Trusted by
Generations

The story of Gillotts Funeral Directors as it is today, starts with an independent family business with a history dating back over 150 years.

Over the years our name has changed, but our family business approach has always stayed at the very heart of all we do, which is why families return to us generation after generation.

An original business card on display at our Eastwood office reveals that in 1867, the Leivers family established the “Star Livery Stables” on Victoria Street, Eastwood supplying vehicles to local undertakers.

This location is next to what would later become the birthplace of the author D.H. Lawrence.

By the 1970s, the business had evolved from supplying vehicles to local undertakers to offering a complete funeral service and was renamed Eastwood and District Funeral Service.

In 1983, the business relocated to its current site on Nottingham Road, gaining better visibility and accessibility.

This move provided more space for operations and allowed the company to grow while strengthening its ties to the local community in Eastwood, Kimberley and the surrounding areas.

Our Stapleford funeral home, established in 1986, was the Partnership’s first branch office and was originally named Stapleford Funeral Service.

Originally at Carrara House on Cemetery Road in Stapleford, it was managed by Stuart Edwards until his retirement in 1998.

In 1992, John “Jack” Gillott retired from Gillotts Funeral Service, a family business in Heanor. The Eastwood Partnership acquired the business, located on Abbott Street. Jack’s son-in-law, Anthony Topley, who had partnered with Jack since 1986, joined the Partnership.

The original building was demolished to make way for a purpose-designed premises with modern, high-quality facilities.

In 1997, the Stapleford business moved to the current much larger premises on Derby Road in Stapleford., this branch was renamed Gillotts Funeral Service to mirror its sister branch in Heanor and to strengthen its identity as an independent family business.

And in 1997 the Partnership also opened up another funeral home in Kimberley, providing services to families in the Kimberley, Nuthall and Watnall areas.

In November 2015, the Kimberley Funeral Home moved to new premises in the former Methodist Church at the corner of Main Street and Broomhill Road in Kimberley.

The move to new premises in Kimberley and plans for a funeral home in Selston required a re-evaluation of our visual identity, which had three different names. To coincide with the Kimberley opening, all four Partnership funeral homes were renamed “Gillotts Funeral Directors,” uniting them under our family name.

In 2016 we opened our fifth Gillotts funeral home in Selston.

During the unprecedented years of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gillotts Funeral Directors adapted swiftly to the evolving restrictions, ensuring we could still provide compassionate care and meaningful farewells for families, often navigating limitations on gatherings with creativity and sensitivity.

Our commitment to supporting local families remained unwavering, even as the ways we could come together changed.

In July 2022, all pre-paid funeral plans became regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA and are protected under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

A prepaid funeral plan is a way to arrange and pay for your funeral in advance. Gillotts work with our chosen funeral plan partner: Ecclesiastical Planning Services. And taking out a funeral plan secures our services for the arrangements in your funeral plan for when the time comes.

In 2026, Gillotts Funeral Directors joined the A.W. Lymn Group – becoming sister companies with one of the East Midlands’ most respected family funeral businesses. This milestone marks the retirement of Barry and Elaine Hutsby after a lifetime of service, and the beginning of a new era for Gillotts.

Joanne Hutsby and Anthony Topley continue as Business Managers and Senior Funeral Directors, supported by the same dedicated team, and now with the resources and reach of the wider A.W. Lymn family.

The business continues to trade as Gillotts Funeral Directors, operating its iconic Jaguar funeral fleet — and Gillotts families now have the opportunity to request vehicles from A.W. Lymn’s celebrated Rolls Royce fleet for something truly special.

Although the business as a whole has grown and changed over the years, each funeral home continues to play an essential role in the town and community it serves.

We continue to provide a friendly and compassionate service and ensuring that every client receives our full attention to meet their needs.

As part of the A.W. Lymn Group, Gillotts continues to blend long-standing traditions with a forward-thinking approach – embracing modern options like live-streaming, personalised tributes and direct cremations, while offering access to an even wider range of choices than ever before.

Whatever kind of farewell feels right for your family, your local Gillotts team is here to help make it happen.