Hillier Funeral Services celebrates 100th anniversary

Family-run Hillier Funeral Services, which has been managed by four generations of the family, is celebrating its 100th year anniversary. 

To commemorate the occasion, the Hillier family is renovating its original premises on Victoria Road, Swindon. It is also encouraging local charities to raise money for its newly-launched £100k community fund. 

General manager Becky Hillier’s great-grandfather, Harold Hillier, began the end-of-life service a century ago, and since then, has helped the Swindon community give their loved ones the send-off they deserve. 

During WWII, Harold Hillier relied on retired men and former GWR employees to keep the company going because the younger generation had been sent to fight overseas.

At the time, there was no crematorium in Swindon, so families would have a local church service before the hearse travelled to Oxford Crematorium.

Rebecca Hillier said: “We have only reached 100 years through the support of the community, so we wanted to give something back, especially with the cost of living crisis and government cuts that good causes are struggling with. It’s quite an incredible achievement to reach this milestone.

“Every funeral is different. People die in all sorts of different circumstances, sometimes people are upset or sometimes they’re laughing and joking, so we always try to accommodate all requests, anything is possible.”

She added: “I have never looked back, it’s the job I want to do for the rest of my life. One of my three daughters may decide to join the business but I won’t force them to.”