Hi I’m Bruce, I was born and brought up on Warwick Rd Carlisle.
I went to Norman street primary school and then to St. Aidan’s secondary school. My father Lloyd Harris was a physiotherapist at the Cumberland Infirmary for many years as well as having a private practice at our home, he looked after Carlisle United players before his death in 2002. My mum Maisie was a traditional mother/ housewife and once we all had left home went back to work as a care worker and worked for a couple of nursing homes before her death in 1998.
My 1st job was as a porter at the Cumberland Infirmary where I would take patients to and from theatre, on and off wards and also to the mortuary. I then moved into the public health department at the Cumberland Infirmary.
At the age of 19 I left the Infirmary to start work as a trainee Funeral Director with W.H.Reeves at Stanwix but after about 4 months of being there Mr Ian Reeves sold the business to a national company. I worked there for about 2 more years then left, I wanted to work in an independent company who put values first not profit.
When Peter Hudson employed me in 1985, he trained me in his way of arranging funerals and that personal touch that helps with grieving families. This is where I met my future wife Mary Hudson , Peter's daughter ..... yes I married the bosses daughter !!!!!!.. I learnt his ways and enjoyed working with him until his death in 1996. When Peter died Mary and I bought the business and have taken it to the success it is today. Mary and I have been married for 30 years this year and have two beautiful grown-up children Adam and Emily who work with us in the business. In September 2017 Adam made us proud grandparents to Oscar, Emily gave us George in November 2018 and then Albie in June 2021, maybe they will be the 6th generation ?????
Over the last 38 years I have noticed a lot of changes in our industry, we have adapted with them and also started some of them ourselves, let’s see what the next 38 years will hold.
