We are a family owned, independent Funeral Directors and have been serving the local communities of Herne Bay, Whitstable, Beltinge, and Canterbury since 1948.
It has been an honour to help, support and comfort many Kent families over the last 75+ years and we would like to thank each and every one of our valued clients for their loyalty and hope to continue to serve for many more years to come. Free, expert, and impartial help & advice Tailor-made funeral arrangement to your specific needs, whatever they may be We are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year We can visit you at home at no extra charge if you need us to Qualified in-house Bereavement Counsellor We have a deep commitment to providing a reliable, caring and above all, personal service to suit your specific needs We have a proven record and experience in providing high standard service since 1948 Our Funeral Directors are qualified members of the BIFD (The British Institute of Funeral Directors) and hold the Diploma in Funeral Directing – We currently have two Trainee Funeral Directors who are in the process of completing their Funeral Arranging and Administration Certificate from the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD), who will then be doing their Diploma in Funeral Directing Tim Welch, the current Managing Director, is also a fully qualified embalmer and member of the BIE (British Institute of Embalmers) We are members of the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) Alfred Welch, the ‘A’ of A. Welch & Sons, was born in 1876. Like his father and grandfather before him Alfred became a coachman. Alfred married Ellen Tritton and they had eight sons and two daughters. In time, five of the sons joined their father in business, and so A. Welch & Sons was born – carrying out household removals, taxi work and supplying horses, carriages, and coffin bearers to the four local Funeral Directors in Herne Bay. One of the sons, Harold, also assisted one of the funeral directors, initially with coffin making and later with arranging and conducting funeral services. When the sons returned from the second World War, and, in 1948 the family decided to undertake funeral arrangements in their own right alongside the other work the company was doing. Evolution When motor vehicles replaced the horse and carriage, our stables at Downs Park, Herne Bay, were converted into workshops, timer stores, and a Chapel of Rest. In 1960 the decision was taken to concentrate solely on funerals. Our premises were continually updated and improved. Refrigerated storage facilities and an embalming theatre were installed and we became the first fully equipped Funeral Directors in the Herne Bay, Beltinge, and Canterbury District. During the 70s we had four private viewing chapels and a private service chapel built. In 1994 we opened a second branch in Burgate, Canterbury. Premises Our premises undergo regular improvements and modernisation. 2012 saw the completion of an extensive refurbishment of our mortuary and chapel facilities. Our funeral vehicle fleet is regularly replaced, and we currently run a fleet of bespoke Hybrid Ford vehicles purchased in 2020.
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| Taking care of all necessary legal and administrative arrangements | £1,005.00 |
| Collecting and transporting the deceased person from the place of death (normally within 15 miles of the funeral director’s premises) into the funeral director’s care | £250.00 |
| Care of the deceased person before the funeral in appropriate facilities. | £590.00 |
| Providing a suitable coffin | £310.00 |
| Viewing of the deceased person for family and friends, by appointment with the funeral director (where viewing is requested by the customer) | £0.01 |
| At a date and time you agree with the funeral director, taking the deceased person direct to the agreed cemetery or crematorium (normally within 20 miles of the funeral director’s premises) in a hearse or other appropriate vehicle | £395.00 |
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| Burial (funeral director’s charges only) | £975.00 |
| Cremation (funeral director’s charges plus the cremation fee)2 | £1,345.00 |
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For an Attended or Unattended burial funeral, the burial fee.1 In this local area, the typical cost of the burial fee for local residents is: For a new grave, you will also need to pay for the plot; for an existing grave with a memorial in place, you may need to pay a removal/replacement fee. In addition, the cemetery may charge a number of other fees. |
£1,141.00 |
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For an Attended cremation funeral, the cremation fee.2 In this local area, the typical cost of a cremation for local residents is: |
£85,035.00 |
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| Additional mileage (price per mile) | £1.75 |
| Additional transfers of the deceased person’s body (e.g. to their home, to a place of worship etc.) (price per transfer) | £375.00 |
| Collection and delivery of ashes | POA |
| Embalming | £110.00 |
| Funeral officiant (e.g. celebrant, minister of religion etc.) | POA |
| Services supplied outside of normal office hours | POA |
The funeral director can give you a full list of what they can supply. They are likely to charge for these additional products and services, so you may choose to take care of some arrangements without their involvement, or you can use a different supplier.
1. This fee (which is sometimes called the interment fee) is the charge made for digging and closing a new grave, or for reopening and closing an existing grave.
2. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, you will usually need to pay doctors’ fees as well. This is the charge for two doctors to sign the Medical Certificates for Cremation.
Prices correct as from 09/10/2025and may be subject to change. E & O.E.
94 Station Road, Herne Bay, CT6 5QB
