About Sullivan & Son

I was born in Ilford, Essex in 1973 and spent my childhood in Swaffham, Norfolk. I came to Canterbury, Kent in 1983 when my father got a teaching headship in Ashford. I attended St Anselms School in Canterbury and it was during my 6th form that my interest in the funeral profession began. WHY everyone asks, I am still not sure! I was attracted to it because of its historic place in society, because of its apparent security and because it was something completely different.

It took nearly a year of perseverance and letters before I was given my chance by an area manager of the then Plantsbrook group (now Dignity) and taken on as an employment trainee through Kent Skills. I was just 19. I started learning the business at John Kemp Funeral Directors in Whitstable and spent my time going all over Kent and the UK on funerals and removals (collection of deceased). I also spent time at F.C. Woods of Ashford and after my first year was taken on as a Trainee Funeral Director based at Woods. I was given my own hearse to look after and again experienced funerals all over south east Kent and beyond.

In 1994 I was offered the position of Funeral Director at Hambrook & Johns in Folkestone along with free company accommodation and I eagerly left home to begin this next challenge. In 1998 I was given the additional responsibility of Hambrook & Johns in Dover and around this time also began studying for my Diploma in Funeral Directing which I passed in 1999.

Shortly after I started to look for a position with an independent firm as working for a large multinational group was not for me. In 2001 I was taken on as Funeral Director/Manager at J. Dilnot Smith & Son, Deal and Woodnesborough (near Sandwich) where I stayed for six years. Always hoping to own and run my own funeral business I seized an opportunity in 2006 and started from scratch a new business named Sullivan & Son Independent Funeral Service at 12 Beaconsfield Road in Dover, which opened on the 31st March 2007. I have two sons, Joshua and Thomas and a daughter Lizelle.
Sullivan & Sons are very proud to have now served hundreds of local families and many out of district clients too; promising always a very personal, efficient and best price service.