The Mullard family have lived in the parish of Witley All Saints since the mid-1700s. Traditionally a family of carpenters and builders, they leased a plot of land from the Chandlers family in the centre of the village where they ran their builders and undertakers business up until 1972. It was not until the late 1800s that Fred Mullard was granted permission to build a new family home, Staddles, on the site alongside the business premises.
The family home consisted of a purpose-built carpentry shop, a number of large sheds for housing the hearses, carts and other vehicles, and a stone mason’s workshop. Over the centuries the Mullard business supported the needs of all the local villages in the area, during which time they maintained many buildings. To this day, the Mullard family name can be seen on many drain covers in local gardens.
Around 1921, Fred’s eldest son Eric Mullard married and took over the family builders and undertakers business. He purchased the freehold of the property from the Chandlers in 1949 and continued to run the business from the premises until he retired in the early 1970s and sold the business.
Nigel Fish then ran Mullard’s together with the funeral side of A J Tracey of Elstead, which Nigel acquired in the 1990s. The business was then amalgamated with G M Luff & Partners, trading from 121-123 High Street, Godalming where it continues to this day.
As part of the Ford Mears group, Mullard Funerals continues to provide a caring and professional service to the local community around Godalming. Further investment in the business by Ford Mears has meant that Mullard Funerals is now able to offer a wider range of services and vehicle options, whilst still providing a personalised service that honours the legacy of Mullard Funerals’ independent, family-run business.
