Through the Years

1892 - 2012

1892 WN Bull Funerals is founded in December by Mr William Nugent and Mary Bull.

1914 WN Bull Funerals becomes the first Australian funeral company to use motorised hearses.

1932 Mr William Nugent Bull dies on Friday 30 September at the age of 63 after a long illness.

1932 Mr William Nugent Bull’s funeral is held on Saturday 1 October at St Brigid’s Church, Coogee.

1936 WN Bull Funerals acquires a beautifully designed Rolls Royce hearse, specially equipped to meet Catholic requirements, the finest in Australia.

1936 WN Bull Funerals publishes “Symbols of Our Faith” and conducts an essay competition to lead children to a better knowledge of the symbols of their Catholic faith.

1938 WN Bull Funerals acquires a dignified new Rolls Royce hearse for Catholic funerals featuring two beautiful statues from the Lalique Studios, Paris, and a crucifix “of striking design” affixed at the front of the hearse.

1938 WN Bull Funerals arranges and conducts the funeral for the Most Rev. Dr John Barry, D.D., fourth Bishop of Goulburn.

1938 In December, WN Bull Funerals becomes the first funeral director to adopt dignified white uniforms designed for Australian conditions and used by staff in the summer months.

1939 Mrs Mary Bull, widow of William Bull, dies on Monday 10 July after an illness of four weeks and is remembered as “a truly Catholic wife and mother”.

1939 Mrs Mary Bull’s funeral is held on Tuesday 11 July at St Joseph’s Church, Newtown.

1940 WN Bull Funerals lodges Patent Application No. 1061/40 for a device for the hermetic sealing of coffins to eliminate risk when the coffin is to remain for some time in a church or in a home.

1940 Sergeant Nugent Bull, son of William and Mary Bull, is reported missing in London on Sunday 8 September after air operations for the British Royal Air Force.

1942 Mr John Quain assumes management of WN Bull Funerals after the death of William and Mary Bull’s son Gregory Bull.

1959 WN Bull Funerals arranges and conducts the State funeral for the Honourable John Joseph Cahill, MLA, Premier and Treasurer of NSW after his death in office.

1977 WN Bull Funerals arranges and conducts the funeral for His Eminence Sir Norman Thomas, Cardinal Gilroy, KBE, Archbishop of Sydney.

1986 The Harris family acquires WN Bull in April.

1988 The funeral for celebrated jazz singer Ricky May is conducted by WN Bull Funerals in June.

1991 Patsy Healy joins WN Bull Funerals and opens new premises in Parramatta.

1991 WN Bull Funerals conducts the funeral for His Eminence Sir James Darcy, Cardinal Freeman, KBE, former Archbishop of Sydney.

1991 In July, WN Bull Funerals arranges the funeral for Dr Victor Chang, pioneering heart transplant surgeon.

1993 In December, WN Bull Funerals’ John Harris is assigned to conduct and supervise the re-interment of the Venerable Mary MacKillop in a specially constructed tomb within the chapel at the Sisters of St Joseph in Mount Street, North Sydney.

1995 WN Bull Funerals conducts the funeral for Archbishop James Patrick Carroll.

1998 Patsy Healy is appointed as WN Bull Funerals’ General Manager.

2002 WN Bull Funerals arranges a State funeral with full military honours for Sir Roden Cutler, Victoria Cross recipient and the longest serving Governor of NSW.

2009 WN Bull Funerals arranges and conducts a State funeral for Dr Chris O’Brien AO, acclaimed head and neck surgeon and founder of the Lifehouse Cancer centre in Sydney.

2010 In June, WN Bull Funerals is warmly welcomed by InvoCare, an Australian listed company.

2012 A State funeral for the Honourable Lionel Frost Bowen AC, former Deputy Prime Minister, is arranged by WN Bull Funerals.

2012 WN Bull Funerals arranges a State funeral for the Honourable Francis (Frank) Walker QC, former MP and judge.