Being established in 1929, HD Tribe Funeral Directors have a long company history. We are very proud of our achievements over the years but equally proud of our reputation for providing a caring and dignified service to the people of West Sussex who have lost a loved one. Here is a timeline depicting the major developments in our company over the years:
History of HD Tribe
1929-1969
1929: HD Tribe Esq founded the company at 1 Ardsheal Road, Broadwater.
1936: Chapel of Rest opened at Broadwater, now the site of Cricketers Parade.
1937: Funeral office north corner of Broadwater Churchyard opened.
1939: HD Tribe President of local funeral directors association.
1947: HD Tribe President of local funeral directors association.
1954: KJ Webber joins company.
1958: AK Warren joins company.
1959: HD Tribe Limited formed.
1960: New Chapels of Rest opened at the rear of 130 Broadwater Road.
1961: Chandlers garage and motor hire purchased.
1964: DF Kennard joins company.
1964: Rolls Royce fleet of seven Limousines & Hearses sold. Replaced by Austin Princess fleet.
1965: KJ Webber president Brighton & Hove Funeral Directors Association.
1965: Goring office opened.
1967: W Willett Funeral Directors of Shoreham incorporated and AW Willett joined the company.
1967: KJ Webber president of Southern Area Funeral Directors Association.
1967: 130 Broadwater Road converted to offices and joined to Chapels of Rest.
1970-1979
1972: AK Warren wins a silver medal sailing in the Munich Olympic Games (Poster, left).
1972: Daimler Limousine Fleet now complete.
1973: WJ Poland & Sons Funeral Directors of Worthing & Storrington incorporated.
1973: HD Tribe retired. A. K. Warren Managing Director.
1973: HD Tribe Memorial Company formed.
1974: RA Gates Funeral Directors of Shoreham purchased and J Whittington joined company.
1974: D Carver joins company.
1975: Starkey & Mason Funeral Directors of Lancing purchased, new office and Chapels of Rest opened.
1976: AK Warren represents Great Britain in Montreal Olympic Games.
1979: DF Kennard Worthing Golf Club Captain.
1979: 50th Anniversary Celebrated.
1980-1989
1980: Theodora Florist purchased.
1981: Lyndhurst Road Office opened.
1981: M Warren joins company.
1982: M Webber joins company.
1983: KJ Webber retires due to bad health after 29 years service.
1983: D Carver P. M., P.Z. Worshipful Master of Cissbury Lodge.
1983: Theodora Florist incorporated at Broadwater Offices.
1983: Invited to join National Selected Morticians Association.
1986: Offices at Broadwater refurbished.
1986: Miss J Warren, holder of the Tante Marie Diploma, heads our newly opened catering department at Broadwater Road.
1989: Rustington office and Chapel of Rest opened. I. Grieg becomes Manager.
1989: W Warren and P Kennard join company.
1989: M Parkin, Mayor of Worthing 1986/7 joins company.
1989: 60th Anniversary Celebrated.
1990-1999
1991: M Webber, P Kennard, W Warren & M Warren elected to the Board of Directors.
1991: I Hart joins company.
1991/2: Garden at Broadwater Road wins Worthing in Bloom Competition.
1992: DF Kennard and A. K. Warren retire.
1993: C Twigger joins company as Manager of Littlehampton Branch.
1993: AW Willett retires.
1993: D Carver retires.
1994: Tony Hauck joins the Company.
1993-1996: Garden at Broadwater Road wins Worthing in Bloom Competition.
1996: HD Tribe – Founder died aged 95.
1996: M Warren died.
1996: P Read takes over as Manager of Memorial Department.
1996: M Webber appointed Chairman N.S.M. European Group.
1997: I Hart elected President Sussex County Association of Funeral Directors.
1997: Office at Broadwater Road refurbished.
1998: R Child takes over as Manager of Goring Office.
1998: K Bellingham takes over as Manageress of Lancing Office.
1998: G Woolhead takes over as Manager of Shoreham Office.
1998: A total of 12 employees now hold the N.A.F.D. Diploma.
1999: 70th Anniversary of HD Tribe.
1999: First Funeral Director in West Sussex to launch a website.
1999: “Food for Thought” appointed as preferred caterers for H.D. Tribe.
1999: Broadwater office wins “Worthing in Bloom”.
2000-2009
2000: Storrington office completely re-furbished to include a Chapel of Rest.
2000: Colin Twigger retires and Paul Virgo becomes manager of our Littlehampton Branch.
2000: Graham Woolhead elected President of the Sussex County Association of Funeral Directors.
2001: Marian Down joins and takes over the branch at 61 Lyndhurst Road.
2002: Horse hearse completely refurbished
2003: Alison Campbell appointed manager of the Stonemasons.
2004: Roger Child retires and Adam Johnson becomes manager of our Goring Branch.
2004: 75th Anniversary of HD Tribe.
2005: Paul Maguire starts as Funeral Director based at Head Office.
2005: Head Office wins Worthing in Bloom for the Best Hanging Baskets.
2006: Head Office wins a Highly Commended Certificate for South East in Bloom.
2006: 30 Seater Family Chapel at Worthing Crematorium demolished
2007: Service Chapel at Head Office completely refurbished.
2008: William Weller is now incorporated in HD Tribe.
2008: Pat Cook joins to run the Littlehampton Office
2008: Goring Office is refurbished to include a Chapel of Rest.
2008: New fleet of Mercedes Hearses and Limousines arrive.
2008: Stephen Webber, son of M J Webber and grandson of both of K J Webber & D F Kennard, joins the Company.
2009: Services from our Chapel can now be ‘streamed’ over the internet. Ideal for people who are either too far away, or for whatever reason are unable to attend.
2009: K J Webber dies on 20th July aged 76 years.
2010 - 2019
2011: HD Tribe become to the first UK Funeral Director to offer online donations through their website.
2012: First funeral director in the UK to offer on-line donations
2012: HD Tribe awarded Adur & Worthing Business Award for best medium sized business
2014: Pat Cook replaces Ian Greig as manager of the Rustington office
2014: Stephen Webber appointed manager of the Storrington office
2016: Symon Todd appointed manager of the Shoreham office
2016: Wayne Roberts joins the company
2016: Goring office completely refurbished
2016: New premises acquired in Shoreham
2017: Michelle Etheridge joins us in readiness for the opening of the Shoreham Office
2017: New premises and service chapel opened in Shoreham at 101 Eastern Ave.
2018: Fiona Murden takes over from Marian Down upon her retirement.
2018: Stephen Webber moves to Head Office in Broadwater
2018: Marian Down sadly passes away after only five months retirement
2019: Rustington office completely refurbished
2019: HD Tribe celebrate their 90th anniversary
2020 - present day
2020: Darren Fehrenbach appointed manager of the Storrington Office
2020: Christine Brownbridge joins as our inhouse bereavement counsellor
2021: Carly Cripps appointed manager of the Rustington Office
2021: Peter Carter retires after 42 years as our inhouse florist
2021: New fleet of Mercedes Hearses and Limousines arrive
2021: Peter Kennard BEM receives British Empire Medal in recognition of his fundraising work
2022: Lisa John appointed manager of the Littlehampton Office
2022: Madelaine Manzur-Christian joins the company
2022: Isabella Scott joins the company
2023: Paul Carver joins the company
2023: Sompting Office completely refurbished
2023: Alexander Warren, son of William Warren, grandson of A K Warren and great grandson of F K Warren joins the company
2023: Peter Kennard BEM attends the King’s Coronation
2023: Storrington Office completely refurbished
2023: Broadwater Office and catering suite completely refurbished
2023: Findon Flowers and HD Tribe go into partnership
2023: Stephen Webber and Wayne Roberts elected to the Board of Directors
2024: Tony Hauk retires
2024: Fiona Murden becomes the new manager at HD Tribe Goring
If you would like to know more about our company or the funeral services we can offer, please feel free to contact us.
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