Edmonds And Page, Steam Cabinet and Turning Works, Tuam Street, Christchurch. The firm has a very complete plant, and first-class premises in which it carries on the business of wood-turning and cabinetmaking. Both partners have had a long experience at their respective trades. Mr. Edmonds supervises the turning department and Mr. Page the cabinet-making.

Lamb, J. And Son, Undertakers and Embalmers, 35 Lichfield Street, Christchurch. This business was established in a very modest way by the late Mr. James Lamb on the present premises in 1871, but the energy and perseverance of the founder—qualities possessed also by his son, Mr. Herbert Lamb, the present proprietor—soon placed the ousiness amongst the first of its kind in the colonies. The firm's plant consists of five hearses, and sixteen mourning carriages, with a numerous stud of horses, and the working staff consists of ten men. A large variety of every article requisite in the conduct of funerals is kept in stock, and coffins and caskets are manufactured to order on the shortest notice. The firm is specially noted for the methods of its work in carrying out funerals. Embalming forms a large part of the business, and is carried on with the greatest skill as preventive of decay, and with the utmost consideration for every human feeling.

Mr. James Lamb, Founder of the firm, was born at Sherborne, England, in 1822. At the age of thirteen he joined a man-of-war training ship, and remained in the service for thirteen years. In 1848 he arrived in Australia, and for three years followed the alluring pursuit of gold digging with great success. Being desirous of seeing New Zealand, he visited Auckland in 1851, but not finding a suitable opening for his enterprise, he returned after three years to Australia, and went to the Turon diggings, where he engaged in successful gold speculations. On the breaking-out of the Thames goldfields he returned to Auckland, and remained on the Thames till 1868, and engaged in speculating and investing with his usual success. In that year he returned to Auckland and began to trade as a grain and corn merchant. This business he conducted until 1872, when, owing to the disastrous explosion of a boiler on his premises, several persons were injured, and Mr. Lamb was drawn into the vortex of the law with the result that he was mulcted in heavy damages; in consequence he was compelled to dispose of his business. He came to Christchurch in 1873 and two years later started the present business, which his enterprise soon made one of the fargest undertaking establishments in the colony. Mr Lamb was a very prominent Freemason previous to his arrival in Christchurch, and his devotion to the cause of temperance was well known in New Zealand; indeed, the last five years of his life were devoted by him to lecturing on and advocating the cause. He built the Blue Ribbon Mission Hall in Christchurch, and lectured in it for many years. After a long and useful life he died on the 22nd of September, 1897, leaving a family of six sons, all carrying on prosperous businesses, and five married daughters.

The Late Mr. J. Lamb.

Mr. Herbert Lamb, the youngest son of the late Mr. James Lamb, and sole proprietor of this extensive business, was born in Auckland in 1870. He was educated in his native city and brought up to his father's business, which he now carries on with marked success. As a volunteer, he joined the E Battery in 1890, and is the holder of a service medal.

Standish and Preece, photo.
Mr. H. Lamb.

Langford, Walter, Undertaker and Embalmer, corner of the North and East Belts; Office at 133 Colombo Street, Christchurch. Mr Walter Langford is a son of Mr. J. A. Langford, who arrived in Wellington on the 22nd of January, 1840, by the sailing ship “Aurora,” which was the first passenger ship that came to New Zealand. Mr. Langford, senior, was a native of Birmingham, England, and shortly after his arrival he established the first undertaker's business in the colony. He afterwards removed to Auckland, and, while carrying on business there, he superintended the funeral of Captain Hobson, the first Governor of New Zealand. During the troublous time of Heke's war, Mr. Langford was pressed into the Militia. He subsequently established one of the first businesses in Auckland in partnership with Mr. James Stone, trading under the style of Langford and Stone, grain merchants. Mr. Walter Langford was born in Auckland, in 1849, and was educated at Nelson. He served an apprenticeship in that city as a builder, and afterwards started in business there. After his wife's death at Waimea West, he sold his business and travelled through the colony for some years. While in Wellington he married his second wife, Miss E. Rippen, and settled in Christchurch, where he established his present business in 1880. Since that time Mr. Langford has held a prominent position in his profession, always keeping abreast of the times. His plant is in every way thoroughly up-to-date, and consists of hearses, coaches, landaus, etc. His open car is of the latest pattern. Some years ago Mr. Langford visited Sydney, and went through a course of instruction, in the modern art of embalming, at the Medical School of the Sydney University, where he was the first New Zealander to obtain a certificate. Since then he has operated in a very large number of cases, with remarkable results. By the processes he employs the bodies are left unmutilated, with a life-like appearance, and decomposition is absolutely arrested for months, or years if required. Mr. Langford was the first to introduce the art of embalming into New Zealand. His establishment is thoroughly efficient in every department, and under his direction the last sad offices connected with the dead are reverently, yet thoroughly carried out in accordance with the most modern means and principles. Mr. Langford has been connected with the Masonic body for years, and is a member of Lodge Conyers, 1916. He is also a very old member of the Order of Oddfellows, and belongs to Lodge Loyal City of Christchurch. Mr. Langford has one son and four daughters.

Mr. W. Langford.

Lawrence And Kircher (George Kent Fisher Lawrence and Henry Williams Kircher), Furnishing Warehousemen, 182 and 184 High Street, Christchurch. Bankers, Union Bank of Australia. Private residences: Mr. Lawrence, New Brighton; Mr. Kircher, 117 Cashel Street, Linwood. The business conducted by this well-known firm was founded by the senior partner in 1893. The premises, which are centrally situated in a brick building of two stories in High Street, one of the busiest streets of the city, have a floor space of nearly 6000 square feet. Messrs Lawrence and Kircher are direct importers of iron bedsteads, over-mantels, and other goods, and manufacture the larger proportion of the furniture with which their handsome show-rooms are tastefully stocked. The fine plate glass windows disclose a magnificent display of cabinet ware and dining and drawing-room suites. The senior partner, who hails from London, arrived in the Colony with his parents in the ship “Balaclava” in 1863. He was apprenticed to Mr. A. J. White in Christchurch, and after completing his apprenticeship was employed as a journeyman until he established the present business. It may be remarked that the drawing-room suite which took the first prize at the Christchurch Exhibition of 1882 was entirely his work.

Scrimshaw, Henry, Cabinetmaker and Undertaker, 87, 89 and 91 Victoria Street, and 41 Durham Street South, Christchurch. Mr. Scrimshaw carries on the separate lines of his business at different addresses, the cabinet making in Victoria Street, and the undertaking branch at the Durham Street address. He is a native of Nottingham, England, where he was brought up to the cabinetmaking trade, and arrived in New Zealand by the ship “Brother's Pride,” in 1862, from London. Six years later he founded his present business, and claims to be the oldest worker in the line, in Christchurch, as he worked for the late Mr. R. W. Walters for some time before commencing on his own behalf. Mr. Scrimshaw makes all kinds of furniture for stock and to order. His showrooms in Victoria Street cover 8000 square feet, and the goods are tastefully displayed.