SARAH Sharp, business leader at Bradford funeral directors D Walsh & Son tells HELEN MEAD about the firm.
Q: Since D Walsh & Son began how many generations have been at the helm?
A: D Walsh & Son Funeral Directors has been guided by multiple generations over the years. The funeral directors was established in 1890 by Daniel Walsh, with his son Cuthbert later joining him. Daniel’s grandsons, Basil and Leo Walsh also took the reins ensuring the continuation of the family’s dedication to serving the community during times of loss.
Daniel Walsh founded the firm in 1890
Daniel Walsh at his home in Arthington Street, Bradford
Q: Have you organised funerals for generations of the same family? Are you tried and trusted by them?
A: We have had the privilege of serving many families across multiple generations. It's truly heart-warming to listen to the stories shared by those who return to us.
The feedback we’ve received from families over the years has been incredibly touching. It's truly rewarding to know that we've played a part in giving their loved ones the farewell they deserved. It reinforces our commitment to providing compassionate and dignified end-of-life services to every family we serve.
Q: Do you spend time with the deceased’s family getting to know all about their loved one? Do you visit them at home to build a picture of their life - can this be an emotional experience?
A: We take time to get to know the deceased and their family and encourage families to share memories of their loved one with us. We offer the flexibility of visiting families at their homes or welcoming them to our branch to discuss arrangements.
What we do is often emotional but providing some comfort or solace for people through their most difficult times can also be very rewarding. We’ve found that the smallest things can make the biggest differences. I always remind my team, if we can create a little bit of sparkle at the hardest of times then we have done our very best for people.
I wouldn’t change my job for anything. I truly feel that I have found what I was meant to do in this world and is such a privilege to be able to help people when they need it the most. We have a fantastic team who share the same views and always go above and beyond to offer comfort and support to our customers.
Q: Are traditional funerals disappearing in favour of more personal send-offs?
A: While traditional funerals continue to be favoured by many, there is a growing trend towards personalised and unique ceremonies. People want their funeral to truly reflect their or their loved one’s personality and interests.
Over the years, we have honoured many special requests, from our staff donning Hawaiian shirts, at the request of a family, to arranging for one of our staff to dress as Elvis Presley to attend a funeral. We’ve organised ceremonies themed around cars, held services where everyone has worn flat caps and even used a specially modified tractor as a hearse.
However, we do still uphold certain traditions such as pallbearing, and paiging, which involves the symbolic draping of a special cloth over the coffin as a mark of respect.
The firm's headquarters in Manchester Road
The firm's headquarters in Manchester Road
Mike, Alan and Paul ensure the fleet is in tip top condition
Q: Are different religions and non-religious options catered for?
A: There are so many options - whether people want a religious or non-religious service, a more traditional funeral or an unattended funeral.
We organise many different types of funerals encompassing many faiths, traditions and personal preferences including Christian, Sikh, Hindu, and Buddhist ceremonies, to Polish and Caribbean. We hold repatriation services as well as unattended funerals and chapel services. We take pride in offering a diverse range of options to cater to every individual’s needs and preferences.
Q: What proportion of customers ask for burial as opposed to cremation?
A: Many families opt for traditional burials, however, in recent years, we have seen an increase in requests for cremation - this could reflect a broader societal shift towards more flexible and environmentally conscious end-of-life practices.
A funeral cortege
L-R Reuben, Michael, Russell, Sarah and Graham beside the firm's new private ambulance
Q: Can coffins be tailored to individuals? What sorts of coffins have been requested ?
A: Absolutely - people can personalise things as much as they wish. We’ve organised a wide range of coffins from incorporating images or designs that reflect interests and hobbies to requests such as a blackboard coffin on which mourners wrote messages as they left the service.
When one of our staff dressed as Elvis only the customer was aware - the family were so shocked, but it made them smile and remember their loved one. They all said that it helped to celebrate her life.
Q: Are any unusual vehicles used?
A: Over the years we’ve arranged a variety of transportation options, from tractors and diggers to an Only Fools and Horses-themed hearse - we are dedicated to fulfilling families’ requests for unique and memorable services that reflect their loved one’s personality and passions.
Q: Do many people ask for a funeral procession?
A: This is still a popular tradition. We can start a procession at people’s home or anywhere that the client would like to leave from. We often take special routes, especially if the loved one has favourite places that they enjoyed visiting. For instance, we’ve gone past Bradford City’s ground as part of a procession.
Q: When would someone/a family opt for an unattended funeral?
A: Unattended funerals have become a popular choice. It’s often because the deceased has specifically asked for this, perhaps wanting a simpler option for their family. We also get a lot of people coming to us for our chapel service, as it allows families to say their final goodbyes before proceeding with an unattended cremation.
Q: What is a living funeral and why would someone choose one?
A: Also known as a celebration of life or a pre-funeral, a living funeral is an event to honour and celebrate the life of a person who is still alive. It provides an opportunity for individuals to come together to share memories with their loved one.
People may choose to have a living funeral for various reasons. Some use it as a way to actively participate in their own farewell, ensuring that their wishes are known and celebrated while they are still present. Others view it as an opportunity to connect with loved ones and create lasting memories in a positive and uplifting atmosphere.
Living funerals can also serve as a source of comfort and support for families when a death does occur. By having the opportunity to express their love and appreciation for their loved one, families may find solace and closure in knowing that their sentiments were shared.
One of the company's funeral directors
The firm's cars
Q: Do you receive a lot of feedback from families? Is it rewarding when they come to thank you?
A: It is a very rewarding job and you want to help every person you meet. We receive a lot of thank you cards and clients leave Google reviews: it’s lovely when they take the time to express their gratitude. Knowing that we have provided comfort and support during their time of need is deeply fulfilling and reinforces our commitment to serving families with compassion and care.
Our support doesn’t stop after the funeral; we have a regular free bereavement group held at our Bradford branch. We understand that everyone copes with bereavement differently, so we offer as much support as people need.
Q: What have been the greatest changes within the funeral industry over the past 50 years? And the past ten?
A: Over the last 50 it has has perhaps been the transformation of the funeral director’s role. What was once known as an ‘undertaker’ has evolved into the modern-day funeral director. We have a team of people who all have their own specialist roles, but we all work together as a team, one big family.
I would say that we’ve seen funerals evolve into much more of a personalised and celebratory event rather than a sombre occasion. Looking back over just the past decade, we’ve seen an even greater emphasis on personalisation and celebration in funerals. With the rise of technology and social media, families now have more tools to create a truly unique and memorable tribute for their loved ones.
Q: What are the greatest challenges of running a funeral business? And the rewards?
A: It can be difficult a times to navigate the deeply emotional nature of what we do. It’s impossible not to become invested in each family’s journey. That’s why it’s crucial to have a team equipped with the innate qualities of passion, compassion, and dedication, as that cannot be taught.
It’s our mission to always go above and beyond for everyone we care for and treat everyone with dignity and respect.
The rewards I would say are the connections that we make with each family and the memories we share about their loved ones. Seeing the difference, we can make, by ensuring we go the extra mile is so gratifying.
It’s often the smallest of things that make the biggest difference. We take note of every detail and are often inspired by listening to families’ stories or noticing something mentioned in passing about their loved one. Whether it's placing the deceased’s favourite flowers into the chapel of rest, ensuring they are there when their family comes to visit, or playing their favourite music. We find that these small gestures of remembrance and personalisation are deeply appreciated by our families and are remembered long after the funeral has ended.
Q: When did the firm become part of Dignity Funerals and what does this mean for the business?
The business became part of Great Southern Group in 1990, which later formed Dignity plc. At this time the brothers Leo and Basil Walsh stayed on as manager and consultant.
Being part of a Dignity provides us with access to extra resources, support, and expertise, which enhances our ability to serve our community with the utmost care and professionalism. It allows us to offer our families a wider range of service options, ensuring that we can continue to meet their evolving needs with compassion and excellence.
Being part of a network of local funeral directors also allows us to maintain our local presence and responsiveness to the needs of our community. We also have the opportunity to exchange best practices and benefit from the support of a centralised team.
Is there still a taboo surrounding funerals?
At D Walsh & Son, we are committed to breaking the taboo surrounding funerals and the stigma around death and dying. We believe in fostering open conversations about these important conversations about end-of-life and creating a supportive environment for our community. That’s why we hold regular open days where we welcome people to our branches, meet our friendly teams, and ask any questions they have. We want to ensure that everyone feels comfortable and informed when it comes to end-of-life planning. Q: Please add anything else you would like to say.
A: Being part of the community that we serve is incredibly important to us and we actively engage with our local community through various initiatives. After noticing a lack of public access defibrillators in our local area, we spearheaded a fundraising campaign, with the help of local businesses and the community, to purchase a public access defibrillator at our Idle Road branch.
Additionally, we run 'Steps', a bereavement support group in partnership with local celebrant Lisa Whitmore. D Walsh & Son are proud to offer help and support, providing a listening ear at Steps Bereavement Support Group at our branch on Manchester Road. There is no charge, and individuals can come as many times as they like. This initiative reflects our commitment to providing ongoing support beyond the funeral service.
