Funeral Planning & Arrangements Glossary

• Bespoke funeral arrangements

  Arrangements which we tailor to meet your individual needs and preferences.

• Committal

  The act of burial or cremation of the human remains.

• Cremation

  The reduction of human remains to basic elements by a process of flame, heat and vaporisation. A cremation may be preceded by a ceremony in a church, other place of worship, the crematorium chapel or any other suitable venue.

• Crematorium

  
  The establishment, which is registered with the Secretary of State, where the cremation takes place.

• Death certificate

  A certificate issued by the Registrar of Deaths.

• Disbursements

  Third party costs which we may pay for on your behalf, such as the doctor’s certification fee, cremation fees etc, and which we will subsequently include in our charges for the funeral arrangements.

• Exhumation

  The removal of human remains from the place of burial or entombment.

• Full service funeral

  This includes a ceremony conducted by a minister or other faith leader, civil celebrant, registrar or other person nominated to lead in a group assembled to pay their last respects. The ceremony can be in a place of worship, crematorium chapel or other place of special meaning and takes place before committal of the human remains. The service includes the removal of the body from the local place of death to our premises or the family home and the subsequent provision of hearse and cortege vehicles for the journey to the ceremony and/or place of committal.

• Green form

  A certificate issued by the General Register Office once the death has been officially registered. It gives permission for burial or cremation to take place and should be passed on to the funeral directors.

• Medical certificate

  A certificate usually issued by the regular GP or the doctor in attendance at the hospital or care home. This is needed in order to register the death.

• Memorial

  The provision of monumental masonry or some other form of dedication, such as a plaque or tree, dedicated to the memory of the person who has died.

• Memorial service

  A certificate usually issued by the regular GP or the doctor in attendance at the hospital or care home. This is needed in order to register the death.

• Monumental Masonry

  The design, crafting and fitting of a permanent stone tribute or the modification of an existing one.

• Pre-paid Funeral

  A funeral planned and paid for in advance.

• Repatriation

  The transfer of a person who has died to or from an overseas location.

• Simple Funeral

  As members of the National Association of Funeral Directors, we have a duty to provide a Simple Funeral, if required. The following services are not included: embalming, viewing facilities, provision of a limousine, disbursements. Further detailed terms and conditions can be supplied upon request.

• Urn

  A tall, rounded vase with a base, and often a stem, used for storing the ashes of a cremated person.