FAQs

With the advent of businesses entering the trade which have little experience in funerals it is worth noting what our clients are paying for.  These companies can claim to be cheap and affordable, but they are not necessarily equipped to provide a level of appropriate service to match the client’s expectations.  Unfortunately for the client, this is not discovered until they have experienced the funeral, then it is too late.

It is not professional on our part to point this out to an already distressed enquirer as it may appear that we are trying to ’sell’, however to understand the difference between us and this type of competitor, then this may help.

Our professional services fee cover:

• Making arrangements either at one of our offices or attending a private address.
• Collection from home/hospital.
• Looking after and attending to loved one in our care.
• Dressing in their own clothes or a gown.
• Liaising with the crematorium, cemetery, clergy, coroners office, medical staff, regarding cremation certificates.
• Liaising with celebrants and clergy regarding the service.
• Guidance and drafting obituary & acknowledgement notices for newspapers.
• Liaising with third party suppliers such as florists, caterers, stonemasons and grave diggers.
• Help with coffin choice and arranging order and delivery to our premises.
• Ensuring statutory documents are completed correctly and delivered to cemetery/crematorium within time limits.
• Help with music and hymns. Ordering them for the service.
• Delivery of flowers as directed after the funeral.
• Facilitating charitable donations to be made.
• Providing a written estimate and updating if necessary if any further changes.
• Being available 24 hours a day for advice, guidance or any concerns there may be.
• Providing interest free credit for 30 days on our charges and third party costs.
• Providing information of third party assistance for bereavement matters.

What do we need to have in place to deliver the highest level of service for every funeral we do:

Employees

Some companies keep overheads low by employing few full time staff and subsequently relying heavily on occasional/temporary workers to fill in.  Our standard of service can only happen if we have experienced and trained employees working for us full time.  We employ permanent staff to:

• Conduct funerals.       
• Arrange funerals.
• Liaising as above with all parties.
• Drive the vehicles.
• Collect the deceased from hospital or nursing home for example.
• Arrange for 2 doctors to view the deceased and produce medical documents.
• Attend to ashes depending on clients’ wishes.
• Management and Administration of all matters.

And most importantly to provide reassurance to our clients’ families.

Employees have to be trained in every aspect of the above, in certain cases gain qualification.  Every team member understands the need for attention to detail and to ensure every aspect of their task is performed correctly to the highest standard.

Equipment

We own 2 hearses, 2 limousines, a Private Ambulance and a car to run clients to the registrar if needed.  These have to be maintained and periodically replaced.

The buildings have to be paid for, maintained and kept immaculate.

The mortuary has to be fully equipped and maintained to the highest level of operational hygiene standards.

The refrigeration units have to be maintained and periodically replaced, whilst having the highest level of operational hygiene standards.

We need to have digital systems in place for processing the funerals and to communicate.

Accounts & Admin

We often have to pay third parties prior to us being paid, therefore we have to fund some funerals where the we extend credit to a client.

Can we offer a cheaper price?

Yes we can, but not without having to lower our standards somewhere in the above. 

Our philosophy is that we offer the best service without compromise, so we do not want to offer our clients less than our traditionally tried and trusted high standards.

How can someone else offer a much cheaper funeral?

First of all you need to compare like for like. For example our direct cremation service costs £1547 including all disbursements.

Secondly, you would have to ask what differentiates us, a family owned independent business with over 130 years of experience with excellent staff and equipment, who give a very high standard on every funeral; against what you hope the cheaper funeral company actually will provide.

It is our policy not to embalm as a matter of routine, in most instances it is not needed. We have cool conditions available, so in general for the few days between death and the funeral; viewing can take place until the last day.

It should be noted that, where the person required a high intake of medicine during their illness, nature could begin to take its course more quickly. This can be delayed by our temperature controlled environment.

We will of course advise on viewing, and should it become necessary to close the coffin early we will keep you informed. We think most of our clients would prefer this non-invasive cosmetic preparation with nature being allowed to take a more natural course.

We will however, recommend embalming when the deceased needs to be kept in our care for a long period.

After your loved one has been taken into our care, there will be an opportunity for family and friends to pay their respects at the Chapel of Rest: our aim in the preparation of the deceased is to make them appear as natural as possible, ideally to make them look as if they are asleep and at peace.

It helps us greatly if you can provide a photograph of the person so we can make sure their hair is in the correct style and to achieve a natural appearance, however it must be accepted that there are changes after death but we will do our very best to ensure a comforting experience for you.

We can dress your loved one in one of our dressing gown robes, or you may prefer their own clothing to be used. In the case of a lady you can advise us on whether any makeup should be used, perhaps providing her own makeup so the colours are appropriate.

If you do decide to visit you will find our staff to be sympathetic and they will come into the chapel with you initially and then leave you in private for quiet contemplation.

Many people have a dilemma deciding if they should visit or not, and in the main most are pleased they have, but the final decision has to be yours. Our experienced staff will help you all they can.

If you have not been to a funeral before, or perhaps not for a long time, you may have concerns about protocol and procedure; this is something you need not worry over. Below is a general outline of the proceedings. The main thing is for the service to be carried out to your wishes and we can change and adapt to your needs.

If the funeral is leaving from an area were the parking of our limousines at the house may cause problems, we can provide ‘no waiting cones’ that we will put out earlier in the day or the evening before.

The Funeral Director or Conductor will on arrival at the house speak to the main mourner or closest relative of the deceased; they will enquire if everyone has arrived, check if any flowers have to be placed in the hearse, or any other requests taken care of.

At the appropriate time they will suggest we leave for the place where the service is to be held. It is our tradition for the Funeral Director to walk a few metres in front of the hearse as a mark of respect.

On arrival at the place of the service, after checking the Crematorium or Church and
Minister are ready and any music is prepared, the Funeral Director will indicate to you when to follow the coffin into the church or Crematorium chapel and will show you where you are to be seated, usually the main mourner is sat closest to the coffin.

In the case of a cremation the curtains are usually closed at the conclusion of the
service, but they can be left open if you prefer. The coffin remains in place until everyone has left the chapel then a short time later the cremation will take place.

A service usually takes about 25 minutes, depending on the content: Hymns, perhaps
one or two, some have no singing at all but music special to the family is played as we go in and out. Sometimes another piece is played in the middle. When the service is concluded the Funeral Director will ask you to follow out of the chapel.

Some families prefer a service that is non-religious; if this reflects what you feel would be appropriate we have officiants who will take the service at the crematorium or cemetery chapel.

A Roman Catholic Mass can be 45 – 50 minutes in church. No funeral is or should be the same as another, it is personal to you and what you think your loved one would be satisfied with.

Our staff would normally carry the coffin on their shoulders, as is our normal and
traditional practice, sometimes friends and family may wish to do this, and we usually have four coffin bearers.

If the deceased had a military background we can drape the coffin in a Union Flag, or if there was an interest in sport the Cross of St George could be used and we also have a maroon and gold braided cover if required.

In the case of a burial after the service in the church or chapel the coffin will be taken to the grave. We place the coffin in the hearse unless the grave is close by. The coffin is carried to the grave and once everyone is gathered round the coffin is lowered into the ground. The service at the graveside is quite short, perhaps five to ten minutes, you will have time to see any flowers that may have been sent. Our staff will place them nearby and you have an opportunity to speak to anyone before we leave.

You will then be taken back to where the funeral started out from, or we can take you to wherever refreshments have been arranged.

We can provide (at no charge) a sign board at the exit of the crematorium or cemetery chapel, giving information on where you are going back to afterwards.

Traditionally black is always appropriate, a simple dress for the ladies, a suit and black tie for the gentlemen. You should be comfortable as befits the occasion.

There are no hard and fast rules, things are becoming more relaxed. Casual wear is worn in various forms and some feel more comfortable in dark colours and less black.

It should be borne in mind that in the case of burial suitable footwear should be chosen, especially in wet weather. Our limousines have a supply of umbrellas should the weather become inclement.

Sometimes a request is made by the family for the colours of a favourite sports team to be worn, or perhaps that a certain colour is requested favoured by the deceased. Our staff have been asked to wear ties in a particular colour; we do our best to accommodate this.

Our own staff are dressed in charcoal grey suits with black ties and the drivers wear Chauffeur’s caps and our Funeral Directors wear either a morning coat, or frock coat with pinstriped trousers. In colder weather grey overcoats are worn.

Sometimes mourners attending the service go in the chapel before the family arrives, for large funerals this is encouraged so only the close family follows the coffin. This allows the service to start on time.

There is an opportunity after the service to see those who attended, or you may be inviting everyone back to a venue for refreshments, this may be at home or at a Public House or Hotel.

If there are to be donations collected at; for example the crematorium, we provide a locked box for this purpose. A member of the family or a person nominated by you would need to witness the donations being transferred to an envelope for you to send them on to the charity requested. A signature for the donations would be needed from the witness. We don’t attempt to count the money, so this only takes a few minutes.

We are ready when you wish to leave, you will not be rushed in any way, then we can take you home or to any other venue.

Sometimes with a cremation, families can find it quite a difficult decision to decide what to do about the ashes.

We will explain all the options to you, but with many things on your mind when we first see you, and perhaps with other family members to consider, you may not want to rush things just then.

This is quite common, so you are not alone; if after we make the arrangements you cannot make up your mind, do not worry about it and don’t feel there is any pressure on you.

We can get the funeral over first; we will collect the ashes for you and take them back to our office for safekeeping.

Then we will contact you a few days later to see how you are coping and to see if you have made a decision.

If not we will keep them with us for two months, if you still are not ready to collect them or have some form of memorial, we can still hold them, but we do make a storage charge of £12.00 per month.

View our selection of urns, caskets and vases; the cremated remains or Ashes as they are usually called, are given to us from the crematorium in the polycontainer it is included in the cremation fees. This is adequate if you are intending to scatter the ashes somewhere. Otherwise we can transfer them to your chosen urn or casket.