Hiram Philp Funerals began in 1903.
Local identity and businessman, Mr Hiram Philp with his wife Emma decided to expand their joinery business and offer a funeral Service as part of their business.
Delivering the same respected and quality service to the community that Mr Hiram Philp was renowned for in his joinery business, Hiram Philp Funerals became the Premier Funeral Home on the Downs. Mr Philp was known to spend many hours in the evening hand polishing coffins and caskets.
Four of Hiram Philp’s children followed him into the business; they were sons Richard, William, and Robert and his daughter Gladys. Three Grandsons were to follow and also work in the family business. They were Hiram jnr (known as Phil), Murray and Don.
As the Hiram Philp Funeral Home business grew the decision was made in 1964 to close the sawmill and in 1970 to close the joinery shop.
Before a Crematorium was built in Toowoomba staff would sometimes travel to Brisbane 3-4 times a week to attend cremation services with families.
Hiram Philp died on the 18th June 1943, aged 85 years and is buried at the Drayton and Toowoomba Cemetery.
Hiram Philp Funerals established many firsts in the Funeral Industry on the Downs. They conducted the first burial at the Drayton and Toowoomba Lawn Cemetery.
Hiram Philp carried out the first burial on the 20th May 1966 and the first Cremation on the 2nd September 1969, at the Garden of Remembrance Cemetery and Crematorium.
In 2003 Hiram Philp Funerals celebrated 100 years of delivering Dignified and Quality Funeral Services to the people of Toowoomba and the surrounding country areas.
The Company still operate today from the original location where the business was founded 103 years ago.
Our Vehicles
Hiram Philp Funerals have always taken great pride in their vehicles from their early days when their hearses were horse drawn, to a modern motor vehicle fleet they have today. Being a joiner by trade Hiram Philp built many of his own hearses in the early days on our premises here at Herries Street.
After the early days of Buicks being used for hearses, the family decided to use mainly Fords and these were all purchased locally.
In 1987 the Funeral Home broke away from the traditional black hearses and purchased their first grey Hearse, a 1987 Ford LTD.
