Here Rebecca Welham explains the history behind Welham Jones, our local Funeral Directors who celebrate their 30th birthday in September
Wow, 30 years old…time certainly flies…
As a local Sevenoaks girl, I was only young when my family opened Welham Jones. I
remember many a family meeting between them all round the dining table at home having
discussion and making plans. At the time I had no idea or understanding of what a funeral
was or what it was like to lose a loved one.
Since the age of seven I have grown up with funerals, it has become second nature to me
and I guess has made me more aware of it now as an adult, and that it isn’t something to be
feared, but to embrace, understand, support and be there for each other.
The Welham Jones family was the joining of two families, Welham being my father’s side
and Jones being my maternal Grandfather. For many in Sevenoaks, Mac Jones was well
known in the area and a big part of the local community. Until his death in 2014 my
grandfather had over 60 years’ experience, within the funeral industry, working for firms in
London, Sevenoaks (Youngs Department Store) and SE area Manager for the then Great
Southern Group before setting up Welham Jones with my father Simon Welham.
Welham Jones opened on 2nd September 1992. Our flagship branch is the notoriously iconic
local “French’s Dairy” building at the bottom of St Botolph’s Road. Both families played a
huge part in making Welham Jones a success in the early days.
Over these years we have seen many changes, we have expanded, growing from one
funeral home to now seven, covering a wide area in NW Kent and SE London. We have
survived a global pandemic, changes across the industry as a whole and learning new ways
in how to move the funeral industry forward and embracing new technologies.
Some 30 years later, we remain an independent and family-owned company, something I
for one am immensely proud of and long hope to be a part of.
Today Welham Jones is run by father and daughter team, Simon & Rebecca Welham (myself)
What will happen in the next 30 years I wonder…I guess there is only one way to find out,
follow our journey and we will guide you through it all…
T: 01732 742400
W: www.welhamjones.co.uk
F: @welhamjonesfuneraldirectors
I: @welhamjones
Author: Helen Loder
Co-Director of Sevenoaks Mums