Morley’s oldest independent family funeral directors, caring for local families since 1870.
Richard Binks and his wife Amanda became the senior partners of J W Binks Funeral Directors in 1991. In 1994, they moved the business to new premises at Park House on Queen Street, providing families with improved facilities and an enhanced level of service.
Today, the business continues to be run as a family partnership, with Richard and Amanda alongside their youngest son, Alex Binks, and his wife, Kelly. Although Richard and Amanda have now largely retired from the day-to-day running of the business, they remain partners and continue to be an important part of the J W Binks family.
Alex is the sixth generation of the Binks family to work for the family business since it was founded in 1870. Together, Alex and Kelly continue the family tradition of providing the residents of Morley and the surrounding areas with the highest standards of care, professionalism and personal service.
As an independent, family-run funeral directors, we remain committed to providing the individual care and attention that families have come to expect from J W Binks – continuing a tradition that has been at the heart of the business for more than 150 years.
At J W Binks Funeral Directors, we understand that no two people are the same, so no two funerals should be the same either. A funeral should be more than an opportunity to say goodbye; it should be a time to remember who a person was and what they meant to you. With this in mind, each funeral we arrange is tailored to reflect the individual.
We believe understanding tradition while embracing new ideas gives us the ability to provide a superior service that caters to any requirement. We are here to guide you through the options available so you can be certain you have every opportunity to provide the perfect tribute to your loved one.
Richard joined J W Binks Funeral Directors as the 5th generation in 1980 and has been running the firm since 1991. Richard qualified for his Diploma in Funeral Directing in 1981 with the highest marks in Yorkshire for that year. Richard also joined the British Institute of Civil Funerals in 1982 and has been providing civil ceremonies for our clients ever since.
Alex is the 6th generation to join the family business and started out in 2005 as a pall bearer and driver. Shortly after that Alex started working behind the scenes in the mortuary, preparing loved ones for the chapel of rest. Whilst also maintaining our premises and our fleet of vehicles. In 2012 Alex started directing funerals and working with the technology required for our digital services.
Kelly married Alex Binks in 2015 and joined J W Binks Funeral Directors in 2019 taking over the role of Office Manager. At the start of 2021 Kelly began arranging and conducting funerals as well. Kelly is also responsible for all memorial work that we undertake. Since joining the firm Kelly has become a valuable member of the J W Binks family as well as a friendly and welcoming face to anybody who visits our premises
We’ve been based in Morley since relocating to Park House in 1994, providing a centrally located funeral home for the local community.
Our offices sit on the ground floor at the front of the building, with our mortuary facilities and individual chapels of rest towards the rear, away from the road, for a quiet and private setting.
Upstairs, a large, recently refurbished room overlooks Scatcherd Park and can seat up to 50 people, ideal for a funeral service or a reception afterwards.
Our private car park, accessed from Commercial Street, accommodates up to 20 vehicles, and a purpose-built garage to the rear houses our fleet.
Our fleet includes a Mercedes Hearse and Limousine, kept in immaculate condition and housed in the purpose-built garage at our premises.
J.W.Binks & Sons, Morley’s oldest established Funeral Directors, was founded in 1870 by John Walter Binks on Albert Road. John was a joiner who also made furniture and manufactured bespoke coffins which naturally led him into becoming what at that time was known as a funeral undertaker. He was elected to Morley Borough Council and went on to become an Alderman and Chairman of the School Board.
The next generation was his son John Samuel Binks who relocated the growing business less than a hundred yards to premises at the junction of Clough Street and Albert Road (across the road from the Miners Arms which was built by J.W.Binks & Sons in 1929) with a large joiners shop and stables underneath for the horses with garages for the funeral vehicles. We still have bound ledgers from 1901 showing how much hay was bought for which horse. John Samuel also served the people of Morley on the former West Riding County Council.
John Samuel Binks with wife Florence Binks
None of John Samuels’ children followed immediately into the business but when he neared retirement his son John Walter, who was the Manager of The Westminster Bank, left that job to ensure the business was in capable hands and hand it on to his own son John Samuel (Jack) Binks
Jack Binks built the first Chapel of Rest in Morley at our premises and went on to be the last Mayor of the Borough of Morley, an Honorary Alderman of Leeds City Council and was awarded the M.B.E. for his political services.
John Samuel Binks with wife, Florence Binks
Richard J W Binks , Hon. Ald. John Samuel Binks MBE, Shirley Mary Binks, Martin David Binks.
Jack’s son, Richard, entered the family business in 1980 and was the first member of the family to obtain the Diploma of Funeral Directing. He is a Past President of both Leeds and Yorkshire branches of The National Association of Funeral Directors. In 1991 Richard closed the building side of the business to concentrate fully on funerals. The business grew by the acquisition of G.A.Marshall & Son and then Joseph Barras Funeral Directors.
In 1994 J.W.Binks & Sons moved to its current home at Park House which was built by the Scatcherd family before becoming Morley Liberal Club for many years. A purpose built garage was added in 2000 to house our new fleet of vehicles and the building was completely refurbished in 2015.
The sixth generation of the Binks family to work in the business is Alexander Binks who, as well as being an experienced Funeral Director, is now in charge of future development
