Holland, Sheila – County’s first woman to qualify as a funeral director

Sheila Holland (1927-2017)

Sheila Holland was born in Swaton.

She met David at Bmarco’s dance hall, Springfield Road when he was serving in the RAF. The couple married in 1953 at St Andrew’s Church, Helpringham.

David first worked for John Hall and then C W Dixon of Wharf Road, where he learned the undertaking business.

In 1969 David and Sheila took over G A Oldham’s funeral business on London Road and four years later they rebuilt it.

Although Sheila officially was only there to ‘help out’, she took a diploma making her the first fully qualified woman funeral director in the county.

David in in 1994, but when son Robert decided to set up on his own in 2001 she eagerly assisted him.

She finally ‘retired in about 2007, having assisted with an estimated 26,000 arrangements.

She died peacefully at Harrowby Lodge nursing home, aged 84.