Bideford & District Funeral Service
We are an established family owned funeral directors in Bideford North Devon. We take a fresh approach to funerals both traditional and alternative services. Burial, Cremation and green alternatives We ensure that you have all the help, information and support you need to say your final farewells in your own way & in your own time.
If you would like to contact us:
Bideford & District Funeral Service
2 Jubilee House
Jubilee Square,
Bideford
EX39 2JH
Telephone number
01237 420 900
bidefordfuneralservice@btconnect.com
About us and our history
The Morris family came to Bideford from South Wales and in 1885 and set up a Monumental Masonary business called Morris Bros. Morris Bros was handed down through the generations from father to son and for many years traded from 95 Meddon Street Bideford.
In 1960 Michael Morris entered the family business alongside his father Charles & mother Doris who were both very well known towns-folk and were active members of The Bideford Athletic Club. Michael was also a talented armature sportsman and played rugby for Bideford and the Devon Colts as well as a keen athlete taking part in the local Regatta Sports.
In 1961 Michael decided to train as a Funeral Director with the view to running a funeral home alongside the existing memorial business and went to train with W. A. Truelove & Son, a large family owned Funeral Company based in Sutton, Surrey.
In 1962 Michael married Marilyn ( Mandy ) Andersen. Daughter Sahara was born in 1963 followed by Jonathan in 1964.
A chapel of rest and embalming theatre were constructed at the Morris Bros Meddon Street site in 1964 and the start of the funeral business began, working alongside the already well established memorial business.
In 1967 Charles Morris passed away and Michael then became a partner in Morris Bros with his mother Doris. Marilyn was also taking an active part in the administration of the business as well as bringing up the two children Sahara and Jonathan.
Morris Bros continued to grow, built on sound honest business practices and local trust with both the Funerals and Memorials complimenting each other. Morris Bros were the first funeral directors to advertise in the local press, the others were quick to follow this example of forward thinking, and Morris Bros continued to lead the way locally, providing a modern service with modern facilities.
Michael and Marilyn decided to become qualified Funeral Directors and both enrolled in The National Association Of Funeral Directors ( N.A.F.D. ) diploma course. Both became diploma holders and members of the association by 1975 and Marilyn went on to represent the association locally.
In time both Sahara and Jonathan came to work in the family firm. Sahara went on to, and continues to work as a civil servant but from time to time will take out of hours phone duties for the business.
Jonathan followed in his father’s footsteps and went to train with W. A. Truelove & Son in Sutton, Surrey where he also sat the N.A.F.D. diploma exam and passed this in 1984. He was then offered a full time position with Trueloves which he accepted and continued to work with them for a further 3 years. Following his departure from Trueloves Jonathan secured a position with A. W. Lymn a large independent family run funeral company in Nottingham. Working from the head office Jonathan gained vast experience within a multi cultured city population where he learnt many different funeral rites and traditions across many different religions and cultures. He also worked alongside the city coroners and on occasion’s scene of crimes officers. Jonathan returned to Bideford in 1995 and took up a position with his Father & Mother with Morris Bros and began to learn the memorial side of the business.
In 1999 an approach was made by the Plymouth and South West Co-Operative Society ( Plymco ) to purchase Morris Bros. Michael decided to sell the business and continued to run the branch with all staff being retained.
In 2000 Plymco closed the masonary side of the business opting to run this from the Plymouth offices.
April 2002 Plymco made Michael and other staff members redundant. Michael then decided to start a new business and The Bideford And District Funeral Service was created. By November 2002 Plymco had closed their Meddon Street office and works and both Marilyn and Jonathan had departed company with Plymco.
Under Michael's leadership and with his vast local connections, The Bideford And District Funeral Service continued to grow, although working from his home and without chapels Michael secured the support of W. S. Gayton Funeral Directors of Bickington and use of their chapel facilities, hearse and bearers, a working relationship that is integral to The Bideford and District Funeral Service and a working relationship that continues to grow.
Although divorced in 1983 Marilyn continued to work with Michael and does so till this day. Marilyn is the company administrator and Michael's P.A.
After his departure from Plymco Jonathan took a number of local jobs but still continued to help Michael when he could. However illness stopped Jonathan working for over a year after undergoing a number of heart operations. After recovering Jonathan took up a part time couriers job in North Devon as well as a part time job as a Porter with Torridge Auctions. The Auctions job brought Jonathan back to Funeral work in a round about way. Finding himself now carrying out house clearances from houses now left vacant by the death of the occupier.
In 2009 Michael decided it was time to slow down and asked Jonathan back to full time employment with the view to running the business. Jonathan accepted this opportunity and a new limited company was created with Jonathan as the main share holder and Michael as a director, Marilyn still taking care of administration.
Jonathan will now take the company forward, like his father and grandfather Jonathan has new ideas. He looks ahead to what people want and need and recognises that the industry has changed beyond recognition over the past 20 years. So many new services and products are now available and a funeral can be tailored to each individuals needs or requirements.
“ There is no standard funeral, the death of a family member is as memorable as the birth of a new family member and just as important “.
Jonathan C. Morris Dip F.D.
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