Tobin Brothers Funerals acquired the much respected Padbury Funerals in 1977 which included its locations at 89 Maroondah Highway, Ringwood (now closed) and 816 Doncaster Road, Doncaster (where Tobin Brothers Funerals remains today).
The company now comprising sixty staff, was conducting approximately three thousand funerals annually and had modern branches operating in seven locations across Melbourne.
As the seventies madeway for the eighties, Tobin Brothers Funerals opened new branches in Noble Park, Frankston and Glenroy.
In 1969, the continued growth of Tobin Brothers Funerals, and the construction of the Tullamarine Freeway, saw the North Melbourne premises move yet again and just a stone’s throw from the two previous North Melbourne locations. This is when the current North Melbourne Chapel and Head Office was purpose built and still resides today.
Tobin Brothers Funerals North Melbourne current Chapel and Head Office opened at 189 Boundary Road North Melbourne on 1st May 1969.
The Funeral of Most Rev. Daniel Mannix, Archbishop of Melbourne at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne in November 1963, the first televised funeral in Victoria and believed to be the first televised funeral in Australia.
By the end of World War Two in 1945, Tobin Brothers Funerals had established branches in North Melbourne and Malvern with a phone answering service at Mentone. In celebration of their 21st year in business, the brothers took out an advertisement in The Argus Newspaper:
“It’s fitting in this year of 1955 as we attain our majority (21 years of faithful service to the Catholic community of Victoria) that we should express our grateful thanks to the thousands of families who have placed their confidence in us at the time of their bereavement. It is our pledge to continue in the future, the high standard we set in the past”
As the war-torn years of the forties surrendered to the innocence of the fifties, a second generation of Tobins joined the now thriving company, the first of whom was the late Leo James Tobin.
Following Leo J Tobin into the company as second generation members of the family were Phonse’s sons, Desmond (Des) and Gavan, Thomas’ son Michael, and Kevin’s sons, Geoffrey (Geoff) and Hugh.
Leo J Tobin joined in 1950, Des in 1961, Geoffrey in 1963, Michael in 1968, Gavan in 1984 and Hugh in 1993.
Leo Tobin leading the procession from St Patrick’s Cathedral for Sir Francis Raymond Connelly, Lord Mayor of Melbourne, in 1949
Tobin Brothers Funerals’ first main branch location on Glenferrie Road (Cnr Stanhope Street) Malvern. Opened in the early 1940s where it remained until the early 1960s.
Today, Tobin Brothers Malvern is found at 1382 High Street, Malvern.
By late 1937, AV Tobin had outgrown its first North Melbourne premises on the corner of Flemington and Racecourse Roads The brothers purchased land right across the road at 425 Flemington Road North Melbourne and purpose built a new premises in 1938. AV Tobin was now established and considered a significant player in the funeral industry.
(In 1956, as growth continued, the premises was extended before another relocation was in order in the late 1960s)
The first funeral conducted by A.V Tobin (now Tobin Brothers Funerals) was for a four year old girl, Ena Margaret Price on Thursday 22nd February 1934. Ena was the daughter of Thomasena and Robert Price, and the granddaughter of Jim Dodds – a friend and Melbourne Fire Brigade colleague of Leo Tobin.
In its first year, the company conducted 53 funerals and the brothers were greatly encouraged by this start and the modest profits made. In 1935, its second calendar year, AV Tobin conducted 144 funerals and the trend continued over succeeding years.
The first funeral conducted by Tobin Brothers Funerals was for Ena Margaret Price in 1934. In its first year, the company conducted 53 funerals and after the payment of creditors and the collection of debts, it made a modest profit.
