Our History

The first branch of 'East Durham Funeral Service' was opened in 1971 in Horden, County Durham by Barrie Lee. Mr Lee was one of the first independent funeral directors in the area and quickly built up a wide spreading reputation which saw families from throughout the region selecting 'East Durham Funeral Service' when faced with the loss of a loved one. In 1982, Son in law Philip Maddison joined the firm. Following Mr Lee's retirement Philip went on to expand the reach of the business across East Durham by opening a further four branches in Peterlee, Easington, Trimdon and Wingate, with Peterlee later becoming the ‘Head Office’.

In more recent years, Philip was delighted to be joined son Tom in 2005 and daughter Ellen who now both work for the company. As third generation funeral directors, the family have spent the last 50 years building the local knowledge and unparalleled expertise necessary to guide you through the decisions ahead.

The ethos underpinning the company is that every life is unique and therefore each funeral should reflect the character of the individual. This is achieved by developing close relationship with the families in the care of East Durham Funeral Service to capture the individuality of the person. All of the ceremonies are uniquely tailored to suit individual requirements. The friendly and experienced staff are able to offer advice on a wide range of subjects, and are happy to visit you in the privacy of your own home to discuss your specific wishes. The aim is to support you and your family throughout this difficult time, and to provide a lasting legacy for your loved ones.