Our history
"Kate and I have joined the family business, continuing our parents’ emphasis on sensitivity and support, expertise and reliability for customers who are in the midst of tough times."
Lakes-based funeral directors with a wealth of experience proven over a long history
Fishwicks goes back a couple of generations to the current owners’ grandfather, John, who was a joiner as well as an undertaker in Milnthorpe. In 1967, that first John’s son, also John Fishwick, set up in business after he had served his time learning from and working for his father. He, along with his wife Valerie, built the business up and gave over joinery to concentrate solely on funeral directing in the early 1980s.
Bespoke Services
And with over 40 years of experience, we can cater for the more unusual too, whether a tractor and trailer, horse drawn hearse or another mode of transport. Out team will get quotations and work with you to achieve what you have in mind for your loved one.
“When you need us, we’re here to listen and to support you in dealing with everything involved in arranging a funeral. We’re a family business, based in Beetham in South Lakes, and we understand that you need clear advice and options and transparent pricing that will help you to arrange exactly the funeral that your loved one, your family and your friends want.”
As other local funeral directors retired, John and Valerie expanded Fishwicks to cover Arnside, Kirkby Lonsdale and Kendal, purchasing Edmondson Longmires in Windermere in 2007, which they now run alongside Fishwicks.
In 1990, their daughter, Jayne, became a funeral director and in 2004, younger daughter, Kate also joined the business. Fishwicks Funeral Service then became a company in 2004 with the four family members as directors. Fishwicks was located in Milnthorpe until 2007 when it moved to the present location at Beetham Hall.
“A lot has changed over the forty years or more since our father established the business as purely a funeral directors. I think it says a lot that both Kate and I have joined the family business, continuing our parents’ emphasis on sensitivity and support, expertise and reliability for customers who are in the midst of tough times.”
Jayne Fishwick
Today, as well as Fishwicks Funeral Directors at Beetham and Edmondson Longmires in Windermere, Jayne and Kate also operate two crematoria as independent businesses, one at Beetham near Milnthorpe and one near Temple Sowerby in the Eden valley.
