A & C Tadman

A&C Tadman Funeral Directors is a business with a rich history, stretching back to the 19th century. Our origins can be traced back to the love of horses of the great-great-grandfather of our current director, Tim Tadman. Thomas Tadman was a horse trader who worked from his home in Bale, Norfolk. He imported Friesian horses from Belgium, trained them to pull glass hearses, and then sold them to the Funeral Trade, mainly in the London Area. In 1849, Thomas and his wife Dorcas moved to Stepney, East London, where they slowly built a thriving funeral business.

Alfred William, the son of Thomas and Dorcas, continued to run the business successfully. He became a well-known personality in the East End of London, not only as a Funeral Director but also for his knowledge of Belgian Black Horses. The breed is still used for Horse Drawn Funerals today. We are proud to be the chosen Funeral directors to appear in funeral scenes of TV programs and Films, such as Eastenders, Holby City, Silent Witness and many more. We regularly work with the BBC and production agencies.

At A&C Tadman Funeral Directors, we understand that arranging a funeral is an emotional and challenging experience. That's why we strive to provide a personal and professional service in the traditional manner to the local community and surrounding villages and towns. Our services include Jaguar Hearse and limousines, specialist horse-drawn funerals, a 24-hour service, arrangements made at home, private chapels of rest, and repatriation to any country.

Arranging a Funeral

Together, we are able to create a lasting memory. A time of remembering that celebrates the closing chapter of a life and reflects the qualities of the person that you have loved and wish to honour. We will guide you through every step of the process, helping you to create personal tributes that express everything your family and friends ever thought about a loved one.

Your Choice

We offer a range of services to suit your needs, including:

• Coffins
• Transport
• Floral Tributes
• Headstones
• Ashes Caskets and Urns
• Price Information
• Funeral Plans
• Thank Yous

Our experienced team will help you to make the right choices for you and your loved one, ensuring that the funeral is a fitting tribute that reflects their life and personality.

Our History

A&C Tadman Funeral Directors has a rich history that spans over 180 years. The business was originally conceived from the love of horses by Thomas Tadman, the great-great-great grandfather of the current director Tim Tadman. The business has been passed down through the generations, with each generation adding to the reputation of the family business.

In 1836, Thomas Tadman Snr. was a Horse Trainer/Trader in Norfolk. His son Thomas Jnr. became a horse trader in Bale, Norfolk, importing Friesian horses from Belgium. He trained them to pull glass hearses and then sold them to the funeral trade in the London area. When his first wife Phoebe died, he remarried a lady named Dorcas in 1858 and moved to London, where he slowly built a thriving funeral business. When he passed away, Dorcas and their sons, William Alfred and Richard, continued to build up the business. After their deaths, their son Alfred and his wife Annie continued to run the business successfully.

In 1935, after Alfred William's death, his widow Annie and sons, Alf and Con, added to the reputation of the family business. When Alf died in 1980, Con went into partnership with his son Gordon. Towards the latter part of the 1990s, Gordon's wife Maureen and son, Tim, took up the reins. Gordon sadly passed away in 2006, and Tim now runs the funeral business.

In 1998, a new branch was opened in Bethnal Green, followed soon after by one in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire. This branch is the venture of Tim Tadman, who lives locally.