Our History

1905 - The funeral home location itself was originally constructed around 1905 as a residence.

1936 - Bert and Edith Jennett founded the Jennett Funeral Home, converting the existing location to a funeral home. The first phase of expansion was completed along Bradford & John Streets under the direction of M & D Kennedy Contractors Limited with work being completed in November of 1962.

1985 - Simon Slessor purchased the business with business partner David McClelland. When Simon and David purchased the business, the name was changed to McClelland & Slessor funeral home - Jennett Chapel.

1986 - A significant point in history was in 1986 when a fire beginning in the third floor apartment destroyed the upper level. The fire damage was contained mostly to the third floor but resulted in heavy water damage throughout. Fortunately, much of the historical detail was saved and included in the reconstruction & remodeling that followed. The original fireplace and staircase were left in place and vintage stain glass compliments the interior. An administrative highlight on the night of the fire was the ability to recover the funeral files dating back to 1936. These files have played an important role over the years for genealogy research and for legal reasons. During the fire reconstruction, a second expansion was completed on the main level while the third floor containing the apartment was eliminated.

1998 - An expansion of the parking lot was undertaken by purchasing a vacant home at 156 Bradford Street. Due to the many years that the home had sat empty and the related deterioration, the house was removed making way for increased parking and a garden beautification project.

2008 - David decided in early 2008 that he would retire. As apart of his retirement planning, David's share in the funeral home transferred in December between Simon Slessor and long-time employee, Stuart Clark.

2009 - One of the more recent updates happened this year when the lounge and reception area was completely remodeled. A larger kitchenette area was created along with added wall openings allowing a flow of natural light. In addition, lighting was updated and a new multimedia centre was added. A selection of family appropriate movies is available during visitations and video memorial tributes can be shown during receptions.

2014 - In December, Simon and Stuart made the decision to return the business name to a variation of the historical name. The Jennett name represents an important part of the history of both Allandale and Barrie. The new name also better reflects that Jennett's are well experienced in providing cremation related options for families looking for an alternative to full casket burial.

2015 - The exterior was given a rejuvenating upgrade with a new colour scheme to compliment the original red brick. New siding, fascia and soffit was installed and enhancements were made to the entrances.

2017 - After careful consideration, both Simon and Stuart made the decision to retire. Jennett Funeral & Cremation Centre was sold to Park Lawn Limited Corporation of Toronto, Ontario on February 10, 2017.

Maintaining a comfortable home atmosphere has remained a priority throughout the changes that have taken place over the years. We strongly believe that the atmosphere of the location greatly compliments quality service. Many positive comments are shared with the staff about the warmth of the facilities. It was this type of feedback that greatly influenced the design of our second location, the Innisfil Funeral Home in Stroud, which opened in August of 2001.

2021 - Following the onset of COVID-19 and a quickly changing market, Jennett Funeral & Cremation Centre joined the Basic Funerals team under the name Basic Funerals and Cremation Choices - Jennett Memorial Centre. In addition to continuing to offer traditional services, this location started offering the most affordable direct cremation and burial services in the market.