The first Birtwistle in Great Harwood was Thomas who was a wood turner by trade. Thomas was the great grandson of Henry Birtwistle, a younger son of the Birtwistles of Huncoat Hall.

Thomas was married in Great Harwood Parish Church in 1691. In 1832 E.T. Birtwistle & Sons was started by Daniel Birtwistle in premises in Club Street, Great Harwood. On Daniels death his nephew Edward Thomas (1808-1877) great grandson of the first Thomas in Great Harwood took over and the move to Joiners Alley was made.

The four sons of Edward Thomas – Walter, James, Thomas and Hartley all worked in the business.

The firm became a limited company in 1936, and following the deaths of James, Thomas and Walter, Hartley’s son Edward and son-in-law Joseph took over the running of the business.

They opened the first chapel of rest adjacent to the joiners shop and qualified in Embalming and obtained the Diploma in Funeral Directing.

In 1962 the congregational church in Queen Street was purchased and converted into a chapel of rest.