Our history

Founder William Purves was born on 9 September 1858 in Chirnside, near Duns in the Scottish Borders. In 1881, the Purves family moved to Edinburgh, where William trained as a joiner and cabinet maker. He married Ellen on 11 June 1884, and the couple moved to Barnstaple in Devon for his health. William briefly considered emigrating to New Zealand, where a sister lived, but instead moved to Pimlico in London later that year.

In 1887, William returned to Edinburgh and acquired a cabinetmaking business. A year later, in 1888, he set up William Purves, operating as a “Joiner, Upholsterer, and Cabinet Maker” in Marchmont. At this time, the family lived at 23 Roseneath Place, moving to 5 Meadow Place in 1895, when he began running the business from that address.

William’s son, William (known as Willie), returned from fighting in the First World War and took over the business. He purchased a shop on Roseneath Street, which would become the heart of the business for the next 80 years.

Willie’s son Jack (also known as John) is a trained joiner and represented the third generation of the Purves family business. A year after Willie’s death in 1962, Jack retired the 75-year-long joinery legacy to concentrate on building the funeral business. He refurbished the Roseneath property to become a funeral office and rented rest-rooms and a service chapel. He launched the first company hearse, an Austin 3-litre, alongside a Majestic Major Daimler car.

In 1973, Jack’s son John joined the family business as the fourth generation. His father, Jack, died suddenly in 1975. By 1976, John and his brother-in-law, Graeme Brown, began a period of steady growth and expansion in Edinburgh.

A new branch opened in Dalkeith in 1983, followed by their first business purchase of Morningside Funeral Directors in 1984. By the late 1980s, William Purves was arranging over 1,000 funerals annually – a milestone that reflected the firm’s growing reputation.

In 1995, and after eight decades, the William Purves business moved Roseneath Street with the ambitious purchase of Oakvale at 106 Whitehouse Loan. This new building accommodated a full-scale funeral home with a service room, space for client arranging and viewing and a mortuary. In 1996 Graeme’s daughter Sharon joined the company followed by brother Paul in 1998.

The turn of the Millennium marked another major step with the firm’s first non city-centre acquisition of Haddington based Wood & Hay Funeral Directors. Also in 2000, Roger Pagan and James Morris were appointed Directors, helping to usher in a new era of leadership. John’s son Tim joins the team soon after, having spent most of his school summer holidays working in different areas of the business.

2002
William Purves purchased Adam Cramond with branches in Goldenacre and Leith, along with an acquisition of Elgin and Forres based Smith & Catto.

2004
Acquisition of David Hardie & Son in Galashiels.

2005
Alistair Turner Funeral Directors in Alnwick becomes the firm’s first business in England.

2007
Branches open in Rothbury and Amble. The company also acquires Jacob Conroy & Sons in Morpeth and Guide Post. Tim Purves is appointed a Director.

2008
Expansion continues with the acquisition of Peter Grenfell’s funeral homes in Bedlington and Ashington.

2009
Director Graeme Brown retires. John Beattie & Sons and John Beattie Memorials in Hawick join the group. The purchase of Penicuik Undertaking is followed by a rebrand to William Purves, Penicuik.

2010
William Purves opens a new branch in Chesser, Edinburgh. The fleet of Mercedes Benz hearses and limousines is launched in silver, a radical shift from the traditional black associated with funeral cars.

2011
Further branches open in Craigmillar and Craigentinny with another Borders addition in Peebles. William Purves launches an Embalming Academy, offering a training path for would-be embalmers.

2013
William Purves acquires Oliver & Sons in Jedburgh.

2014
Acquisition of Tom Woodhouse Funeral Directors in Blyth. Colin Brown and Andrew Purves were appointed Directors. John Purves hands the reins to his son, Tim, who becomes Chairman. Graeme’s two children and three other Purves cousins join Tim, representing the fifth generation of the family business.

2015
A new branch opens in Currie, followed by the acquisition of Tayside businesses: Robert Samson in Broughty Ferry and James L Wallace in Dundee.

2016
Acquisition of Eric P Massie Funeral Directors in Inverurie.

2018
Purchase of Gary Staker in Monkseaton and Shiremoor, and the opening of a new William Purves branch in St Andrews.

2022
Director Roger Pagan, and Graeme’s children – Sharon Hook and Paul Brown – retire.

2023
William Purves opens a new branch in North Berwick and acquires CR Low in Selkirk.

2024
William Purves opens a new branch in Barnton. A Land Rover Defender hearse is added to the fleet and managed as a sub-brand.
Managing Director James Morris retires, and Ben Thomson is appointed Director.

2025
Tim Purves becomes CEO and Chairman. His wife Ali Purves joins the Board of Directors. Andrew Purves becomes Chief Operating Officer and Colin Brown is appointed Chief Cultural Officer. Another sub-brand is launched: Purves Repatriation providing specialist repatriation support to clients to and from the UK.