street in the town.
The business grew from those humble beginnings and the original Port Glasgow business has long since been sold (first to the Pollock family and then the Co-operative Society) and in fact no longer bares the P.B.Wright name, changing to James Wright Port Glasgow in the 1930s when the firm was divided due to the death of the present owners grandfather. His step brother James Wright ran the Scarlow Street office in Port Glasgow, and the Greenock office of the business is carried out solely now from Grey Place House, Greenock.
One of our hansom cabs (early 1900s)
The current building in Greenock was bought in 1906 from the Cruickshank family, who were blacksmiths and carriage masters, the garage still bears the structures of the original yard and stables, at that time there were green fields surrounding the building.
PB Wright and Sons' first motorised hearse outside the gates of Greenock Cemetery
Having taken over from their father Peter and uncle David; Peter and Nigel Wright were the partners until sadly, Peter passed away in September 2006. A very supportive staff including Peter’s son Andrew, who is the 6th generation, Kenneth Dyer, Allan Clarke and David Black, continue to assist Nigel.
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PB Wright and Sons' first motorised hearse.
The staff have a wealth of experience having attained the highest standards, which was confirmed some years ago when the firm were invited into membership of Selected Independent Funeral Homes, which is a mark of excellence, having only 30 or so members in Europe.
The funeral directors hold diplomas from The National Association of Funeral Directors and the British Institute of Embalmers, indeed the Principles held high office in all these associations.
Peter was President of the British Institute of Embalmers, Nigel also was President and Chairman of Education. Both were Chairman of the Glasgow District of the National Association of Funeral Directors and Peter followed his father as Scottish Federation President of NAFD. Nigel has for years been involved in teaching and International Repatriation at major incidents, having worked at the Lockerbie and Bangkok air crashes.
Part of our present fleet
The firm can give advice in all aspects of funeral arrangements whether at time of need are as pre-arrangements or with Golden Charter or Help the Aged pre-paid funeral plans.
The funeral directors job is to be a Master of Ceremonies, taking as much of the strain and pressure as possible from the family at the time of bereavement, so that they can concentrate on family matters, not the mundane arrangements and forms which exist. The firm feels that their duty in life is to help families as much as possible arranging catering, flowers, hymn sheets, cars, newspaper notices, clergy , memorials, in fact anything to do with the funeral.
The firm helps families in many ways, if anyone has any doubts they need only ask the funeral director helping them, who between them have many years experience.
P.B.Wright and Sons have come a long way since its foundation and have spent the last few years upgrading the building, vehicles and services and feel rightly that they offer a service second to none in the West of Scotland. The recent refurbishment includes disabled access and facilities, a passenger lift to the first floor lounges and Service Room.
The firm took the view a long time ago to dispense with the traditional black vehicles feeling that there was enough darkness surrounding funerals without the drabness of black. They do not even own black ties and are pleased with the distinctive Silver Grey Volvo and Mercedes fleets of 2 hearses and 3 limousines, with the cherished PBW plates.