JH Kenyon Funeral Directors

27/01/2026

A Great Western Railway locomotive was renamed the Royal Sovereign prior to hauling the late Queen's funeral train. Queen Victoria was in fact the first reigning monarch to ride in a train in 1842, a feat she shared with fellow Sovereign, Pope Pius IX, who was the first Pope ever to do so. They corresponded about this. The coffin left for Windsor in the same carriage in which it had been conveyed to Victoria Station, which had been shunted round to Paddington during the procession.
As is well known after difficulties with the horses at Windsor (they waited so long in the bitter cold they just refused to move) the gun carriage was pulled to St George's Chapel by naval ratings. This made such a great impression that they method has been used ever since, most recently at the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.

25/01/2026

25/01/2026

Queen Victoria's coffin was transported on a gun carriage at her request. It's immense size was a challenge to the bearers throughout the funeral. The route through London was three and a half miles long and the procession itself was a mile in length stretching from Victoria Station to St James's Palace.
The Queen's gun carriage was pulled by eight Windsor Greys, with purple ribbon woven into their manes. She requested no black at her funeral.
At a suggestion from a Miss Ella Close all of the 800 lampposts along the processional route were decorated with wreaths. Newspapers requested donations of a uniform design and vastly more arrived from all over the country than were needed. King Edward VII, the kaiser and the Duke of Connaught rode behind the gun carriage. An estimated one million people watched the procession through London (including the family and staff of JH Kenyon; the procession passing by our then Head Office at Edgware Road). The entire route was lined with 30,000 soldiers and every regiment of the British Army was represented. Stands were erected with premium seats selling for 25 guineas. It was one of the earliest public events recorded on moving film.

23/01/2026

Victoria's coffin was borne across the Solent from Cowes to Portsmouth Harbour in the Royal Yacht Alberta beneath a pavilion draped in ruby velvet. The accompanying flotilla passed between a guard of honour eight miles long consisting of thirty-eight ships of the Royal Navy, and ships sent by other nations. Minute guns were fired from the ships and were heard a hundred miles away in the Cotswolds. The beaches were crowded with tens of thousands of spectators come to witness a once-in -a-lifetime spectacle.

22/01/2026

While JH Kenyon were not formally involved with the obsequies of Queen Victoria (a task carried out by our predecessors as Royal Undertakers, Mr William Banting of St James's, who incredibly sub-contracted the work to a provincial firm as he wasn't prepared to travel to the Isle of Wight) our Firm be-decked our then Head Office on Edgware Road in full mourning drapery. The coffin and procession would have passed our front door enroute to Paddington Station.

22/01/2026

On the 22nd January 1901, 125 years ago today, the long life and reign of Queen Victoria came to an end. She was 81 years of age and had reigned for 67 years, then the longest reign of any British sovereign in history (Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II surpassed this historical milestone). JH Kenyon in Bayswater are proud to display images from the death and State Funeral of Queen Victoria, including some very rare items from those very days held carefully in our archive. Do pop along and have a look and call in to say hello. The exhibition, carefully curated by our friend Robert Stephenson, is viewable until the end of February.

16/01/2026

We are so proud to have caring and gifted team members at JH Kenyon, and Paul Hardy - who served as a Funeral Arranger and Funeral Director - is a most wonderful artist. This is Paul's latest piece of artwork, depicting a robin, and in that most difficult of media, oil paints. Paul made a great impression on both our clients and his colleagues alike in his time with us and it's a great satisfaction to see his work celebrated everytime we write to families as his ink study of our head office adorns our Thank You cards.

16/01/2026

Funeral preferences are changing across the UK — more people are choosing personalised celebrations of life that reflect individuality and spirit. Whether you prefer a traditional service or something truly unique, we’re here to help you express a life well lived.

14/01/2026

Memorials help keep treasured memories alive. From classic headstones and benches to bespoke plaques, urns and remembrance jewellery — we can help you choose something truly personal to honour your loved one.

12/01/2026

We’re honoured by the feedback families share about their experience with us. Your trust means everything to our team — thank you for letting us serve you with care and professionalism.

09/01/2026

With proud locations across Bayswater, Westminster, Hampstead, Kensington, and Fulham, our dedicated teams are part of the fabric of London life and here when you need us most.

08/01/2026

JH Kenyon have a long and treasured relationship with Westminster Abbey and St Margaret's Westminster (the beautiful church in the Abbey enviorns) and it was our privilege to serve a bereaved family in these special places over the last few days. Pictured: our bearers outside the Chapel of St Faith where the deceased rested overnight; and our Hearse outside St Margaret's in Parliament Square (not the easiest of places to be parked). All was well and the family delighted and the Clergy too.