About us > Our history

Thomas Cuthell founded the family business over 115 years ago, at this time he was assisted by his brother in law Archie Grant. Joinery was the main aspect of the business with funerals being undertaken as and when we were called upon. Over the years the business grew and blossomed resulting in the need for an expanding workforce.

Thomas Cuthell

Thomas Cuthell

Archie Grant

Archie Grant

When things first began, in 1905, funerals were very different from today. There was no need for a chapel of rest or service room as the deceased would be cared for and coffined within their home & remain there until the funeral. This was in days when funerals took place within two or three days and before the widespread use of motor vehicles (the hearse would have been a horse drawn hearse). In those days the funeral would be held in the family home, cremation was only just starting to become available and it was also the case that women would not attend the funeral.

Some years later Thomas was joined by his two sons Archie and Jim and it was during this time that we owned our first motorised funeral vehicles.

Archie Cuthell

Archie Cuthell

Jim Cuthell

Jim Cuthell

The next generation to take over the reins were Grant and Colin (Archie’s two sons) and Grant’s wife Margaret. In these years the joinery side of business diminished andfuneral directing blossomed.

Grant Cuthell

Grant Cuthell

Colin Cuthell

Colin Cuthell

Margaret Cuthell

Margaret Cuthell

Our premises at Bo’ness were transformed to provide a service room, meeting rooms, reception area, public toilets and rest rooms. Garages were also created on site to store the funeral vehicles.

Archie, Grant, Colin and Margaret took the decision to expand into Denny in the 1980s. A purpose built funeral home was built and the family business has since become a recognised part of the Denny community.

Grant’s son Alistair was next to join the family tradition of funeral directing, with Colin’s son Paul and daughter Michelle joining soon after.

Alistair Cuthell

Alistair Cuthell

Paul Cuthell

Paul Cuthell

Michelle Cuthell

Michelle Cuthell

The next expansion project was to open premises in Grangemouth with further expansion into Falkirk some years later. To this day Thomas Cuthell and Sons still operate four funeral homes with Alistair, Paul and Michelle ably assited by our team.

Thomas Cuthell and Sons are members of a number of several trade associations, Paul Cuthell was honoured to become the youngest ever National President of the National Association of Funeral Directors in 2014-15. The Cuthell family are immensely proud of this as NAFD can trace it's roots back to 1905 (the same year our business was founded) and Paul is only the fifth funeral director from Scotland to hold this office. Each trade association has its own code of practice, which members must adhere to. Trade associations also conduct regular premises inspections in order to maintain high standards.

We are proud to be members of the National Association of Funeral Directors, the Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors, the National Association of Memorial Masons and Selected Independent Funeral Homes.