Frederick William Paine was born in April 1870 and joined his father’s firm of house furnishers, estate agents and undertakers in 1884, subsequently taking over the business in New Malden. In 1908 he opened an office at 24 Old London Road in Kingston and over the next three decades established a network of branches throughout south west London and north Surrey.

The Frederick W Paine Museum was created when the firm celebrated its centenary in 1984, and now occupies the rear of their Old London Road premises.

A small and fascinating museum, it is home to the company’s carefully preserved records covering every funeral undertaken since 1908.

The museum contains photographs and artefacts charting the firm’s history and development. The exhibition room is house within a wooden panelled Grade II listed Edwardian funeral director’s premises, and it is unique in being the first permanent funeral museum in the UK.