HISTORY
The Only Family-Owned Funeral Director in Kidsgrove – “Four Generations, One Family”
Joseph Edwards & Sons have been arranging and conducting funerals in the local community for over 140 years. The family-owned business is in the hands of the fourth generation of the Edwards family that started in 1882.
The independent funeral profession has a long and proud history of personal service to the local communities, carrying on the family tradition is a way of like for Joseph Edwards & Sons, who are deeply committed to upholding professional standards.
Joseph Edwards & Sons were founder members of the National Funeral Directors Association; The Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF) and they abide by the Society’s Code of Practice when making funeral arrangements on your behalf. This can be viewed at saif.org.uk/about-saif/
Asked about Joseph Edwards & Sons in the community, Andrew Edwards said; “Our neighbourhood is your neighbourhood, we take great pride in our funeral home and vehicles, we are also proud of our staff, for whom we maintain a regular training programme to make sure we uphold the highest level of professional service. Not only do we want to meet your current needs, we also seek to build a relationship of trust, so that you will return to us in the future. We have a long commitment to our community, this is where we live and work, and it is where we plan to stay. When you need us, we’ll be here.”
Andrew is backed by a team of very professional and highly trained staff, Melanie Preece is business administrator who also oversees the monumental masonry side, Robert Melville is the funeral manager along with his assistants James Byatt, Mark Ryder and Chris Percy. They are all supported by funeral assistants Paul, Richard, Gary, Bob and secretaries Emma and Ann.
In all forms of business today there are big companies that made their profits through taking over small family firms. The funeral profession is no exception; many firms have been swallowed up by the giants and the co-operatives. This makes it hard for you to distinguish between the family firm and the conglomerate.
No one knows exactly what the next 140 years holds for Joseph Edwards & Sons, but one thing is certain, it is reassuring to know that at a time of need you can entrust your requirements, however small and simple, grand or unusual to a firm of independent family funeral directors run by local people in a caring and supportive manner.