Head & Wheble Funeral Directors
Family-run, independent funeral directors in Bournemouth, Dorset, offering personal, thoughtful funeral arrangements to the local community
Funeral Services
- Traditional burial
- Simple funeral
- Traditional cremation
- Home visit
- On-site parking
- Chapel of rest
Funeral arrangements
- Home visit
- 24 hour telephone support
- On-site parking
- Chapel of rest
- Hearse
- Limousine
- Horse-drawn hearse
- Bespoke vehicle
- Coffin
- Personalised coffin
- Casket
- Headstone / Plaque
- Urn
- Memorial jewellery
- Floral tributes
- Charitable donations
- Newspaper announcement
- Online obituary
- Memorial book
- Order of service sheets
- Music
- Video tribute
- Funeral webcasting
- Catering
- Dove release
- Balloon release
- Fireworks
Types of funeral
- Traditional burial
- Simple funeral
- Traditional cremation
- Green funeral
- Direct cremation
- Burial at sea
- Non-religious funeral
- Anglican funeral
- Roman Catholic funeral
- Muslim funeral
- Jewish funeral
- Sikh funeral
- Hindu funeral
- Buddhist funeral
- Children’s funeral
Financial arrangements
- Financial advice
- Wills & probate
- Pre-paid funeral plan
Additional services
- Repatriation
- Bereavement counselling
- List of mourners
About Us
Head & Wheble Independent Funeral Directors in Bournemouth have been serving Dorset families with personal funeral arrangements for over 95 years. Founded by George Head in 1926, the local funeral directors is now run by his grandson, Simon, with the fourth generation of the Head family, James and Robert, also now a part of the business.
Simon and his compassionate team are ready to help you in every aspect of organising the perfect funeral for your loved one. Whether they wanted a traditional religious funeral, service or a non-religious celebration of life, Head & Wheble are able to cater to any faith or denomination.
You can choose from a wide variety of coffins and caskets, including traditional hardwoods and eco-friendly materials such as wicker, bamboo or cardboard. There is a fleet of modern Mercedes funeral transport and unique options, such as horse-drawn hearses, are available by request.
Head & Wheble are also monumental stonemasons and can create stone memorials for your loved one as well as offering memorial maintenance services.
The Head & Wheble funeral home in Bournemouth is equipped with private and comfortable chapels of rest, where you can spend time with your loved one in peace. You can go to the office to arrange your loved one's funeral or, if you prefer, request a home visit. The funeral home in Bournemouth is open 8:30am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday. Head & Wheble are available via telephone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Get in touch with Head & Wheble Independent Funeral Directors today to begin discussing the perfect send off for your loved one.
What Families Say
AI SummaryMany families emphasise the emotional support and care they received throughout the process, describing staff as compassionate, understanding and genuinely considerate during one of life's most difficult times. Several mention how the team guided them carefully through each stage, explaining what would happen next and making arrangements feel manageable rather than overwhelming, which was especially valued by those arranging funerals from a distance or for the first time.
A number of reviews note that the funeral day itself ran smoothly and respectfully, with attention paid to personal wishes and specific requests, whether that involved simple direct cremations, home services, or more elaborate ceremonies. Many families also comment on clear communication and being kept informed throughout, which gave them confidence that everything was being handled properly.
Families frequently mention finding the pricing competitive and reasonable for the service provided, with several noting they appreciated the straightforward, honest approach to costs without any sense of hard sell or pressure.
This summary is generated by AI from recent verified reviews.
Verified Reviews
Verified Reviews
Professional Standards
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NAFD Member
Members agree to a published Code of Practice and can be held to account through the Association if something goes wrong.
What they do
- Inspects member premises to check standards are being met
- Runs a complaints and resolution service for bereaved families
- Provides funeral training and professional qualifications
Latest Verified Reviews
Katarzyna Hawkins 25th Jul 2025
During my initial visit and discussions, I was told that my father's cremation would happen within three days of his body being picked up from the hospital. I was also informed that he would be transported for cremation in a wooden coffin. At the crematorium, his body was supposed to be moved from the wooden coffin to a cardboard one for the actual cremation. Unfortunately, my father's cremation didn't take place within those three days; it happened much later due to no cremation slots available and the day when my father suppose to be cremated has been booked for someone else. Anyway, on the day of the cremation, I saw a hearse outside the funeral home with a cardboard coffin, not a wooden one, inside. I decided not to make a scene, fearing that arguing would lead to his body being mishandled while being transferred between coffins, or even the reverse at the crematorium. At that point, it felt like it no longer mattered much. The cremation eventually took place. A few days later, I was told that my father's ashes were ready for collection. I confirmed I'd be there that day. When I arrived at the reception, the administrative lady got up, went to the corner of the office, and picked up a plastic bag from the floor. Inside was a neatly sealed cardboard box. I was horrified, thinking how insensitive it was to treat someone's remains with such disrespect—packaging them in a bag and leaving them on the floor for pickup. I took my father's ashes, got into my car, and placed them on my lap to take them out of the bag. Once I did, I saw a cardboard box. I assumed the wooden urn I had ordered and paid for would be inside. To my shock, there was no wooden urn, just his ashes directly in the box. I immediately went back into the funeral home and asked why his ashes weren't in the urn I'd paid for. The administrative lady checked the documents, confirmed the urn had indeed been selected and paid for, and called one of the employees. He then had to transfer my father's ashes to the wooden urn. This took a considerable amount of time because he had to engrave my father's name, and date of death on the spot. It was a truly awful experience. Not only were his ashes left on the floor for collection, but they also forgot to prepare the urn. How can you not be ashamed? I sincerely hope that those who mourn your passing someday do not have to endure such contemptuous and negligent treatment of your remains.
Beverley Halliwell 25th Jul 2025
Head and Wheble did my husbands direct cremation. I called in the early hours one morning wanting some more information and to decide whether it was what we wanted. Instantly got reassurance from Patricia that my husband and myself would be in good hands. Having never had to do this before they were lovely from the initial contact. Everyone I dealt with and on the day made it as simple and as comfortable as it could be. I wouldn't hesitate in recommending them and will be organising mine through them. They are a long established business so everything was as you would expect. I was able to observe from a distance the simple ceremony and his remains were promptly returned to me. Thank you to everyone who helped me through this difficult time and day.
Suzanne Garel-James 25th Jul 2025
What a stress free, kind and efficient service - thank you so much for taking such good care of our dad