Dancing the Macabray
Posted by Vale In Neil Gaiman’s great children’s book ‘The Graveyard Book,’ Bod, a little boy growing up amongst the dead, dances the ‘Macabray’. It is Gaiman’s own version of the Danse Macabre where, in this instance, the dead and the living dance together. In the audiobook version every chapter is introduced by this lovely […]
A modern Danse Macabre
Posted by Vale The tradition for images of the Danse Macabre is of death alongside all of the different classes and stations in society. The message is clear – he is coming for us all. Here is a more recent version of the old tradition in a series of terrific woodcuts from the artist Hermann-Paul […]
Learning to dance with death
Posted by Vale I was reading the vision statement for the Dying Matters Coalition recently (as you do) and stubbed my toe on their ambition to address death, dying and bereavement in a way that: ’will involve a fundamental change in society in which dying, death and bereavement will be seen and accepted as the […]
GMFU non-self adjusting
The cat is out of the bag. Monday’s Dispatches will mount a televisual airstrike on Co-operative Funeralcare. Channel 4 managed to get an undercover reporter into a hub and filmed bodies stacked “like TV sets” in racks – a disturbing image which will have a devastating impact on an organisation which has spent a great […]
Co-operative Funeralcar
Brand new wheels for grief journeys bought by Co-op Funeralcare in Nottingham. One point two million quid’s worth. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comfortable.” More here.
RIP Bill Chapman
WR Chapman off to the crem on the back of one of his own. Where did that lovely cabinet come from? Full story here
Requiem mass for Philpott children
Posted by Richard Rawlinson Before they were arrested and charged with the murder of their six children in a petrol-fuelled arson fire in their Derby council house last month, Mick and Mary Philpott started planning a funeral at the Anglican Derby Cathedral. With the tragedy making headline news, they chose this local landmark, rightly predicting a lot of […]
Thoughts of a funeral-goer
Posted by Lyra Mollington With the ‘Funeral Services of the Christian Churches in England – New Edition’ tucked safely in my bag, I set off for the crematorium. I planned to go to the office and apologise for inadvertently taking it. I decided that this would be more dignified than replacing the book surreptitiously during a service. […]
No, you can’t
Extracted from ThisIsLeicestershire: Teaching assistant Pam Goodwin, 44, who worked at Highcliffe Primary, in Birstall, died at home in the village on June 6, of cancer. Head teacher Pauline Aveling said: “Pam was a wonderful character and a pillar of the community. She worked very hard to help the children in her care. She was loved […]
Great biz idea for somebody
Why (oh why) has no one developed a waterproof teddy bear for child graves? Can’t be rocket science, surely? Come on, you budding entrepreneurs!
