Member Article

Ben Becomes Seventh Generation Family Director

An established North Shields family funeral business that has served its local community for more than two centuries has appointed a family member as a Director.

The appointment of Ben Broadhead to Director ensures an ongoing family connection and as a seventh-generation family member, he has pledged to lead the company into the future while upholding the values and traditions that have made E Turnbull & Son a trusted name in the community.

Founded in 1790 by John Turnbull as a cabinet making business on North Shields Fish Quay, E Turnbull & Son Funeral Directors has since evolved into a well-respected funeral care provider. Throughout its history, the company thrived as coachbuilders, livery owners, and even operated a fleet of taxi cabs, establishing itself as a household name in the town. In fact, Turnbulls made history by introducing the first car to the town in the form of a 1903 Vauxhall Model 719.

Ben’s mother, Jane Broadhead, daughter of Ben’s grandfather Jimmy Turnbull and currently managing director, will continue to provide guidance and support while gradually passing the reins to her son.

Having initially pursued a career in marketing, Ben gained valuable experience at DFDS and Newcastle University, equipping him with a comprehensive understanding of marketing, business operations and customer engagement. His early involvement in the family business, delivering flowers and contributing to marketing projects, laid the foundation for his deep appreciation of its heritage and the significance of upholding the values instilled by his ancestors.

Ben expressed his enthusiasm for taking on his new role: “I’m immensely proud of our firm’s legacy, which has been ingrained in the lives of the people of North Shields for over two centuries. Embracing our family’s heritage, I am committed to preserving our values and traditions while ensuring we adapt to the changing needs of our community. Working alongside my dedicated team, I am eager to learn every aspect of the industry and continue providing compassionate and personalised service to our valued customers.”

Ben takes pride in Turnbulls being an independent funeral director, recognising the importance of preserving the presence of smaller, locally owned businesses in the face of increasing consolidation by larger national corporations.

“Turnbulls remains committed to serving the people of North Shields, Whitley Bay, Wallsend, and Newcastle. Since 1790, we have been an integral part of this community, and we will continue to be here for generations to come. I think it is vitally important that customers get a personal service using people they know and trust that live and work in their local area,” he said.

Community engagement is important to Ben and his team. Turnbulls has a history of supporting local initiatives and organisations. To mark the occasion of Ben’s appointment, Turnbulls have agreed to sponsor French and Spanish lessons for the YMCA North Tyneside nursery classes in North Shields ensuring no child is deprived of this invaluable chance to learn and grow.

“It’s wonderful to be able to fund these classes so that the children can gain valuable language skills at such an early age. We are a global community now more than ever and having the ability to communicate in more than one language is an essential skill to have. We’re delighted to help with this and many other local good causes such as the YMCA hot meal initiative, North Shields junior football teams and the Tynemouth Golf Club juniors,” said Ben.

Ben has also recently been appointed to PROPS Family Recovery Service, board of Trustees. PROPS is a local support service for people whose lives are affected by someone else’s alcohol or drug use.

“Our commitment to the community extends beyond funeral services. We believe in helping those who support us, which is why we are dedicated to continuing the tradition of supporting those in need. My great-grandfather, for instance, cooked food for the homeless at Christmas, and I want that tradition of helping those in need to carry on in whatever way we can help, “he said.

“My family has established Turnbulls as an integral and traditional part of the community and I’m building on their amazing legacy which spans 232 years. Their success tells me that they have been doing the right thing by keeping Turnbulls a compassionate, caring, local family business.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Keith Newman .