Arthur Jardine
Managing Director

Arthur joined his late father, James R. Jardine, in the late 1950’s, after a spell in the Royal Air Force,to become the fourth generation joining the family business. He acquired the National Diploma in Funeral Directing and became qualified to be a member of the British Institute of Embalmers. He is also a member of the British Institute of Funeral Directors. In 1967 he was president of the National Association of Funeral Directors in Scotland. He is a member and Past President of the Dumfries Rotary Club and Past President of the Dumfries Burns’ Club. Arthur enjoys travelling, and visits Shetland every year, where he has strong family connections. On the sporting side, he is a keen golfer, but his main passion is angling. Arthur is a Church of Scotland Elder and Executive Member of the Dumfries and Galloway Chamber of Trade and Commerce and he is also a Trustee Member and Board Member of the Crichton University Campus.

Mark Jardine
Managing Director

Mark joined the business in 1982 after completing his degree in Glasgow. He was keen to modernise the whole idea of funeral directing, and became Scottish President of the Allied and Independent Funeral Directors. His aim was to provide Dumfries and Galloway with its own crematorium, and after 15 years of planning, that dream was realised with the opening of Roucan Loch in 2005. Mark is the proud father of 3 boys Chris, Russ and Greg. He enjoys keeping fit and was heavily involved with the local Round Table for some fifteen years and coached football to local boys with both Greystone Rovers and Gretna FC for many years; he is an avid Queen of the South supporter, and spends as much time as possible hill walking in the Lake District and the Highlands. He is now a member of the Devorgilla Rotary Club in Dumfries.

Rosemary McTaggart
Office Manager

Rosemary has been with us since 1977. She is very experienced in general office duties as well as having a wealth of knowledge of the funeral business. She is the ‘hub of the firm’! She is responsible for staff training and recruitment, wages, accounts and financial business as well as dealing with the public and comforting and dealing with bereaved families. Rosemary is also the Roucan Loch office manager and registrar. She is married to Jim and enjoys spending time with her daughter and granddaughter. Her interests are foreign travel and she is a hopeless‘shopaholic’. She also enjoys interior design, as can be seen in our newly refurbished offices.

Stuart Watret
Senior Funeral Director

Stuart joined the firm in 1991 after several years as a Senior Funeral Director with CWS. Stuart is our senior funeral director and he is regularly asked to conduct civil services. He is also responsible for the day to day organisation of vehicles and personnel and he deals with all aspects of the memorial side of the business. Married with two of a family, Stuart considers himself very much a family man. He is an elder at Troqueer Church and was Sunday School Superintendent for many years. Stuart enjoys gardening, travel and motorsport.

Andy’s roots are in Kirkconnel but he moved to Dumfries in 1978. A married man with two of a family, he joined William Jardine in 1997 having previously worked with the Co-op Funeral Services and John Pagan & Sons. Andy is an elder at Dumfries North West Church and on his weekends off enjoys hillwalking in the local hills and in the Highlands.

Russell Jardine
Funeral Operative/Driver

Russell joined the staff at Terregles Street after leaving school in 2008. He likes to socialise with friends and enjoys keeping fit, playing football in both the Saturday and Sunday leagues. His main duties include valeting and driving cortege vehicles and Russell is keen to learn about all aspects of the business.

Tracy Brown
Funeral Director

Tracy joined William Jardine’s in the millennium year and her knowledge of make-up and hairdressing is a tremendous asset to the firm. Indeed, Tracy was the subject of a documentary made for ITV Border in the autumn of 2008. In her spare time Tracy enjoys the company of her family, while cooking and shopping are among her interests.

Gordon Bruce
Funeral Operative/Driver

Gordon joined the firm in May 2006 after working for Interfloor for 31 years. He is married with two children. His interests included motor sports, gardening and socialising with his family and friends.

Thomas McTaggart
Funeral Operative/Driver

Thomas joined William Jardine in 2008, after a spell at Gates Power Transmission Ltd. He also spent 18 years in the catering industry. In his spare time, Tommy enjoys living the quiet life and spending time with his family.

Julie Johnstone
Funeral Operative

Julie joined William Jardine in 2007, having previously been employed for 11 years in Residential Care of the elderly. She is married with two children. Her interests include socialising with family and friends, and travel.

Jim Paton
Organist

Jim is a vastly experienced organist having played at Penpont, Greyfriars and Troqueer Churches. For many years he was part of a cabaret act, and he was honoured to perform live on ITV as well as on the BBC’s “Songs of Praise.” For 26 years he was the principal teacher of music at Maxwelltown High School and Jim uses his wide range of repertoire in a sensitive way at our Chapel of Rest.

Our windows at the chapel of rest are a beautiful way to pay tribute to your loved one and we still have a number of units, which can accept your chosen design. 

Our garden of peace above the chapel commands beautiful views across the town to the hills. If you wish, we can fit a memorial plaque in this area. At our office complex in Three Crowns Court we have a full range of traditional memorials for use in a cemetery.

Please make an appointment with Mr. Stuart Watret, on our main office number - who will be pleased to assist you.