Funeral Partners acquires Farthing Funeral Service

Funeral Partners has expanded into the East of England for the first time with the acquisition of Farthing Funeral Service. 

Farthing Funeral Service, which has funeral homes in Ipswich, Felixstowe and Debenham, was first founded 180 years ago. 

Undertaker Stanley Farthing, the grandfather of business principal Luke Farthing, acquired two Felixstowe building firms in the early 1950s before his son, Donald, transformed them into Farthing Funeral Service in 1955.

The family business expanded in 1960 when Donald and his wife, Margaret, purchased Hasting and Sons and later Singletons, two Ipswich funeral homes that had served their local communities since 1876 and 1840, respectively, before combining them under one name.

Eventually, Luke’s wife, Liz, began helping in the business around the time that Luke became a partner along with his parents and brother in 1985 – the pair eventually became sole owners in 2015. 

Simon Roberts, regional development director at Funeral Partners, said: “There’s a real connection between Farthing Funeral Service and Funeral Partners that we can’t wait to see blossom over the coming years as we help Luke and Liz engage with charities and organisations around Suffolk.”