At the age of 21, Henry Claude Townsend completed a 7 year apprenticeship, and was offered 3d an hour extra pay by his employer. However, his father, Joseph Henry, felt that he was undervalued for such a talented young craftsman, and so encouraged Henry Claude to set up his own joinery business. Coffin manufacturing and funerals soon became part of the work, and H.C.Townsend was formed in 1927.

Kenneth Brian, only child of Claude and Beatrice (Kitty), joined the business on completion of his education at Harrogate Grammar School in 1952.

The business flourished and Cundalls Funeral Directors was acquired in the late 1970s.

In 1981, David, eldest son of Brian and Mary, joined the business and at the age of just 17, carried out his first funerals.

In October 2004, Brian and Mary retired and handed the reins to David and his wife, Ann. In October 2005, they acquired Backhouse of Hunsingore, Funeral Directors.

In 2007, building works began to transform the old joinery workshops into a refurbished Chapel of Rest, modern mortuary and new garaging to accommodate the business’s first fleet of vehicles.

In 2014, Alex began working for the company at the age of 15, and has continued to do so throughout studies at Harrogate Grammar School and Nottingham Trent University before graduating in July 2019. Alex conducted his first funerals for the business in late October 2019.

In 2018, a new fleet of vehicles were acquired: the first fleet of Mercedes vehicles that the company owned.

Building works began on the new outside bespoke office building to be used in early 2019, and is now fully functioning and furnished, ready to accommodate you in your time of need.

David Townsend has just celebrated forty years in the family business in 2021. The Reverend David Hoskins presented David with a watch from his wife Ann at a celebration of his forty years in the family business. He said that David has all the qualities needed in a great funeral director, and that a family business has lots to recommend it in days when national companies dominate the scene.

David says he is not ready to retire and feels he still has a lot to give to bereaved families in the area.

The photograph shows David being presented with his watch and a hamper to commemorate 40 years of work well done.