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:
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 - present day
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: Jamie Younger appointed manager of the Littlehampton 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: Carly Cripps appointed manager of the Storrington Office
2018: Stephen Webber moves to Head Office in Broadwater
2018: Marian Down sadly passes away after only 5 months retirement
If you would like to know more about our company or the funeral services we can offer, please feel free to contact us.
