Taylor & Forgie Funeral Directors

Taylor & Forgie Funeral Directors Helping families through difficult times with a personal touch & unique service. Taylor & Forgie Funerals help you through difficult times.

Fully South Australian family Owned and Operated in Gawler, Elizabeth & District Since 1855. http://www.taylorandforgie.com.au

* Reliable and experienced male and female funeral directors
* Appointments in your home
* Local facilities
* Cremation or burial chapel & refreshment lounge
* Ethical members of a professional association (A.F.D.A)
* Bereavement aftercare and referrals for grief counseling
* Affordable prices

Currently owned by the 5th generation, Mark & Gizelle Forgie. Available all Hours(08) 8522 1734

Today’s Pioneer Park reinterment ceremony was a meaningful moment of reflection, respect and remembrance. As a community...
20/03/2026

Today’s Pioneer Park reinterment ceremony was a meaningful moment of reflection, respect and remembrance. As a community, we came together to honour those who came before us and to recognise the importance of preserving their stories with dignity and care.

The ceremony acknowledged the significance of reinterment not only as a practical process, but as an act of respect for history, heritage and the people connected to this place.

Thank you to everyone involved in making today’s ceremony so thoughtful and respectful.
Special thank you to ACC Higgins for custom building the ossuary boxes.

17/03/2026
Taylor & Forgie Funeral Directors, represented by Jeff and Claire, were proud to be part of a special walking tour at Du...
13/03/2026

Taylor & Forgie Funeral Directors, represented by Jeff and Claire, were proud to be part of a special walking tour at Dublin Cemetery, where 35 history enthusiasts gathered to explore the stories of the early settlers who helped shape the Adelaide Plains.
Co-hosted by the Dublin History Group and the Adelaide Northern Districts Family History Group, the event highlighted ten local families and, fittingly near International Women’s Day, paid tribute to women whose contributions are often overlooked. Visitors heard the stories of the Prime sisters, Lillian and Marion, and schoolteacher Mary Ann Sunman, while also learning of the cemetery’s connection to the Australian film Red Dog.
Taylor & Forgie helped bring history to life with our 1924 Bean Hearse and an original burial ledger on display. Thanks to all the attendees and organisers, hope to see you at the next event!
https://dublinhistorygroup.com.au/page/cemetery.htm


13/03/2026
Feedback like this is shared with our whole team, because it reflects what we strive for every day: calm guidance, genui...
02/03/2026

Feedback like this is shared with our whole team, because it reflects what we strive for every day: calm guidance, genuine care, and respectful support.

When someone we love dies, their voice may fall silent, but their influence, their stories, their laughter and lessons c...
18/02/2026

When someone we love dies, their voice may fall silent, but their influence, their stories, their laughter and lessons continue to echo through our lives. The melody lives on in family traditions, in shared memories, in the quiet ways we carry them forward.

A farewell gathering is not about saying goodbye to a life, it’s about honouring the melody that remains. Not only in stories and reflections, but in music and photographs.
Do you have a special song that is forever linked to someone?

Coming up in March, we’re proud to be a part of a milestone event for our local history.Dublin, Windsor and Port Parham ...
10/02/2026

Coming up in March, we’re proud to be a part of a milestone event for our local history.

Dublin, Windsor and Port Parham are marking 150 years, and as part of the celebrations we’ll be joining the Dublin Cemetery Walk on Sunday 8 March 2026.

We’ll be bringing along a piece of our own history — our beautifully restored Bean hearse, along with our historic ledger and early funeral records that tell the stories of families and lives from the district’s earliest days.

📍 Untold Stories of Dublin Cemetery
🗓 Sunday 8 March 2026 | 3.30–4.30pm
📌 Dublin Cemetery, Harris Road Dublin

Mark and Claire are pleased to welcome David Lawlor to Taylor & Forgie as our Chief Financial Officer.David brings stron...
05/01/2026

Mark and Claire are pleased to welcome David Lawlor to Taylor & Forgie as our Chief Financial Officer.

David brings strong financial expertise and a people-first mindset, supporting the important work we do every day for families in our community. David's wealth of experience and thoughtful approach aligns closely with our values as a family-focused, community-based organisation. His role will support the continued care, transparency and sustainability of our services as we look to the future.

31/12/2025

The Taylor & Forgie Puzzle Book is now available — a special edition commemorating our 170th year of service.

What began as a simple idea has grown into a much-loved tradition. For many, these puzzle books have become part of a familiar routine — a quiet moment with a cuppa ☕, a pencil ✏️, and a page or two of puzzles to gently pass the time.

For 170 years, Taylor & Forgie Funeral Directors has been part of the fabric of your community, supporting families across generations. From our beginnings in 1855 to today, our focus has remained the same — providing care, dignity, and compassion to the families who place their trust in us.

The puzzle book is free, as always, and available from our office at 15 Cowan street Gawler or any of our chapels. Please feel welcome to drop in and collect a copy, or pick one up for a friend, neighbour, or family member who might enjoy a peaceful puzzle.

Thank you for continuing to embrace this little tradition with us, and for allowing us to be part of your lives for 170 years. We hope Issue 17 brings you enjoyment, gentle focus, and a few well-earned “aha!” moments.

Happy puzzling 🧩🤍

Earlier this month, we were proud to support the Two Wells Bowling club and spend time with players, supporters and volu...
28/12/2025

Earlier this month, we were proud to support the Two Wells Bowling club and spend time with players, supporters and volunteers who make days like this possible.

Congratulations to all the competitors, and thank you to the Two Wells Bowling Club for hosting such a fun and welcoming tournament !

24/12/2025

As Christmas approaches, we take this opportunity to thank the families and communities we have been privileged to serve this year.

Please note that our office will be closed on public holidays and weekends, however we remain available by phone for assistance at any time, including throughout the Christmas period.

From all of us at Taylor & Forgie, we wish you a peaceful Christmas and a safe New Year.

From vintage charm to Christmas cheer 🎄Late last month, our Bean Hearse had a festive outing at the Gawler Christmas Par...
17/12/2025

From vintage charm to Christmas cheer 🎄
Late last month, our Bean Hearse had a festive outing at the Gawler Christmas Parade! We loved sharing the joy of the season with our community and to see so many smiling faces along the route.

Thank you to everyone who came out to support such a wonderful local tradition.

Thanks to T for the photos.📸

Address

15 Cowan Street
Gawler, SA
5118

Telephone

+61885221734

Website

http://twitter.com/#!/TaylorandForgie

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Our Story

Taylor & Forgie Funerals: helping families through difficult times with a personal touch & unique service. We are fully South Australian family owned and operated in Gawler. All are facilities are local in Gawler, meaning that once your loved one is taken into our care, they stay in Gawler. Currently owned by the 5th generation, Mark & Gizelle Forgie. With 6th generation Claire Forgie.

The beginning: William Stephen Taylor was about thirty years of age in 1855 when he began the business Taylor & Ponder, carpenters and builders, in partnership with John Ponder. In 1865, Ponder moved to Kapunda and a new partnership between Taylor and Alexander Forgie was formed. This is when the business known as Taylor & Forgie was founded. Some time after this (possibly in the early 1870s), Taylor and Forgie extended their business to include undertaking in addition to carpentry and building.

After the retirement of W S Taylor in 1882, he was replaced in the business by his brother Henry Charles Taylor. After the death of Alexander Forgie and at that time his two sons, Alexander Philip Forgie and James Forgie took over the operation of the business. The Taylor and Forgie horse drawn hearse was made by Blake Coach-builders in Balaklava.

Taylor & Forgie were the most active builders and carpenters in Gawler during the latter half of the nineteenth century and into the twentieth century. They built numerous houses in Gawler and were responsible for substantial additions to the Gawler Institute, the Police Station, the Old Spot Hotel, Taylor Brothers Butter factory and Sheard's Drapers (Essex House). As undertakers, Taylor & Forgie were responsible for the burial of many of Gawler's prominent residents such as James Martin (1899), James Pile (1885), David Fotheringham (1898) and Thomas Mankey (1872).