The HOUSE OF FRASER Archive

Company: John Croall & Sons Ltd John Croall & Sons (Funeral Directors) Ltd House of Fraser (Two) Ltd HOF (2) Ltd

Registration number: SC036613

Company name: John Croall & Sons Ltd
Dates in business: 1897-c 1960s

Company name: John Croall & Sons (Funeral Directors) Ltd
Dates in business: c 1960s-1987

Company name: House of Fraser (Two) Ltd
Dates in business: 1987-1991

Company name: HOF (2) Ltd
Dates in business: 1991-1992

Type of business: funeral undertakers and carriage hirers

Type of company: Limited liability company

Locations:
  • Castle Terrace, Edinburgh, Scotland

Management of company

The company's first directors were Robert Croall, Thomas Aitken and J. Hay Irons.

Company history

John Croall & Sons Ltd was incorporated in February 1897 to acquire and carry on the businesses of John Croall & Sons, undertakers, coach and cab proprietors and coach builders, of Edinburgh, Scott Croall & Sons, job and postmasters, horse and carriage auctioneers, valuators and livery stable keepers, of Edinburgh, and Robert Croall & Co, job and postmasters and livery stable keepers, of Edinburgh. The company's registered office was in Castle Terrace, Edinburgh.

At some point before the 1960s, the company changed its name to John Croall & Sons (Funeral Directors) Ltd.

In the 1960s, the company was acquired by H & W Harkess Ltd, funeral undertakers, of Edinburgh. In June 1978, Harkess was, in turn, acquired by Wylie & Lochhead (Funerals) Ltd, a company owned by House of Fraser Ltd. In June 1987, Croall's name was changed to House of Fraser (Two) Ltd. The name was changed again, in 1991, to HOF (2) Ltd. HOF (2) Ltd was dissolved in April 1992.

Records held for John Croall & Sons Ltd:

FRAS 895
Title: Photocopy of prospectus
Date: February 1897
FRAS 905
Title: Funeral order form
Date: July 1903
FRAS 903
Title: Lauriston Place branch funeral and carriage hire order book
Date: July 1898-July 1900
FRAS 904
Title: Clerk Street branch funeral and carriage hire order book
Date: January 1899-March 1904
FRAS 899/2-33
Title: Head office funeral and carriage hire order books
Date: 1899-1959
FRAS 896
Title: Customer invoices
Date: 1897, 1904
FRAS 898
Title: Photocopy of advertisement for John Croall & Sons Ltd
Date: c 1953
FRAS 897
Title: Photographs of horse-drawn hearses
Date: c 1890s-1900s

Related People and Companies:

Corporation name: John Croall & Sons
Dates of connection: 1897
Connection type: John Croall & Sons Ltd was incorporated in 1897 to acquire and continue the business of John Croall & Sons.
Corporation name: H & W Harkess Ltd
Dates of connection: 1960s
Connection type: John Croall & Sons (Funeral Directors) Ltd was acquired by H & W Harkess Ltd in the 1960s.
Corporation name: Wylie & Lochhead (Funerals) Ltd
Dates of connection: 1978
Connection type: John Croall & Sons (Funeral Directors) Ltd was acquired by Wylie & Lochhead (Funerals) Ltd, as a subsidiary of H & W Harkess Ltd, in 1978.
Corporation name: House of Fraser Ltd
Dates of connection: 1978
Connection type: John Croall & Sons (Funeral Directors) Ltd was acquired by House of Fraser Ltd in 1978.

Access points: Vehicle hirers - Undertakers

Back to top