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A dynasty of dedicated masons.
Brent and James Stevenson, the fifth and sixth generations of
Blackburn-based Brent Stevenson Memorials are this year celebrating 120
years of their family business. The passion which has paid the Stevenson family's way since 1883 has seen
the family visiting cemeteries while on holiday in America, Germany and
Portugal, to study the handiwork of foreign peers.
Now after more than a century the business, which has been continuously
passed on from father to son, has never been more popular.
In 1979 Brent, began running the business after studying accountancy at
university. Now his son James, aged 18, is
following in his footsteps.
James Stevenson carrying on the tradition
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James's great-great-great grandfather Thomas Stevenson established the
business in Burnley in 1883.
Thomas passed it to son Fred in 1904, then his son Harold took over in
1926.
Brent's father Arthur joined the business in 1934 and Brent took over from him in 1979.
Sadly, all former owners of the business, apart from Brent's father, died at a
young age from inhaling the dust created from carving the York stone.
It is believed the Stevenson family have fixed more memorials in
Lancashire over the last 120 years than any other family business.
Brent said: "We are sympathetic and it may sound strange but sometimes we
can have a right laugh with people too.
"More often than not we have a laugh because a memorial is remembering a
life. It's not just commemorating the end of life. We have gone on holiday
as a family and visited cemeteries to look at different ideas. It is very
interesting."
And James, who attended Ivy Bank High School in Burnley and now lives at
the business premises in Cherry Tree, said: "It's a good trade. I always
knew I would go into the business. There are plenty of new skills to learn.
It's unique."
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Father & Son in business together
Brent, who lives on Waddington Road, Clitheroe, said that trends in
personalising memorial stones were becoming more popular.
He said that two families in the past month had chosen to have Blackburn
Rovers badges on their loved ones' headstones.
Other emblems which have been chosen to adorn the granite include the
Lancashire Rose, a Bentley car, a JCB digger, scenes of Pendle Hill and
favourite pets.
And some families have even requested family "catchphrases" and in-jokes
to be inscribed on the headstone.
Brent said: "It is becoming more and more popular to personalise memorials.
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Today they are composed on computer so all the family get to see it and
any changes can be made before it is too late."
And the masons are also having to deal with modern day problems such as
vandalism.
Brent is now fixing memorial stones with a bolt and heavy duty anchor so
that it would take at least two 14 stone men to push them over.
Thankyou to Lancashire Evening Telegraph for allowing us to reproduce this article.
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