Mark left school, age 16, on the Thursday before Good Friday and started working for F E Harris on the Tuesday after the Easter Monday. A very straightforward career path indeed!
His first job in the factory was as a coffin fitter – fitting handles, lining out and fitting interiors. Mark then moved around the factory taking in all aspects of production as well as time spent training and working in the spraying department. He even spent time loading coffins and making deliveries.
In 2001, Mark was promoted to Assistant Manager where he began to look after the ordering of coffin sets, timber, mouldings along with fittings, furniture and soft goods used on the coffins. He was also responsible for Health and Safety on the site. 2005, Stewart Jukes bought F E Harris, and Mark along with his colleagues naturally wondered how this would change the business, but from the word go Mark has enjoyed a close working relationship with Stewart.
In Mark’s words… ‘It was the best thing that ever happened to F E Harris’ – a firm he cares for passionately, along with all the customers they serve, week in, week out.
Mark became General Manager in 2009 after David Coles retired.