Enbalmer; Funeral Director. Desmond C. Henley, O.B.E., F.B.I.E. Internationally recognized Master Embalmer, Des embalmed many members of Royal families both in the United Kingdom and overseas as well as members of the aristocracy, military and diplomatic service during his 53 years with J.H. Kenyon; services for which he was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) having previously been made a Fellow of the British Institute of Embalmers (FBIE). On retiring from J.H. Kenyon Des was instrumental in assisting in the formation of Christopher Henley Limited. Des's expertise and knowledge in Embalming coupled with international recognition for his embalming techniques, formula's, disaster management and work on major incidents, personal friendships with overseas funeral directors and forensic institutions made him unique both in the world and in history.
In his role as chief embalmer for J. H. Kenyon Ltd, Henley carried out the embalming of King George VI at Sandringham House in 1952, that of Queen Mary at Marlborough House in 1953, and that of Sir Winston Churchill at the latter's London home at 28 Hyde Park Gate in 1965.
Churchill's body was embalmed in the same room where he had died on the morning of 24 January 1965, a Sunday. When the process was completed, the remains were dressed in his silk pajamas and dressing robe and placed back into his bed. Churchill would lie in repose in private at his Hyde Park Gate home until 9:00 pm Tuesday evening when Kenyon's staff transported his remains to Westminster Hall to lie in state and for the funeral at St Paul's Cathedral.
Four years later, Henley embalmed the remains of Mutesa II of Buganda; and when Idi Amin had Mutesa II's body returned from London to Uganda in 1971, Henley was requested to accompany it. In 1973, Aristotle Onassis had Henley flown to Athens in his private jet to embalm the body of his son, Alexander. Henley also oversaw the embalming of Judy Garland in 1969, Jimi Hendrix in 1970, Field Marshal Lord Montgomery in 1976, Admiral of the Fleet Lord Mountbatten of Burma in 1979, Bon Scott in 1980, and Billy Fury in 1983.
In the time between 1963 and 1976, Henley also worked extensively in Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Benin and Malawi, and continued to advise royal families worldwide until his retirement from J. H. Kenyon Ltd in 1992, after 51 years of service.
In his role as chief embalmer for J. H. Kenyon Ltd, Henley carried out the embalming of King George VI at Sandringham House in 1952, that of Queen Mary at Marlborough House in 1953, and that of Sir Winston Churchill at the latter's London home at 28 Hyde Park Gate in 1965.
Churchill's body was embalmed in the same room where he had died on the morning of 24 January 1965, a Sunday. When the process was completed, the remains were dressed in his silk pajamas and dressing robe and placed back into his bed. Churchill would lie in repose in private at his Hyde Park Gate home until 9:00 pm Tuesday evening when Kenyon's staff transported his remains to Westminster Hall to lie in state and for the funeral at St Paul's Cathedral.
Four years later, Henley embalmed the remains of Mutesa II of Buganda; and when Idi Amin had Mutesa II's body returned from London to Uganda in 1971, Henley was requested to accompany it. In 1973, Aristotle Onassis had Henley flown to Athens in his private jet to embalm the body of his son, Alexander. Henley also oversaw the embalming of Judy Garland in 1969, Jimi Hendrix in 1970, Field Marshal Lord Montgomery in 1976, Admiral of the Fleet Lord Mountbatten of Burma in 1979, Bon Scott in 1980, and Billy Fury in 1983.
In the time between 1963 and 1976, Henley also worked extensively in Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Benin and Malawi, and continued to advise royal families worldwide until his retirement from J. H. Kenyon Ltd in 1992, after 51 years of service.
Enbalmer; Funeral Director. Desmond C. Henley, O.B.E., F.B.I.E. Internationally recognized Master Embalmer, Des embalmed many members of Royal families both in the United Kingdom and overseas as well as members of the aristocracy, military and diplomatic service during his 53 years with J.H. Kenyon; services for which he was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) having previously been made a Fellow of the British Institute of Embalmers (FBIE). On retiring from J.H. Kenyon Des was instrumental in assisting in the formation of Christopher Henley Limited. Des's expertise and knowledge in Embalming coupled with international recognition for his embalming techniques, formula's, disaster management and work on major incidents, personal friendships with overseas funeral directors and forensic institutions made him unique both in the world and in history.
In his role as chief embalmer for J. H. Kenyon Ltd, Henley carried out the embalming of King George VI at Sandringham House in 1952, that of Queen Mary at Marlborough House in 1953, and that of Sir Winston Churchill at the latter's London home at 28 Hyde Park Gate in 1965.
Churchill's body was embalmed in the same room where he had died on the morning of 24 January 1965, a Sunday. When the process was completed, the remains were dressed in his silk pajamas and dressing robe and placed back into his bed. Churchill would lie in repose in private at his Hyde Park Gate home until 9:00 pm Tuesday evening when Kenyon's staff transported his remains to Westminster Hall to lie in state and for the funeral at St Paul's Cathedral.
Four years later, Henley embalmed the remains of Mutesa II of Buganda; and when Idi Amin had Mutesa II's body returned from London to Uganda in 1971, Henley was requested to accompany it. In 1973, Aristotle Onassis had Henley flown to Athens in his private jet to embalm the body of his son, Alexander. Henley also oversaw the embalming of Judy Garland in 1969, Jimi Hendrix in 1970, Field Marshal Lord Montgomery in 1976, Admiral of the Fleet Lord Mountbatten of Burma in 1979, Bon Scott in 1980, and Billy Fury in 1983.
In the time between 1963 and 1976, Henley also worked extensively in Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Benin and Malawi, and continued to advise royal families worldwide until his retirement from J. H. Kenyon Ltd in 1992, after 51 years of service.
In his role as chief embalmer for J. H. Kenyon Ltd, Henley carried out the embalming of King George VI at Sandringham House in 1952, that of Queen Mary at Marlborough House in 1953, and that of Sir Winston Churchill at the latter's London home at 28 Hyde Park Gate in 1965.
Churchill's body was embalmed in the same room where he had died on the morning of 24 January 1965, a Sunday. When the process was completed, the remains were dressed in his silk pajamas and dressing robe and placed back into his bed. Churchill would lie in repose in private at his Hyde Park Gate home until 9:00 pm Tuesday evening when Kenyon's staff transported his remains to Westminster Hall to lie in state and for the funeral at St Paul's Cathedral.
Four years later, Henley embalmed the remains of Mutesa II of Buganda; and when Idi Amin had Mutesa II's body returned from London to Uganda in 1971, Henley was requested to accompany it. In 1973, Aristotle Onassis had Henley flown to Athens in his private jet to embalm the body of his son, Alexander. Henley also oversaw the embalming of Judy Garland in 1969, Jimi Hendrix in 1970, Field Marshal Lord Montgomery in 1976, Admiral of the Fleet Lord Mountbatten of Burma in 1979, Bon Scott in 1980, and Billy Fury in 1983.
In the time between 1963 and 1976, Henley also worked extensively in Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Benin and Malawi, and continued to advise royal families worldwide until his retirement from J. H. Kenyon Ltd in 1992, after 51 years of service.
Bio by: Neil Funkhouser
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