About Us

History of John Hall Funerals

John started his working life as a postman with the then GPO in Gloucester, having joined as a motor bike telegram boy as soon as he was old enough. John started his postal rounds in Barnwood, Longford and Gloucester where he met a large number of people from all walks of life. When the local postman of Churcham needed cover John provided the position of relief postman and soon got acquainted with the local residents of Churcham and Bulley. This enabled him to gain a reputation within the local community which assisted in him becoming a well respected funeral director within the area.

John Hall Funerals was established in 1969 by John Hall after being approached one warm summer day in June of that year by Mr Leslie Brookes of Sainthill, Churcham. Mr Brookes proposed to John and his wife Janet that he wished to retire as the local funeral director, his son Barrie had no desire to carry on the family firm. Mr & Mrs Brookes had spoken to John many times over cups of tea while John was on his postal rounds about the funeral trade. Therefore Mr Brookes saw fit in asking John if he and his wife would like to take over the business and make it their own.

John jumped at the chance to provide a stable income and business for his growing family. Mr Brookes taught John everything he would need to know even taking the time to set him up with the equipment he would need.

Early Days

The business started out relatively small as most villages in the area at that time had their own funeral directors. Therefore John continued to work for the post office 6 mornings a week. However, the stress and strain of working two jobs impacted on his health and John made the decision to concentrate his efforts on funeral directing. As time went by with John's tanisity and determination, he became more acquainted with the local parishes, ministers and grave diggers and started to branch out, gladly accepting to take on funerals from outside of the immediate local area.

John's desire to make his business successful made him look at different ways to promote himself, so he decided to start to advertise the business in the local parish magazines and started building his own connections within the funeral and local community and the business began to grow.

All John's hard work paid off, he became a well known name within Gloucestershire and with the help of some of his old Post Office colleagues coming to work for him as bearers / drivers the business became extremely successful.