Clothes, jewellery and personal effects

Once upon a time, it was usual for a person to be dressed in their best clothes for their funeral. This is not necessary now but can still be accommodated if you would like.

We tend to suggest that the best choice of what to wear is something which they would like to be dressed in — smart or casual as would have been their normal preference. We are often asked if underwear should be provided and the answer is that we will dress someone in everything you provide, so you can do so if you wish.

The only exception to this is that shoes cannot be cremated and so, if the funeral is a cremation, shoes cannot be worn. If you don’t wish to provide clothing for someone, we will place them in what is called a closing set — a long-sleeved, high-necked gown which covers their body fully.

If the person was brought into our care dressed, or with any jewellery or other effects on their person, we will check with you your plans for these. They can be returned to you (in which case, we will ask you to sign for them) or remain with the person and be buried or cremated with them.

You can also bring items to be placed with the person, and either do this yourself or ask us to do so for you. For a burial, anything is permissible unless the rules dictate otherwise, while there are some common-sense rules around items for a cremation.

You should always remember that anything which is placed with the person for their funeral is non-recoverable afterwards.

Choosing a venue

A funeral service can take place anywhere, as long as the venue allows it. All crematoria have at least one chapel and many cemeteries and burial grounds have service halls or chapels. If you wish for a religious service, this can take place in a place of worship before the person who passed away is then taken to be buried or cremated (this is often called the committal).

You can also have the service in a separate venue such as a place which carries out other events like weddings, or the chapel of one location before the committal at another.

Freeman Brothers operates Hills Cemetery Chapel in Horsham and offers this as a venue for funeral services even for those who are not then having a burial in the cemetery. It has all of the facilities of a crematorium chapel including a state-of-the-art music system and webcasting facilities, and flexible seating for up to fifty people.

Choosing a coffin

Deciding which coffin to choose can be difficult, especially when there are misconceptions over how they are priced. For example, many people believe that a willow coffin is cheaper than a traditional one, and this may be true if the traditional one is made of solid wood, but if it is veneered then it may be cheaper. People also think a cardboard coffin is a cost-effective choice.

However, because these are something that Freeman Brothers’ customers rarely choose, each one is ordered individually and so the delivery costs are added to the price, which can increase it substantially.

As well as personal choice, the location of the funeral can have a bearing on what coffins are suitable. For example, crematoriums expect any coffin which they cremate to be supplied by an accredited provider to ensure they are free of materials which shouldn’t be cremated. Natural burial grounds will want something biodegradable to be used.

We can advise on the requirements which pertain to the funeral being arranged and provide you with prices of coffins to help in your decision-making. In some cases, it may be practical to choose a particular type of coffin — for example, a special order one might not be suitable for a funeral taking place at short notice.

Visiting the Chapel of Rest

Deciding whether to visit the Chapel of Rest is a deeply personal choice. If you wish to spend time with your loved one before the funeral, we will guide you through making an appointment, usually once they have been placed in their coffin.

In certain cases, we may advise against viewing due to how the person passed or the time since their death. You are still welcome to spend time with your loved one in their closed coffin if you prefer.

Embalming

Embalming, or hygienic treatment, is a process that preserves the body by replacing natural fluids with a special chemical solution. This slows down the natural breakdown of cells and can help restore a more peaceful appearance. Embalming is often chosen when family members wish to visit their loved one in the Chapel of Rest. Some religious traditions or natural burial grounds may not permit embalming, and we will always respect these wishes. We will discuss embalming with you and will only proceed with your consent.

Transport

There are two main necessities for transport on the day of the funeral — that for the coffin and that for the attendees.

A hearse is a traditional choice for the coffin and has the advantage of being able to transport the funeral director’s staff who are usually required to convey it into the service venue. However, hearses come in all shapes and sizes, we have personally facilitated funerals where the hearse was

• Horsedrawn
• A Volkswagen camper van
• A motorbike
• A flatbed truck
• A white van
• A Land Rover

We also know of companies who will hire a vintage fleet, or even a double decker bus, as well as a traditional hearse in rainbow colours and one painted with bluebells.

We also offer a hearsette (a smaller version of a hearse, in our case a discreet estate car with blacked-out windows) and a private ambulance as coffin transport.

The attendees do not have to travel in funeral cars but, if they wish to, the usual vehicle would be a limousine which enables a larger group to travel together than a standard car. It’s possible to hire large fleets of a hearse and matching limousines if required.