(Left to right:) Ian Smith, funeral service operative; Dawn Trigg, business manager; Sue Harvey, funeral service arranger and Dr Brian Parsons.
Open Weekend at Frederick W Paine
Coinciding with the Kingston-upon-Thames Heritage Weekend, Frederick W Paine’s flagship branch at 24 Old London Road, opened its doors to visitors on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September 2014. Dignity staff gave guided tours of the grade II listed building showing approximately 100 visitors the original wood panelled interior, records room and museum dedicated to the history of the company.
Well respected funeral historian, Dr Brian Parsons, also gave a talk entitled “An Illustrated Talk on the History of Funeral Directing: Frederick W Paine Serving the Community in War and Peace”.
The museum opened in 2008 and contains artefacts, equipment and other items relating to the firm and the history of funeral service. All Dignity staff are most welcome to visit the museum. Please phone in advance on 0208 547 1556.
Other Stories
- Bradford branch commemorates 125 years service to the community D Walsh & Son in Bradford recently held a Service of Re-dedication to celebrate the business’ 125th anniversary.
- VIP’s visit J H Kenyon for Churchill funeral lecture The Rt. Hon Sir Nicholas Soames, MP, was guest of honour at a lecture at J H Kenyon's Westbourne Grove offices on 13 October 2015 recalling the firm’s involvement with the death and funeral of his grandfather, Sir Winston Churchill, fifty years ago.
- Donation to support bereavement counsellors Regional manager for North London, John Laker, recently presented a cheque for £1,000 on behalf of Dignity to support CARIS Islington, a charity that provides a bereavement counselling service for vulnerable people.
- Dignity is a Big Hoot in Sutton Coldfield This summer, Dignity sponsored an owl for The Big Hoot, a massive art project that took place across Birmingham for ten weeks.
- South East Regional Awards celebrate best business practice Members of the management team from across the South East Region gathered at the Deans Place Hotel in Alfriston on Wednesday 10 June for the sixth South East Regional Awards.
- New Fleet for business acquisition In October 2014, long established Cheltenham funeral directors, W S Trenhaile, joined Dignity, bringing with it their beautiful premises, a converted church school. Dignity has now complemented this with investment in a new Binz hearse and limousine, supplied by Superior Automotive.