D C Poulton & Sons Funeral Directors
Epping
D C Poulton & Sons Funeral Directors
The history of our South East England funeral directors
Pioneers of the profession
Over 130 years ago, David Poulton ran his funeral directors from Epping High Street, which was one of the first in the town to have electricity and run a motorised hearse. The business was ahead of the times compared to the local competition, and some would have considered D C Poulton to be a pioneer of the profession. Others, however, did not warm to the idea as quickly, with many people still choosing the more traditional horse-drawn carriage as their means of transport.
The war years
David’s two youngest sons, George and William, left school after the First World War and joined their father in work. Sadly the eldest brother died in combat aged just 17. In the 1930s, they took over the business and played an important part in the community during the years of the Second World War.
The funeral home at 50 Hockerill Street was requisitioned by the War Office for lodgings for expectant mothers (mostly single mother evacuees from the East End of London) due to the severe bombings. The later staged expectant mothers were lodged there before being transferred to Twyford House where their babies were born.
The Air Ministry also chose D C Poulton & Sons Funeral Directors to supply coffins and repatriate those who had lost their lives in raids leaving from surrounding airfields.
The third generation
Following in his grandfather, father and uncle’s footsteps, Howard Poulton entered the funeral service profession after leaving school. Apart from a short period of National Service, he stayed in the business all his life until his retirement in 2015.
His brother Roger, who joined soon after Howard in the 1960s, closely followed him. It was around this time the business grew, relocating to our current premises on High Street as well as opening additional funeral homes in Essex and Hertfordshire to provide a more dedicated local service to local families.
Our locations
Epping
134 High Street, Epping, CM16 4AG
Supporting you along the way
We understand that there is a lot to think about, so if you do need assistance with your loved one's funeral arrangements, our funeral experts will offer you all the support you need.
What to do when someone dies
It’s perfectly normal to be unsure of what you need to do following the death of a loved one. These step-by-step guides will carefully explain everything you need to when someone dies, helping you through each stage of the process.
Planning a funeral
Our guides on planning a funeral will ensure your loved one's send off is a personal and unique celebration of their life. We will explain how our Funeral Directors will help you plan a funeral service and support you at every stage.
The day of the funeral
This guide will explain what happens at a funeral; including the funeral procession, funeral service, committal service and the wake. We will be here to help you through every step of the journey.
Head Office
4 King Edwards Court,
King Edward Square,
Sutton Coldfield,
West Midlands, B73 6AP
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Calls are recorded for monitoring and quality purposes. All calls made to 0800 and 0808 numbers are free of charge whether made from a landline or mobile phone. Dignity Funerals Limited is a company registered in England No. 00041598. VAT registered No. 486 6081 14. Registered office: 4 King Edwards Court, King Edwards Square, Sutton Coldfield B73 6AP. Dignity Funerals Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under Firm Reference Number 967130. Please note that the selling and administering of funeral plans is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), however if you are purchasing a funeral without a funeral plan this will not be covered by FCA regulation.