What’s in a name?
In the past, funeral businesses were
family-owned operations that would serve whole communities and in some small
towns, this set-up still exists. However, larger chains have been gradually
buying-out family businesses often, when senior members of the family retire.
These large funeral chains tend to keep in
place, the name of the family that originally ran the funeral home.
Every branch of ‘Dignity’, a British funeral
corporation, is run under a family name and 30% of Co-operative funeral homes –
notably the largest funeral corporation in the UK, trade under a family’s name.
When these businesses buy ‘independent’
funeral homes, they purchase the use of the family name and consequently, their
reputation and ‘good will’.
‘Many customers visit funeral homes with
family names in the belief they are supporting a local, independent, business
or because they would rather place their trust in a family-owned organisation
rather than a large conglomerate’ – reports the The Guardian newspaper.
A recent article in The Guardian touched upon
the subject of larger companies masquerading as ‘independent funeral directors’
within local communities. The Guardian also wrote about the large companies
that buy-out the independent funeral homes but continue to operate under their
name; the local community is usually, totally unaware of these facts and thinking they are still independently
owned, use their services in the belief that they are supporting, local
businesses.
Is it fair then, that a large company can
purchase a local independent company and with that purchase, receive all the
hard work and reputation built by the original predecessor?
True, independent, family funeral directors.
Fact: in the past five years, Exeter has
seen a rise in funeral director services within the city and surrounding areas.
Focusing on independent family funeral
directors, M. Sillifant & Son were established in 1906. Following on from
Bernard Sillifant, Martin and Marc, the 3rd and 4th generations of the family, continue
to serve their local community.
Although no longer owned by its original family, Le Roy Funeral Service was established in 1950 by Mr Stanley Le Roy
Priaulx. Martin Wreford was appointed manager in 1968 and subsequently
purchased the business in 1974 and located to their current premises in
Alphington, Exeter in 1986 before expanding to Crediton in 2000 and occupying a
third premises operating from Topsham Road in 2013.
In
October 2011, the independent family business of Shoobridge Funeral Services,
who are and have been based, primarily in Honition, East Devon since 1993 and more
recently, added Exmouth & District Funeral Services, Exeter Road, Exmouth –
expanded into Exeter’s Pinhoe and Whipton area at Pinhoe Road, (Polsloe
Bridge), Exeter, bringing in excess of 60
years’ combined expertise and experience blended with the highest
qualifications and training available within the funeral profession.
With the number of funeral premises doubling
within such a short space of time, three more were still yet to open.
Shortly after the arrival of Shoobridge
Funeral Services in Exeter, Tiverton based independent family funeral directors
established in 1933, Walter H. Squries & Son also arrived on Pinhoe Road,
Exeter and in 2016 they also opened another premises n Exwick, Exeter.
ISCA funeral services opened their first
premises in Exeter on Oakhampton Street before recently relocating to Fore
Street.
In 2015, the total number of funeral directors operating in Exeter rose
to nine and the total number of funeral
homes, to eleven. Then, the Plymouth based Walter C. Parson Group, opened
the tenth funeral home premises on Topsham Road.
Walter C.
Parsons was established in 1842 and has more than doubled
in size from four offices to ten, in Plymouth, Plympton, Crownhill, Ivybridge
and Exeter with ‘outposts’ now in Tavistock, Torpoint (Pidgen & Son),
Saltash (Pengelly Funeral Services), Newton Abbot, and Torquay, (Hugh, Mills
& Gaye)
Non-independent family funeral directors.
Established in
1860 and formerly known as W. Mitchell & Son, the company was purchased by ‘Dignity’
(UK funeral corporation), who still claim that, “They are proud to have served
many generations of the same families for more than 150 years!”, which ‘comes
across’ as somewhat, misleading as ‘Dignity’ itself was created in 1994 through the merger of the Plantsbrook Group and the
Great Southern Group, both of which companies had been acquired by Service Corporation
International Inc.
(an American company and factually, the largest funeral company in the world), earlier that year. At present, Dignity (UK) own over 500 branches
across the UK and conduct over 7,5000 funerals a year.
Regarding
the funeral profession, the most recent ‘take-over’ in Exeter concerned Exeter
and District Funeral Services located on Topsham Road, Exeter. Its original
founder, David Albury, had many years of dedicated service and experience in
the profession and as such, has ‘looked after’ many families throughout Devon.
The funeral director company was purchased/acquired by: Funeral Partners, Funeral Partners Limited who were founded in 2007 by Phillip Greenfield
who himself was formerly, a founding shareholder in the Fairways Partnership
some years earlier. Funeral Partners now hold in their hands the ‘glory’ and
reputation that was built up by its predecessor David and can easily be
mistaken for an original local, independent funeral director.
The
Co-operative Group (CWS Ltd.), also have facilities based in Exeter in the St.
Thomas area. With over 675 branches across the UK, ‘Co-operative Funeral Care’
conduct around 90,000 funerals a year nationally making them the largest
funeral company in the UK.
Why choose an independent?
By choosing to use the services of an independent funeral
director, you are enlisting the help of a trusted professional. Many independent undertakers firms are extremely well
known and have been run by families who have served their communities for
generations and as such, they are not distracted or bound by corporate rules ‘handed
down’ from head office and shareholders but can be flexible and responsive to
individual needs providing a highly personal and compassionate service.
“When
you require the services of a funeral director, you should turn to the people
who know your needs best – independent funeral directors.”
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