Family History

Our company was founded in 1894 by Meshellam Sidney Webb in Upper High Street, Wednesbury, where the head office and Chapels of Rest can still be found to this day. Now being run by the 4th and 5th generation, the direct descendants of Sidney Webb (Sid)

Sid came from a long line of Funeral Directors and carpenters and aged just 21 years, along with his wife Edith Annie, they established “S. Webb Funeral Furnishers”. Sid soon became well known for providing the highest level of service and gained a reputation that, even in the Victorian era, spread across Staffordshire. Sid would travel across Europe to source the finest horses (Belgium Blacks) to draw his hearses and mourner’s carriages which he had hand built to his own specifications.

Sid and Edith had a son, Ralph Sidney in 1904 and the name changed to “S. Webb & Son”. Sadly, Ralph died in infancy but the “Son” of S. Webb & Son remains to this day. They went on to have another child, a daughter, who was named after her mother, Edith Annie Webb. Edith Annie was the last of the Webb’s and when she went on to marry Frederick Ward in the late 1930’s the family name changed to Ward.

Sid passed away in 1941 after a short illness in his 69th year after 47 years of service, his wife Edith Annie passed away 10 years later aged 82 years.

Their daughter Edith and her husband Fred went on to run the now well-established business throughout the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s. Fred and Edith had two sons, Brian and Trevor; Trevor came into the business whereas Brian went on to have a very successful career in the plastics industry.

Edith and Fred retired in the late 70’s and Trevor with his wife Avril were left to run the business. They had four sons Johnathan, Tim, Toby and Sandy who, over time, all joined the business, Johnathan in 1983, Tim soon after in 1985, Toby in 1988 and finally Sandy in 2003. Sadly, Johnathan passed away in 2025, but Tim, Toby and Sandy are all fully involved in the day to day running of the business, with Tim’s wife Kay running the Head office and their son Tom working full time.

Proud of the business Sid established all those years ago, Webbs has been built upon those early foundations and the ethos of providing the utmost level of service, advice, guidance and choice with the introduction of a brand-new fleet of Bentley Flying Spurs which are among the finest funeral vehicles not only across the Midlands, but throughout the UK.  As in Sid’s day, the vehicles are hand built to our specifications thus affording the highest level of luxury, comfort and reliability. A choice of new Jaguar XJ’s and new E Class Mercedes fleets are also available.