The Traditional Family

Funeral Company

is an independent and family owned funeral company. Managing Director Colin Field is the sixth generation to follow in the family footsteps and has brought together a number of old established, and not so old, family funeral directors each of whom has a history and commitment of service to the community.

All of us, within the company are dedicated to the service of the bereaved in a manner best served by a traditional family funeral company.

In addition to telling you about the services we provide may we suggest that you look through the links pages, all of whom have given their permission to be included within this site, as there may be in one of the sites help, comfort or a contact for you to make where you may obtain support with your own bereavement.

This web site was designed and created by Charles E. D. Field the Seventh Generation.

Our History to Date:

Under the ownership of the Field family we bring together a number of old established family funeral directors, each of whom has a long history and proud tradition of service to their communities and  dedicated to preserving their independence.

Colin is the sixth generation of the Field family whose history is the provision of funeral service and the care and support of the bereaved.  In these days of major National and International businesses, even in funeral service, we are proud to be continuing in a family tradition. Our family company grew out of the activities in the U K of the American involvement in funeral service, which did not sit comfortably with the commitment to service, and levels of care and support at the most reasonable of cost that we have always striven to provide.

Jeremy Field joined the company as the seventh generation to enter into funeral service and provide continuity for the future.

Other funeral families have sought us out when considering retirement or a gentle withdrawal from the mounting pressures of business life today, so that, we bring together such names as Attree & Kent recorded as the oldest established funeral director in Brighton (1780) and still in family ownership.  Attree & Kent also have a recently modernised office in Hove and branch office in Hollingdean.

Cooper & Son Funeral Service is another long established Sussex based Funeral Company where Clive Cooper and his family still maintain an interest, with Clive formerly a consultant to the company. Cooper’s have offices in Uckfield, the home of the original business, and have in recent years established offices in Lewes and Seaford.

Christopher Stringer of Rottingdean sought to break free of an International Company of which the business he operated had become part.  The family helped him achieve his ambition, that of running his own business and providing the levels of support and comfort for which he had earned and maintains to this day “an enviable reputation”.

Deric Scott of Bournemouth is without doubt amongst, if not the leading or premier funeral director in the Country, run and managed by Robin Scott, while Adrian (his older brother) acts as a Consultant, with no family choosing to follow in their footsteps they decided, that with just on forty and thirty five years of constantly striving to stay at the top, it was time to share the responsibilities and challenges with another family.  Adrian whilst retired continues to visit the office and conduct funerals, while Robin continues to be responsible for the day to management of the business, the maintenance of its traditional values and highest standards.

Heritage & Sons was the first of the family businesses to join with us and operates out of Winslow in Buckinghamshire supporting an office and chapel in Buckingham. The Aylesbury Office provides support in Monumental Masonry. The Aylesbury premises have, since the Field family’s involvement in the business, been considerably extended and refurbished to provide a high standard, full funeral service facility.  We were invited into Amersham following a request from the local funeral director, whom at that time was seeking to move to Hampshire.  We have subsequently opened a new facility in Wendover.

Fuller and Scott of Uckfield and R. Jarvis of Cross in Hand joined our family of companies when Roy Fuller sought to retire and concentrate on restoring and using his collection of interesting historic vehicles.  The Gables at Cross-in Hand, just outside Heathfield, has undergone a complete conversion and refurbishment to a full service funeral home.

Constable & Toop located in Downham Kent and Lewisham South London came into being when Sid Toop, a former colleague and friend of the family, was made redundant by his former company.  Keen to establish himself in his own right, he sought and was provided, with help from the family.  This enabled him to establish one of the first funeral homes in South London and Kent with on site parking for clients. 

The success of his establishment brought with it the opening of a further branch some two years later in Lewisham High Street.  James and Valerie Constable sought out the family’s assistance in the management of their businesses in Honor Oak and Penge in South East London.  James is well known in the funeral profession having served as President of the British Institute of Funeral Directors in 1998/9.  In more recent times it has been felt appropriate given the close working arrangements existing between Constable’s and Toop's, that they should draw the names together which has been done with new premises bearing the combined name in Belvedere in Kent.

Edmund and Sons of Brixton and Clapham are something of a similar tale.  Save that the business in Brixton commenced under another title. When Eddie Dipper, again a former colleague and friend of the family, sought to break free of the company with whom he had been associated, twice bitten Eddie who has a detailed, specialist knowledge and skills in the complex area of Repatriation both to and from this Country, brought his skills to our family of companies and quietly expanded his funeral service around South London and is now responsible for the day to day management of all London businesses.

Ballard & Shortall of Crawley, Horley and East Grinstead enjoy a history which the Ballard family claim can be traced back to 1834, nearly as long as our own commitment to funeral service.  It makes us proud to have been chosen as successors to this well known and respected family business which continues to be managed by the Shortall family.

We were fortunate to be selected to assume responsibility for the old established firm of Thomas Rich of Hailsham, where illness prevented an ongoing commitment from the management, and were chosen through our reputation and the vendor’s knowledge of our family.

We were, as a result of interest in Hailsham invited into Haine & Son of South Street Eastbourne, which is the oldest family funeral director in the town. Now managed by Principal Funeral Director Howard Coote.  The Haine family maintain a close interest in the success of the business.

Most recently we were selected as the family of choice to purchase the business of S E Skinner & Sons of Brighton by Michael Newth, son in law of Mr Skinner who established the business in 1886.

In addition to the growth through acquisition, we continue to invest in the development and refurbishment of our premises, adding new locations as and when considered appropriate and as opportunities present themselves.

The family’s commitment to the business is more than mere words, with investment and development moving apace in order to ensure that through prudent and careful development the refurbishment of premises and an ongoing fleet replacement policy, specialist conversions on Rolls Royce vehicles, continues in order that we may meet the exacting standards demanded by today’s discerning clients and wherever possible exceed them as letters of testimony show.

In adopting this approach, the family strive to ensure the continuing security of all engaged within our family company in the provision of the funeral services demanded of us.

So this summary, is the history of the company’s development with families working together to provide the levels of service we would seek if we too were charged with making the arrangements for someone close to us.

All colleagues are committed to the freedom of independent funeral directing which compares favourably when set against the higher prices and “work a day” attitude of those associated with formulating policy in National  businesses.

It is our belief that we always say “YES” whatever the question and seek to provide a service which reflects what is demanded of us.  We recognise we are here to serve and provide the service that is most fitting to honour the memory of someone close and greatly loved. 

We are committed to offering in addition to care, support and the highest levels of funeral service, Monumental Masonry through any of our offices or funeral homes where all of our colleagues have local knowledge and will be happy to provide whatever information may be required.

We can also assist with advice on prepaid funeral plans.  We provide a choice of at least two prepaid funeral schemes, the best, we believe, managed and supported by Funeral Planning Services a company with which Colin Field is also associated, (Colin is the Chairman of the Trustees of the Funeral Planning Trust). Funeral costs therefore never need be a worry as it is possible to make arrangements in person or on the Web organising at today’s cost a funeral for the future saving worry for those left behind.

It will be seen from what we hope is an informative note that the Field family through Colin, Christine and Jeremy are fiercely proud of our long commitment to Funeral Service which, we believe, should remain totally independent of large chains or business demands as we are committed to working in and being part of the communities we are proud to serve.

If you would like further information or if there is ever cause for dissatisfaction please write to Colin Field, The Traditional Family Funeral Company, Demark House, 87 Junction Road, Burgess Hill RH15 0JL or email: colin.field@traditionalfamilyfunerals.co.uk

As a family we always like to know of personal experiences in order that we may all learn from and so improve the service we provide for the benefit of those who have yet to look to us for support and assistance in their time of need.

 Colin Field