Established in 1909, H. J. Paintin has a longstanding history of serving communities across Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Essex.  We are here to help you in the most difficult of times from any one of our three premises in Linton, Haverhill and Sawston.

We are genuinely independent, local, trusted funeral directors, offering a complete and comprehensive service, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  All our premises have Disabled Access and incorporate discreet arranging rooms, Chapels of Rest and private offices.

Today, Rothgar Paintin, the current Managing Director and Great-Grandson of the founder, with his wife Susan, daughters Sarah and Rachel, son Matthew, son-in-law Gavin and grandson, Joshua, continue to provide an invaluable role in the local community.

Rothgar continues to arrange and conduct funeral services alongside both Sarah and Rachel, while Matthew, Gavin and  Joshua look after all the operational and support sides of the business.

Over 100 Years of Caring for the Community

H.J. Paintin was founded in Linton over 100 years ago by Mr Augustus Did-Dell, the great-grandfather of the present Managing Director, Rothgar Did-Dell Paintin.  Mr. Did-Dell was a well-known local businessman and owned a number of properties in Linton, some of which remain in family ownership to this day.

Mr Did-Dell purchased the initial H.J. Paintin Linton premises in 1909 from the building and undertaking business of Burgess & Sons, which itself had been trading for 100 years.  In the early days of the business, the company traded under the name Did-Dell and Paintin and was run by Mr Did-Dell’s son-in-law, Henry James Paintin. He was a master carpenter, joiner and cabinet maker and the company first focused more on the building side of the business. James’ wife, Mildred also worked at the firm at the time, looking after the book-keeping and helping with the upholstery of the coffins.

The company built local authority housing in Linton, Sawston and surrounding villages and built the famous Rivey Water Tower in the 1930s.

The firm had its own Blacksmith’s shop and shod horses for many local farmers and horse keepers, as well as looking after its own shire horses, which were used to pull carts hauling bricks and delivering building supplies to sites.

H.J. Paintin also had a pair of black Belgian horses, used to pull the Horsedrawn Hearse which belonged to the firm at that time. The funeral side was a smaller part of the business back then and only looked after funerals for families in Linton and Hadstock.

Henry James Paintin’s son, Kenneth Did-Dell Paintin, joined the business and ultimately took over the firm after his father’s death in 1948.  Mildred continued working in the business until well into her 80s and died at the grand age of 91.

Kenneth Paintin continued to run the business, while also holding the title of local Magistrate and Parish Councillor.