The following details of the life of Thomas "Old Tom" Burberry, founder of the firm of Burberrys of London, were taken from Thomas' newspaper obituary. The obituary was provided by Frances Hithe, a descendant of Thomas, who found the original among her father's papers. She forwarded a copy of the original obituary to Wendy Stott, who transcribed it for this website.
"Death of Mr Thomas Burberry"
"Founder of a world wide business"
April 1926
By the death of Mr Thomas Burberry, which took place on Easter Sunday at his residence at Hook, at the age of 90, there has passed from us a striking personality prominent in the commercial life of Basingstoke for more than 60 years and the founder of a firm which has gained world-wide repute as the producers of a type of garment now generally known as a "Burberry".
Mr. Burberry has recently been seriously ill for some weeks, but he recovered sufficiently to be able to go to his house at Weymouth, and while there and while there two or three weeks ago he addressed an open-air meeting of the Salvation Army. On returning to his home at Hook he again became very weak and passed away last Sunday from heart failure. Mr Burberry was twice married and his second wife survives him.
Mr Burberry was a man of vigorous constitution, which he maintained until he was well over 80. He attributed this partly to his abstemious mode of living, for he was a total abstainer from intoxicating liquors, a non smoker, and followed a rule of life which by most people would be regarded as singularly frugal.
Born in 1835 in a Sussex village, he was apprenticed to a country draper, and in 1856, being then a young man just come of age, he came to Basingstoke and started business in Winchester Street, prudently securing premises which were capable of considerable extension, the need of which soon arose. He appears to have shown great decision and powers of mind in arranging and developing the various departments of his business, being at that time assisted by men who afterwards became the founders of famous clothing firms - among them Mr John Mares - at one time his partner - and Messrs. Gerrish, Ames and Simpkins, whose sons are now at the head of that extensive and flourishing manufacturing firm. Mr Burberry's Winchester Street premises were extended from time to time until they became the chief emporium in Basingstoke. The premises were completely burnt out on the 17th April 1905 and after their reconstruction the business was taken over in August 1914 by Mr F Lanham, by whom it has since been successfully carried on.
Some years prior to this Mr Burberry had re-established the business which was designed to make his name known all over the civilised world. He used to relate that one day while still a young man he had an argument with his Doctor whether it was better to get "wet though" in the rain or be saturated with damp inside the old type of cloak. The Doctor expressed the view that the happy solution would be a waterproof cloth that would withstand wind and rain and yet permit ventilation through a porous texture. Having experimented to his own satisfaction Mr Burberry named the result "garberdines". The garment was not known as a Burberry until King Edward got into the habit of saying "Give me my Burberry". Some years lapsed before the firm shifted its headquarters to London and the credit of building up a business capitalised at over two million sterling was largely due to Mr Burberry's own indomitable energy and perseverance.
Outside his business Mr Burberry's interests were chiefly confined to the religious sphere. While residing at Basingstoke he was associated with the Particular Baptists and he was a regular worshipper at their Ebenezer Chapel on Church Street which he helped to build in 1867. He often used to preach for the Baptists at Whitchurch and elsewhere, travelling to his preaching appointments on horseback. He was a leading figure in the Total Abstinence Society, which some forty or fifty years ago carried on an active campaign in Basingstoke, and he often presided at meetings organised by that Society. In recent years his religious zeal was manifested in the promotion of what are called "meetings for the deepening of Spiritual life" held at the Town Hall, Basingstoke on a Tuesday evening about once a month during the Winter. He usually took the chair and the speakers were well known Divines of various denominations, including clergymen of the Church of England. He was one of the first directors of The Old Angel Café Company which carried on business at the market place for many years at premises afterwards acquired and rebuilt for Barclays Bank. He was a Vice President at the Basingstoke branch of the National Deposit Friendly Society.
After taking up his residence at Hook he showed his interest in the welfare of that village by erecting and furnishing a clubroom for social and recreative purposes with a commodious meeting room adjoining and when the club was opened in October 1912 Mr Burberry told the gathering that "he learnt two things at his Mother's knee - the first was to love God and his Book; the second was to love his neighbour and seek to do him good".
The people of Basingstoke are not likely to forget the important part which Mr Burberry played in the acquisition of Goldings Park as a memorial of the Great War. It will be remembered that after the inhabitants of the town had decided in public meeting in the year 1919 that the best form which the town memorial could take would be the acquisition of Goldings, Mr Burberry enabled the project to be carried out by purchasing the property and holding it until the War Memorial Committee were in a position to acquire it, which they eventually did, and the house was subsequently purchased by the Corporation for the purposes of municipal offices. Undoubtedly the acquisition of Goldings Park as a recreation ground was one of the most beneficent public acts which has been achieved (part missing) …rough in our generation and Mr Burberry's kind offices in the matter and most generous financial help will long keep his memory green. Mr Burberry was a candidate for municipal service at the election on the 14th November 1881 when out of eight candidates for the four seats, he was fifth on a very close poll, only 71 votes separating the highest from the lowest. The election was made memorable by a serious riot accompanied by destruction of property - it being a period when the lawless elements in Basingstoke were addicted to rioting and were held by the authorities, if held at all, with a very slack rein.
In December 1908, Mr Burberry's name was added to the Commission of the Peace for the county of Southampton, but we are not aware that he ever served as a Magistrate. If he did, it was on very few occasions.
We have heard him spoken of by one who has been in his employ many years as a kind and considerate Master, not pampering anyone but rendering to each a just reward for faithful services. His business career affords a remarkable example of success built upon the solid foundation of straightforward dealings and sound principles; and as regards the important elements of character Mr Burberry's work will be counted high by all who came into close personal touch with him.
THE FUNERAL
The funeral took place on Thursday afternoon when, in spite of persistent rain, a very large and representative gathering attended both at Hook Iron Church, where the first part of the service was read, and at the South View Cemetery at Basingstoke, where the internment took place. The officiating clergy at Hook were the Rev. E. W. Ormerod, Rector of Newnham and the Rev H. M. Ward, Vicar of Radipole near Weymouth, the latter being a close personal friend of Mr Burberry. The members of the family present were:
Mrs Burberry
Mr and Mrs T. N. Burberry
Mr and Mrs Arthur Burberry
Mr and Mrs Arthur Wallis
Mr Stewart
Mr T. Murray Burberry
Mr Robert Alan Burberry
Mr A. Ralph Burberry
Mr A. Brian Burberry
Others present included;
Mr R. B. Rolls and Mr F. A. Roller (directors of Burberrys Ltd)
Miss Crook
Miss Royston
Mrs Slade
Mr and Mrs Hansford
Mr C. Dearlove
Mr P. Beeman
Mr F. Hayden
Mrs Fitchett
Mr J. L. Brooks
Brig. General F. B. Matthews
Mr Pilcher
Mr J. Warren Andrew
Mr B. C. Lear
…….. and many other principal residents of the neighbourhood. Mr P. T. N. Morris presided at the organ and played suitable voluntaries as the congregation assembled. In place of the lesson Mr Ward gave an address. The hymns sung were; "Oh God, our help in ages past" and "On the resurrection morning". The Dead March was played as the body was taken out of the church. Mrs Burberry and other lady mourners did not proceed with the cortege to Basingstoke. Here it was joined at the gates of the War Memorial Park by a large number of townspeople and representatives of the many branches of the firm of which Mr Burberry was the principal. These included Mr Cox, Mr Roman (manager at Haymarket). Mr Robertson, Mr Fullett, Mr Bourne (Golden Square.) Mr Wilcox, Mr Wilson, Mr King, Mr Fisk, Mr Perry, Mr Evans, Mr Pink, Mr Watson, Mr Southcott, Mr Caffyn, Mr Stringer, Mr Wild, Mr Wise, Mr Wyeth, Mr Hewitt, Mr Ayres, Mr Humphrey, Mr Stone, Messrs Fowler, Hamilton, Herbert, Cabson, Birch, Garnett, (?)Dense, Tiger, Baldwin members of the Haymarket staff. Mr Gardner, Mr Potts, Mr Weller, Mr Fielder, Mr Loveridge, Mr Fitchett, (Golden Square) Mr Collison, Miss Walker, Mr Addiston, Mr Keyes, Mr Fitchett (Basingstoke staff)
The general public was fully represented, among them being : The Mayor of Basingstoke (Mr C. Bowman) Mr Councillor Myland, Mr Councillor Lunn, Mr Councillor Buckland MP, Mr and Mrs E Lanham, Mr T. B Allnutt JP. CC, Mr A. C. Munday JP, Mr W. A Gerrish, Lt Col W. Simpkins, Mr B. F. Ames (members of the firm of Gerrish, Ames and Simpkins, the original founders of which had been at one time associated with Mr Burberry in his business at Basingstoke) Mr A. Loveridge, Mr W. Evans, Mr w. Young, Mr G. Gage, Mr W. H. Rogers, Mr G. Woodman (Odiham), Mr N. W. Woodcock, Mr A. H. Yerbury, Mr E. Kynaston, Mr W. F. Kynerston (Reading), Mr P. Fountain (Odiham), Mr H. Wills Chandler, Mr P. Simon (Basingstoke Steam Laundry), Mr G. A. W. Jones (Fordingbridge, one of Mr Burberry's colleagues on the directorate of the Oxford Steam Laundry), and the Rev A. Brooks, Baptist Minister at Odiham.
The prayers at the graveside were said by the Rev H. M. Ward, and the coffin of English waxed oak with brass fittings was lowered to the entrance of the vault where repose the remains of Mr Burberry's first wife. The side of the vault, which is in a corner of the Cemetery adjoining the Friends' Burial Ground, is marked by a great block of granite, on the face of which is graven in capital letters the name BURBERRY. The funeral arrangements were in the care of Messrs F. Lanham and Son, Basingstoke (Mr Frank Lanham giving them his personal superintendence, in conjunction with Messrs Beeston of Hook, who made the coffin). The breast plate bore the inscription:
THOMAS BURBERRY
Died 4th April 1926
Aged 90 years.
It was, we understand the wish of the deceased that there should be no flowers but nevertheless a number of very beautiful floral tokens were brought to the grave, the list of which is appended:-"In loving memory from us all at the Shrubbery"; Mr and Mrs Arthur Burberry: Francis, Barbara and Molly (Great Grandchildren): Arthur and Lorna: Eileen and Herbert; House representatives at Golden Square -"In memory of our respected and honoured principal"; The staff at Haymarket -"in affectionate remembrance"; a few old members of the Haymarket staff: "a few old employees who will never forget him" - Mrs Miles, L. W. Follett, L. Davidson, W. Robertson, Adie Robertson, F. Warren, W. C. Bowin, R. S. Shephard (Golden Square); "In affectionate remembrance of the kindest of chiefs, from the sorrowing staff at London Street, Basingstoke": "With sincere regret from all at Prestwich, Manchester and Farnworth": "Deepest sympathy from the staff at Regent Street": "In memory of our highly esteemed principal, from all overseas representatives": "Gathered from the loved (missing) gardens at Abbots Court, in abiding remembrance of dear Mr Burberry, from Mrs Ward and Dorothy."
During the funeral the flag on the Town Hall Tower was flown at half mast.
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