Alexander Thornhill

With over two decades of experience in the Funeral industry, Alexander Thornhill has established himself as a trusted Funeral Director and Embalmer in Newcastle upon Tyne. Starting as an apprentice at A.W. Lymn Family Funeral Service in Nottingham in 2004, Alexander underwent comprehensive training in all aspects of the Funeral Services, including Embalming, Funeral Directing and office management.

My Professional Journey:

I (Alexander Thornhill) started a five year apprenticeship in 2004 at A.W Lymn Family Funeral Service, Nottingham, after work experience with them in 2003. This apprenticeship involved rigorous training in all areas leading up to the funeral. I spent time in the coffin workshop, flower department, driving and bearing on funerals, office, stonemasons, embalming and Funeral Directing. I successfully achieved my British Institute of Embalming qualification and the National Association of Funeral Directors Diploma in Funeral Directing.

I got married to my wife, Lucy, in 2008 and moved to the North East where I commenced working as a Funeral Director at W.S Harrison and Sons in Byker, Newcastle upon Tyne, where I spent nearly ten, hugely rewarding years of my funeral career.

In 2017 I went travelling with my wife for 4 months. We visited 9 countries, took 26 flights, numerous trains, buses and tuk tuks amongst other modes of transport. Life is for living after all and a Funeral Director hears this more than most other professions. No regrets and a wealth of opportunities, perspectives and memories gained.

In 2018 I worked as a Quality and Standards Manager for the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD). This involved visiting NAFD member branches to perform an unscheduled inspection to ensure NAFD standards and code of practice were being adhered to. This was an invaluable opportunity allowing me unrestricted access to a large number of funeral businesses and their owners and I gained a wealth of knowledge and experience from this.  

I was approached by a Director from William Purves in 2019 who wanted me to work as a Funeral Director at Jacob Conroys in Morpeth. I took on this role in 2020 after the birth of my first child after deciding that, as much as I enjoyed my NAFD Quality and Standards Manager role, I wanted to be closer to home and not have the volume of long distance travelling inspecting different funeral homes around the North of England and Wales patch. 

2022 was a big year for me. I created Thornhill Funeral Services. My own Funeral Company. 

I perform Embalming for Independent Funeral firms across the North East and have further built up my business contacts. Some of these contacts have understood my business concept and allow me to use their facilities and chapels of rest on a per funeral basis as required. This makes me unique as I am able to cover Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland and County Durham.

I am passionate about the Funeral industry and feel that families deserve a high level of service for the best possible value without compromise or cutting corners but being very transparent from the off set. From the first phone call to the day of the funeral and beyond I strive to achieve the most fitting funeral service, tailored and bespoke to each families requirements. I am one of a few Funeral Directors in the North East who is dually qualified in both Funeral Directing and Embalming this allows me to offer a unique combination of expertise in both Funeral Directing and Embalming helping to look after not only you, but your loved one personally. 

Contact Alexander Thornhill:

For a compassionate and personalised Funeral Services in Newcastle upon Tyne and the surrounding areas, contact Alexander Thornhill at Thornhill Funeral Services on 07732052170