We'll call you back
F P Guiver and Sons Ltd will be in touch shortly.
You've just taken the first step — contacting a funeral director.
See the full checklistLeave your number and F P Guiver and Sons Ltd will call you back.
Free, no obligation. We'll pass your number to the director.
Ready to speak to someone? A free, no-obligation call can help you understand the next steps.
If anything has changed, a quick call with a specialist can confirm.
A quick call with a specialist can help you figure out what applies.
Question of 3
Did the person who died own a property?
Including any property in their name, even if jointly owned.
Were there savings, investments, or other assets?
Bank accounts, shares, pensions, or valuables above a few thousand pounds.
Was there a will?
Even if you're not sure where it is, knowing one exists can change the process.
This can feel overwhelming, but you don't have to figure it out alone. A probate specialist can walk you through the next steps — no obligation, no pressure.
That's one less thing to worry about. If anything changes or you'd like a quick confirmation, a specialist can put your mind at rest.
Many families don't have all the information straight away — that's completely normal. A quick chat with a specialist can help you understand what applies to your situation.
What the probate process looks like
Apply for Grant of Probate
Collect assets & close accounts
Pay debts & tax
Distribute the estate
A specialist handles all of this for you.
Trusted by thousands of families across the UK
You probably don't need to pay for the funeral yourself
The estate will likely go through probate, which means the funeral costs can be paid from the estate. You need a probate specialist to make this happen.
Sail Probate · Fixed fees, nothing upfront
Probate might not be needed
That means the funeral costs probably can't be covered this way. But every situation is different — a quick chat can confirm.
We need a bit more info
Don't worry — lots of people aren't sure at this stage. A quick chat can work out whether the funeral costs can be covered.
Want to talk it through?
Free, no obligation.
Want to check with a specialist?
Free, no obligation.
Want to find out for sure?
Free, no obligation.
Sail Probate · Trusted by thousands of families
A specialist will call you soon
Free, no-obligation advice from Sail Probate
What happens next
Request received
Just now
A specialist reviews your details
Within 1 hour
You'll receive a call
Within 24 hours
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
Result saved
If you need help later, call Sail Probate free:
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
We'll give you a call
A Sail Probate specialist will talk you through everything and answer any questions.
Interested in: We handle everything (£6,000)
Interested in: Just the probate application (£1,000)
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
No problem
If you'd like to talk about probate or funeral costs, call Sail Probate free:
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
F P Guiver & Sons Ltd is one of the few remaining family-owned independent funeral directors in the Southend-on-Sea Borough, with roots stretching back to around 1900 when it was founded by Frederick Parker Guiver. The company has been based at 641 Southchurch Road, Southend-on-Sea since the late 1920s, building an extensive wealth of local knowledge and experience across generations of service to the community.
As an independent funeral director, F P Guiver & Sons has the flexibility to offer a highly personal and bespoke service, arranging funerals of all religious denominations as well as non-religious services. The team at the Southchurch Road office is led by experienced professionals including Craig Reynolds, who has been with the company since 1989 and became a Company Director in 2006, and Neil McDonald, who serves as General Manager and funeral arranger at this branch.
The company is a long-standing member of both the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) and the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF), adhering to both Codes of Practice. They also offer Golden Charter Funeral Plans, providing families with peace of mind for the future. A direct cremation service and standardised price list are also available.
"I used their services 23 years ago for my Dad, they were lovely then and they are still the same caring company."
— Nicole rogerson
"Your care, kindness and attention to detail through the whole process really helped us and we are very grateful."
— goonerbish
"Using Guiver's took the stress of the arrangements away from us and gave us the confidence to face what was obviously an emotionally challenging day with the confidence of knowing we were in good hands."
— Ian Mc
"Neil was particularly supportive, offering clear guidance and consistent compassion to me and my family throughout."
— megan wheal (about Neil)
"Our request for our Mum to stop at what was her home for the last 65 years before then proceeding to the cemetery. Nothing was too much bother, even my constant phone calls to them."
— Nicole rogerson (about Craig)
"Neil was great at gently guiding us through the haze of trying to choose a funeral when my mum was not in the right headspace of doing this for her husband."
— Helen James (about Neil)
Craig Reynolds
Company Director / Manager
Craig joined F P Guiver & Sons in 1989, earned his Diploma in Funeral Directing, and became Manager in 2005 before bein…
Matthew Higginson
Funeral Director
Matt began his career in retail and then fraud investigation before joining the funeral industry, where he achieved his…
Neil McDonald
General Manager / Funeral Arranger
"Neil was great at gently guiding us through the haze of trying to choose a funeral when my mum was not in the right hea…"
Steve Banks
Assistant Manager
Steve joined F P Guiver & Sons in 2011 and is now assistant manager at the Southchurch Road office, supporting families…
Take a moment to reflect on the care you received
Not displayed publicly — used for verification only
This helps other families understand your experience
Share what your experience was like — other families will read this when choosing a funeral director
characters — please write a little more
Your review will appear on this page once verified. This usually takes 1–2 days.
Ready to speak to someone? A free, no-obligation call can help you understand the next steps.
If anything has changed, a quick call with a specialist can confirm.
A quick call with a specialist can help you figure out what applies.
Question of 3
Did the person who died own a property?
Including any property in their name, even if jointly owned.
Were there savings, investments, or other assets?
Bank accounts, shares, pensions, or valuables above a few thousand pounds.
Was there a will?
Even if you're not sure where it is, knowing one exists can change the process.
This can feel overwhelming, but you don't have to figure it out alone. A probate specialist can walk you through the next steps — no obligation, no pressure.
That's one less thing to worry about. If anything changes or you'd like a quick confirmation, a specialist can put your mind at rest.
Many families don't have all the information straight away — that's completely normal. A quick chat with a specialist can help you understand what applies to your situation.
What the probate process looks like
Apply for Grant of Probate
Collect assets & close accounts
Pay debts & tax
Distribute the estate
A specialist handles all of this for you.
Trusted by thousands of families across the UK
You probably don't need to pay for the funeral yourself
The estate will likely go through probate, which means the funeral costs can be paid from the estate. You need a probate specialist to make this happen.
Sail Probate · Fixed fees, nothing upfront
Probate might not be needed
That means the funeral costs probably can't be covered this way. But every situation is different — a quick chat can confirm.
We need a bit more info
Don't worry — lots of people aren't sure at this stage. A quick chat can work out whether the funeral costs can be covered.
Want to talk it through?
Free, no obligation.
Want to check with a specialist?
Free, no obligation.
Want to find out for sure?
Free, no obligation.
Sail Probate · Trusted by thousands of families
A specialist will call you soon
Free, no-obligation advice from Sail Probate
What happens next
Request received
Just now
A specialist reviews your details
Within 1 hour
You'll receive a call
Within 24 hours
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
Result saved
If you need help later, call Sail Probate free:
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
We'll give you a call
A Sail Probate specialist will talk you through everything and answer any questions.
Interested in: We handle everything (£6,000)
Interested in: Just the probate application (£1,000)
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
No problem
If you'd like to talk about probate or funeral costs, call Sail Probate free:
Lines open now Lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · 0808 196 0258
Get in touch
Call 01702467426We'll call you back
F P Guiver and Sons Ltd will be in touch shortly.
You've just taken the first step — contacting a funeral director.
See the full checklistLeave your number and F P Guiver and Sons Ltd will call you back.
Free, no obligation. We'll pass your number to the director.
You've completed of 18 steps on the bereavement checklist.
Continue your checklist18 things to sort when someone dies — keep track so nothing gets missed.
See the full checklist
Find trusted, NAFD-accredited funeral directors in Chelmsford, Essex. All members follow a strict Code of Practice, with independent complaints protection and transparent pricing to support your family.
Find trusted, NAFD-accredited funeral directors in Colchester, Essex. All members follow a strict Code of Practice, giving your family the care and protection you deserve.
Find trusted, NAFD-accredited funeral directors in Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex. All listed firms are independently vetted, rated 4.7/5 on average, and backed by a formal Code of Practice.
Serving families in SOUTHEND_ON_SEA and the surrounding area
So we can help families like yours better.
Tick all that apply.
Understanding your experience helps us help families like yours.
Your answers help us support families going through this.
You might find our step-by-step guide helpful →
