About Us

I began my funeral career as a driver bearer at the age of 20 and discovered an aptitude for the profession, my hard work paid off and I was promoted to the post of a Funeral Director.

In 2011 I was offered the chance of moving from Devon to Surrey to manage Woking Funeral Services and along with knowledge that we would soon be acquiring the James & Thomas Funeral Directors it was an opportunity not to be missed.

I believe in high standards and quality of care, however my job is made easier because my team share the same beliefs and standards.

My proudest moment

All the clients I care for are individuals and I always feel privileged that they have entrusted their loved one into my care and immensely proud to be their chosen funeral director. Working with the ethnic communities around me is fast becoming my greatest achievement the satisfaction at the end of the day of having achieved what at first appears impossible is truly amazing.

Personal Interests

When you work in the funeral industry, one thing you learn from early on is that the job becomes a way of life and life fits around the work.  I’m married with two boys, who I love dearly, but my oter love is my 1976 VW Camper Betzie, which we restored from a rusty shell in just under 6 months. My team even got involved in this.

Caitlin came into the funeral profession after graduating from The University of Winchester with a Theology and Religious Studies degree. She chose to undertake some work experience with a local funeral director while completing a module on death and religion, and has never looked back.
Caitlin joined the company in November 2011 and has progressed from Funeral Arranger to Funeral Director. She has recently completed the National Association of Funeral Directors’ (NAFD) Diploma in Funeral Directing and was presented with the High Achiever’s Award. Caitlin loves world travel as well as spending time with family and friends.

What you like best about your role?

I want to help families at a difficult time by making  the arranging process as stress free as possible  in being able to help say goodbye to their loved ones and making lasting memories.

Specific memories/proudest moment at work

Once the funeral has taken place, hearing back from the families about how grateful they were for all the help and support received in making the process run so smoothly

Personal interests:

I enjoy spending time with my family and going on days out and relaxing whilst watching a film.

Born in Barbados, Sam came to the UK in 1968, and has been with Woking Funeral Service since 2003. He enjoys all sports, horse racing, dog racing, eating out and spending time with his granddaughter.

What you like best about your role:

The thought that I can help to ease some of the stress and strain for someone at a time when they are grieving on the loss of their loved one. Arranging a funeral can sometimes seem such a formidable task with so many things to do. This is where our role becomes so important as we offer gentle guidance and support throughout the funeral process.

Have you done any other roles in the funeral profession?

I have been involved in the funeral profession since 1967, beginning as a driver/bearer to funeral operative and then to my current position as a Funeral Director – I can say with confidence that I have covered most aspects of the funeral profession.

Specific memories/proudest moment at work:

All funerals have specific moments that confirm I have done my very best for a family; many funerals will remain in my memory forever and I feel honoured that I have played a part in creating some special memories.

My proudest moment was arranging the funeral for a very young child, whose parents were naturally distraught, everything I did for them appeared to bring them some comfort and they were so appreciative of the care that I had shown their loved one.

Personal interests:

I have been a football referee for 43 years, reaching the National list of Match Officials in 1996. I still referee at Senior level and have been Secretary of Guildford Referees Society for 38 years. I have many other football related administration jobs within the County. After football my spare free time is spent with my family, reading or gardening.

Julie joined James & Thomas Funeral Directors in March 2018 as a mobile funeral arranger. For the last 30 years she was a florist in and around Guildford where she has lived all her life.

She says “I never thought I would leave floristry as I have always been passionate about my work, but after losing both my parents recently I decided I wanted to help and guide families during such hard and difficult times.

I can honestly say that I absolutely love working here, it is very rewarding and I have had some lovely compliments, this job is so worthwhile.”
In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her three children and family including her dog.

Liz has been working for James & Thomas Funeral Directors since 2018, and says it is the best role she’s had.
Liz says “It’s not just a job and is very rewarding, there’s no such thing as a boring day at work. I feel privileged to be able to help when a family needs me most, relying on me to ensure everything runs smoothly and entrusting their loved one to me. I keep in touch with many of my families and some have become dear friends.”
When not working Liz loves spending time with her family and animals, especially riding her horse as often as she can.

A former bus driver in Guildford, David joined the company in 1999. Having worked as a Funeral Operative, he is now the Foreman organising the day to day running of the service.
He has a large family network and spends his spare time looking after them. He has a 1938 Austin Seven that he is currently restoring.

Callum Ray joined the team in 2016, initially working part time whilst studying. He has always been very interested in this line of work and has previously completed work experience at the nearby Brookwood Cemetery. Callum likes to help families as much as possible on the day of the funeral and gains great satisfaction job carrying out a service.