A folklorist’s funeral
There’s a very charming and touching account here of what would conventionally be reckoned the very alternative funeral of Thomas Hine, pictured above. His beautiful Leafshroud, below, was made by Yuli Somme here.
London’s finest independent funeral directors
Posted by Richard Rawlinson I’m posed with a dilemma here, a choice between topicality or taste. Oh, publish and be damned. Forgive the timing in this, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year, to raise the subject of Her Majesty’s official undertakers, Leverton & Sons, a 200-year-old family firm of funeral directors that has served London for […]
Goldfish Swirl
Goldfish Swirl We loved our fat Fred and sweet Dinah, Who came to us from the goose fair. As John threw his balls in a fish bowl, …Then chose his first prize with great care. The fish sloshed and dangled in plastic, In little hands grubby and warm. He carried them home oh so proudly, […]
Goodbye My Friend
Oh we never know where life will take us I know it’s just a ride on the wheel And we never know when death will shake us And we wonder how it will feel So goodbye my friend I know I’ll never see you again But the time together through all the years Will take […]
Death in Italy
Posted by Richard Rawlinson The Cremation Society of Great Britain this month publishes its international cremation statistics for 2010. See here. The country with the highest percentage of cremations is Japan at 99.9%, and the country with the lowest percentage is Ghana at 3%. But, for me, the most interesting comparison, is between the UK […]
Spoilsport
My father told me that he attended a funeral in the parish of Tuosist, in South Kerry, at the turn of the century. As the coffin was being taken in a cart to the local graveyard at Kilmackillogue, three women keeners sat on top of it, howling and wailing at intervals. The parish priest, on […]
With These Hands — Pam Ayres
Posted by Belinda Forbes In the foreword to the 2008 edition of her book WITH THESE HANDS, Pam Ayres writes that something unexpected has happened, ‘one of the poems … seems to have become popular at wedding receptions.’ Pam may be interested to know that I have occasionally been asked to read one of her […]
A Viking funeral for ashes
Over at Scattering Ashes, here, Rich has been trialling his prototype Viking longship for the fiery water burial of cremains. What do you think?
Downer of the day
According to Co-operative Funeralcare, which takes care of a quarter of all UK funerals, sales of its Gold where to buy cialis online yahoo plan rose by 34% last year, while those of personalised, tailor made plans rose by 16%. More here
Paws2Remember
“Several years ago, I had to sadly make the greatest decision of my entire life and that was to have my beloved Russian Blue cat, Didymus, put to sleep. I can remember that day, as if it were yesterday. I had no warning of her failing health and it took me by surprise. Didymus sadly that day passed away […]
