J Saunders and Son Inc E Franklin and Co

John Saunders & Son (incorporating E Franklin & Co) has served Luton families from its High Town premises since 1873, when the earliest recorded funeral invoice was issued; the founder originally ran a building company before moving into funeral services. Still an independent, family-owned business today, the team takes pride in a heritage stretching back to the Victorian era, operating from the ground floor of the same original workshop building on Taylor Street where it began.

As members of both NAFD and SAIF, they follow recognised industry standards for care and professionalism, offering traditional and bespoke funeral arrangements, cremation services and cremated remains handling, storage containers, burial plots, scatter tubes and memorial fireworks, alongside simple, low-cost funeral options and post-funeral support and grief resources. The small, close-knit team aims to keep the same person guiding a family from first enquiry through to the funeral itself, with real staff answering the phones rather than an answering service.

Support is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, covering everything from collection and traditional or contemporary arrangements to cremated remains handling and memorial giving, reflecting the firm's emphasis on continuity of care and a personal touch built up over more than 150 years.