In remembrance
Posted by Richard Rawlinson On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the Germans signed the Armistice, making 11 November our Remembrance Day when thoughts turn to members of the armed forces who have died in the line of duty since World War I. We may be moved by the two minutes’ […]
The beauty of the light upon this earth and the sweetness of the leaving
If this makes you think about Six Feet Under it’s because that’s where you heard it. This song presently has us mesmerised and spellbound here at GFG HQ. We play it all day long. Santa Maria, Santa Teresa, Santa Anna, Santa Susannah Santa Cecilia, Santa Copelia, Santa Dominica, Mary Angelica Frater Achad, Frater Pietro, Julianus, […]
Brutally creative chaos
You may remember this post, The Chaos of Meaning, about the photographic essay which Jimmy Edmonds created in commemoration of his son Josh. If you missed it, click the link and go see it; it’s rare that we are lucky enough to post anything so extraordinary and beautiful. Above is a trailer for a film […]
Why funeral photos are so important
Posted by Rachel Wallace I first thought about taking pictures at funerals when a close friend died 11 years ago. I stood there watching everyone in their smart bright clothes (no one wanted to wear black – too dark, too final), taking in the beautiful flowers, the sentiments and eulogies expressed by friends and family, […]
Bhupen Hazarika: A funeral larger than Diana’s
Did you know that earlier today, in the Indian state of Assam, a funeral was held that was expected to be the one of the largest the world has seen in recent years? Yesterday the Times of Assam reported that: Unofficial sources have claimed that the number has already crossed the number of attendees who […]
Is it snowing yet?
Hands up, who here has a business continuity plan? Ok a few hands, but half of you have already fallen asleep. Well before you do nod off have a look at this from the Connecticut newspaper, the Hartford Courant. Last week there were early and unexpected snowstorms across the state. Snow isn’t unusual but this […]
Proxy grievers
Presently serving the bereaved of Essex and Suffolk we have a new concept in funeral service, the professional mourner. They’re called Rent a Mourner, we wish them every possible success, and you can find them here. Did we say new? There’s nothing new in Funeralworld. Every innovation is an act of necromancy. In our scholarly […]
High profile life, low key death
Posted by Richard Rawlinson I know, I know, 120 years is not a significant anniversary like a centenary, but can we spare a thought for Cole Porter, born in 1891? Two of the great American composer’s many classics, I’ve Got You Under My Skin and Just One Of Those Things, are popular secular choices at […]
Frightfully common
The English interior designer David Hicks created the signature look of the Swinging Sixties. Those strong colours and geometrical designs — they’re his. He seems to have been a man at ease with his mortality, a mindset informed, perhaps, by his daily ritual of chain-smoking cigarettes. At his flat in Albany he “created a crimson […]
Undercutting the undertakers
Business in bargain basement funerals is booming in Germany. Budget undertakers now enjoy 25 per cent of the market, up from 16 per cent two years ago. A typical German funeral is comparable in cost to a British funeral: somewhere between £2,500 and £3,000. But the funeral price comparison website Bestattungen.de will quickly lead you […]
