Funeral directors to acquire in the North East

Name: Funeral directors to acquire in the North East
Creator: Firmbase
License: https://firmbase.co/terms

Updated 9 November 2026

Looking to acquire a funeral director in the North East? Firmbase ranks 28 funeral directors using public company information to help buyers prioritise firms for research and potential outreach. The Approach Score ranks firms using public signals including director age and tenure, ownership, business scale, financial strength and recent changes. These firms are not listed for sale, and the ranking does not indicate that an owner is considering a sale.

The median firm has 10 staff and has been in business for 17 years. Looking beyond the North East? Explore the full UK list of funeral directors.

Firms

UK 729

25%

Every director 55+

UK 43%

21%

Held 75%+ by one person

UK 26%

Median years in business

UK 17

Median headcount

UK 10

£500k to £1m

Median turnover band

UK £500k to £1m · includes our estimates

Towns with the most firms

Newcastle upon Tyne 11 firms

The first 25 firms, in Approach Score order

Rank	Firm	Approach Score	The facts behind the score
1	Irene Jessop Funeral Service Stockton on Tees	Approach Score 87/100	In post since 2017 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 9 staff · turnover est. £713k Net assets £518k (Dec 2025) Director resigned Apr 2026 Company no. 11123549 · Companies House irenejessopfunerals.co.uk
2	E Bush Funeral Directors Tyne & Wear, Tyne and Wear	Approach Score 84/100	Director aged 60-64 · in post since 2002 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 7 staff · turnover est. £788k Net assets £350k (Jul 2025) Company no. 04466452 · Companies House bush-funeraldirectors.co.uk
3	WS Taylor Funeral Directors Newcastle Upon Tyne	Approach Score 83/100	Longest in post since 2009 2 individuals hold 75%+ · independent More about this firm 6 staff · turnover est. £408k Net assets £344k (Mar 2025) PSC register changed May 2025 Company no. 06853520 · Companies House foresthallfuneraldirectors.co.uk
4	Alderson’s Family Funerals Durham	Approach Score 81/100	Longest in post since 2006 2 individuals hold 75%+ · held via a trust or firm · independent More about this firm 13 staff · turnover est. £652k Net assets £177k (Apr 2025) Company no. 05755953 · Companies House alderson-funerals.co.uk
5	Kevin Foster Funeral Services Bedlington	Approach Score 80/100	Longest in post since 2018 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent More about this firm 7 staff · turnover est. £471k Net assets £323k (Mar 2025) Company no. 11283015 · Companies House kevinfosterfuneralservices.co.uk
6	John Duckworth Funeral Directors Sunderland, Tyne and Wear A director sits on 4 or more companies	Approach Score 76/100	Longest in post since 2017 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent More about this firm 11 staff · turnover est. £1.7m Net assets £1.2m (May 2025) Company no. 10705266 · Companies House johnduckworth.co.uk
7	Pinewood Motors Gateshead Gateshead	Approach Score 74/100	Longest in post since 2001 Independent More about this firm 14 staff · turnover est. £477k Net assets £229k (Apr 2025) Company no. 04294545 · Companies House eandjrobinson.co.uk
8	Harry Thompson & Sons Hartlepool, Cleveland A director sits on 4 or more companies	Approach Score 73/100	Longest in post since 2012 Corporate owner More about this firm 5 staff · turnover est. £633k Net assets £461k (Mar 2026) PSC register changed Mar 2026 Company no. 07989263 · Companies House
9	Lords Monumentals Stockton-on-Tees	Approach Score 73/100	We hold older figures than Companies House 1 director aged 70 or over, 1 aged 45-49 · longest in post since 2001 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 5 staff · turnover est. £275k Net assets £40k (Mar 2021) · newer accounts made up to Mar 2025 Company no. 04176497 · Companies House
10	G Brownless & SON Co Durham	Approach Score 72/100	We hold older figures than Companies House Longest in post since 2006 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent More about this firm 10 staff · turnover est. £265k Net assets £26k · newer accounts made up to May 2025 Company no. 05774456 · Companies House gbrownlessandson.co.uk
11	Whitehouse Funeral Service Darlington, Co Durham A director sits on 4 or more companies	Approach Score 71/100	Longest in post since 2009 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent More about this firm 28 staff · turnover est. £788k Net assets £308k (Sep 2025) Company no. 06984838 · Companies House whitehousefuneralservice.co.uk
12	Mark Wait Funeral Directors Newcastle Upon Tyne	Approach Score 71/100	Longest in post since 2022 2 individuals hold 75%+ · independent More about this firm 8 staff · turnover est. £245k Net assets £18k (Mar 2026) Company no. 14486098 · Companies House markwaitfunerals.co.uk
13	Scollen & Wright Funeral Service Sunderland, Tyne and Wear	Approach Score 70/100	We hold older figures than Companies House In post since 2009 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 10 staff · turnover est. £1.1m Net assets £824k · newer accounts made up to Oct 2025 Company no. 06906980 · Companies House scollenandwright.co.uk
14	Tynedale Family Funeral Directors South Shields, Tyne and Wear	Approach Score 69/100	2 directors aged 55-59 · longest in post since 2011 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent More about this firm 7 staff · turnover est. £532k Net assets £239k (Feb 2025) Company no. 07844332 · Companies House tynedalefuneral.com
15	Clark Pearson Funerals Newcastle Upon Tyne	Approach Score 69/100	1 director aged 70 or over, 1 aged under 45 · longest in post since 2023 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 5 staff · turnover est. £200k Net assets £90k (Mar 2025) Company no. 14738439 · Companies House clarkpearsonfunerals.co.uk/pre-paid-funeral-plans
16	Seaton Leng & SON, CO. Durham, Co Durham	Approach Score 68/100	We hold older figures than Companies House 3 directors aged 70 or over, 1 aged 50-54 · longest in post since 1995 2 individuals hold 75%+ · independent More about this firm 17 staff · turnover est. £1.3m Net assets £1.5m · newer accounts made up to Mar 2026 Company no. 00340742 · Companies House seatonleng.com
17	Peter Melrose Funeral Directors Whitley BAY, Tyne and Wear	Approach Score 67/100	Longest in post since 2007 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent More about this firm 14 staff · turnover est. £506k Net assets £110k (Jun 2025) Company no. 06317628 · Companies House melrosefunerals.co.uk
18	E. Turnbull & SON Tyne and Wear	Approach Score 67/100	We hold older figures than Companies House Longest in post since 2006 2 individuals hold 75%+ · independent More about this firm 10 staff · turnover est. £541k Net assets £1m · newer accounts made up to Mar 2025 Company no. 00197063 · Companies House eturnbull.co.uk
19	Stuart Wright Funeral Service Durham	Approach Score 60/100	We hold older figures than Companies House In post since 2003 Corporate owner More about this firm 11 staff · turnover est. £1.1m Net assets £2.6m (Apr 2020) · newer accounts made up to Apr 2025 PSC register changed Jul 2025 Company no. 04678296 · Companies House stuartwrightfunerals.co.uk
20	Derwentside Funeral Service Annfield Plain, County Durham	Approach Score 57/100	2 directors aged 70 or over, 2 aged 45-49, 1 aged under 45 · longest in post since 2017 Independent More about this firm 16 staff · turnover est. £432k Net assets £569k (Feb 2025) Company no. 10612981 · Companies House derwentsidefuneralservice.co.uk
21	Rose Funeral Directors Middlesbrough A director sits on 4 or more companies	Approach Score 56/100	1 director aged 65-69, 1 aged under 45 · longest in post since 2013 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 24 staff · turnover est. £2m Net assets £2m (Mar 2025) Company no. 08497429 · Companies House rosefunerals.co.uk
22	Roxys-Rainbow PET Cremation Hartlepool	Approach Score 54/100	1 director aged 50-54, 1 aged 45-49 · longest in post since 2020 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent More about this firm 6 staff · turnover est. £130k Net assets £25k (Sep 2025) Company no. 12861496 · Companies House
23	Fawcett & Hetherington Funeral Service Middlesbrough	Approach Score 53/100	Longest in post since 2016 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent More about this firm 15 staff · turnover est. £714k Net assets £681k (Mar 2025) Company no. 08909304 · Companies House fawcettandhetherington.co.uk
24	North East Carriage Stanley, County Durham	Approach Score 53/100	1 director aged 55-59, 1 aged 45-49 · longest in post since 2009 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent More about this firm 6 staff · turnover est. £251k Net assets -£16k (Mar 2025) Company no. 07094853 · Companies House northeastcarriagecompany.co.uk
25	H Duckworth Funeral Directors Northumberland	Approach Score 51/100	We hold older figures than Companies House 1 director aged 70 or over, 1 aged 45-49 · longest in post since 2002 Independent More about this firm 7 staff · turnover est. £825k Net assets £562k · newer accounts made up to Mar 2025 PSC register changed Apr 2025 Company no. 04532281 · Companies House hduckworthfuneraldirectors.co.uk

3 more firms are in the list, in Approach Score order.

You're seeing the first 25. Buy all 28 for £799 + VAT, with the facts behind each score, director names, shareholders and financials.

Buy the list of all 28 firms, with director names, ages and shareholders

Each row comes with the facts behind its score, financials with dates and contact details.

What's in the file

One row per firm, in Approach Score order, as Excel + CSV.

It holds the facts behind each score, points for each part of the score, financials with dates, publicly available contact details, where identified, director names and named shareholders.

Some people with significant control appear as Other individual, with no further detail. Director email lookups are not included.

How this list is filtered

5 or more staff, from filed headcount or our estimate where none is filed.
Registered office in the North East.

See every filter on the UK list

How this list is built

The Approach Score ranks firms mainly on public Companies House information about owner tenure and age, ownership, size, financial strength and recent register changes.

Firms with higher scores appear first in each list.

Use the ranking to order research, then check each business directly.

Read how the Approach Score works

What it does not mean

No firm here is for sale, and the score says nothing about any owner's plans.

At least 95% of the firms where we hold directors had them checked in or after November 2026.

What we do not cover

Regulatory information is not included in this list. Buyers should check the relevant register as part of their due diligence. Check the Scottish Government's Funeral Sector Register in Scotland. England, Wales and Northern Ireland have no equivalent bespoke funeral director regime; check voluntary trade memberships separately.

Why age bands but no people's names

Age bands come from the month and year of birth on Companies House. This page shows no exact ages and no people's names. Both come with the purchased list. The band edges from 45 to 65 are the ages where the score changes. A row shows no age bands when a director's surname is in the firm's name, its group's name or its website. Those directors' ages still count towards the score.

Is this your firm?

You can ask us to take it off every acquisition page, and out of every list we sell after that. Give us your name and work email, and we send you a link to confirm. If your email address is on the firm's own website domain, the firm comes off once you confirm. If it is not, a person reviews your request first. A list already sold stays with its buyer.

To have personal data erased, see our privacy policy.

Other areas

UK Newcastle upon Tyne East Midlands East of England London North West Northern Ireland Scotland South East South West Wales West Midlands Yorkshire and The Humber

Buy the list of all 28 firms, with director names, ages and shareholders

Each row comes with the facts behind its score, financials with dates and contact details.