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the_undertaker [2020/10/05 14:41] charles |
the_undertaker [2020/12/02 20:36] (current) charles |
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| Professionalisation. | Professionalisation. | ||
| - | This trade or profession has altered radically in the last two or three decades. In the Yorkshire village where | + | This trade or profession has altered radically in the last two or three decades. In the Yorkshire village where I was brought up, the local undertaker was a builder, a carpenter and an active participant in the local community. Everyone knew Cecil and although his service may have been a bit rough round the edges, his was a friendly face and manner that brought familiarity and comfort at a difficult time. |
| - | L was brought up, the local undertaker was a builder, a carpenter and an active participant in the local community. Everyone knew Cecil and although his service may have been a bit rough round the edges, his was a friendly face and manner that brought familiarity and comfort at a difficult time. | + | |
| Today the great majority of undertakers are part of large (sometimes foreign-owned) companies with, inevitably, a far keener interest in the bottom line. That does not imply that they are heartless or lacking in compassion. Not at all. Many preserve the best traditions of an ancient craft. But it does mean that, as consumers, we need to be more discerning, more interrogative and more prepared to look for other options. | Today the great majority of undertakers are part of large (sometimes foreign-owned) companies with, inevitably, a far keener interest in the bottom line. That does not imply that they are heartless or lacking in compassion. Not at all. Many preserve the best traditions of an ancient craft. But it does mean that, as consumers, we need to be more discerning, more interrogative and more prepared to look for other options. | ||
| Services offered. | Services offered. | ||
| + | |||
| Most have a twenty-four hour phone service so you can ring them as soon as you need to. That said, it is usually wiser to wait till the morning and arrange for an undertaker to come to the house as soon as possible. If the body of the deceased is in the mortuary of the local hospital, the undertaker may offer, on that first call, to pick it up immediately and take it to his own mortuary. Be careful. If you allow that, you are in effect committing yourself to that firm. It will be difficult (but by no means impossible) to change undertakers once the body is in Firm X’s keeping. If you are not sure you want to use Firm X, tell them on the phone that you would prefer for him to take possession of the body after you have had a preliminary meeting. | Most have a twenty-four hour phone service so you can ring them as soon as you need to. That said, it is usually wiser to wait till the morning and arrange for an undertaker to come to the house as soon as possible. If the body of the deceased is in the mortuary of the local hospital, the undertaker may offer, on that first call, to pick it up immediately and take it to his own mortuary. Be careful. If you allow that, you are in effect committing yourself to that firm. It will be difficult (but by no means impossible) to change undertakers once the body is in Firm X’s keeping. If you are not sure you want to use Firm X, tell them on the phone that you would prefer for him to take possession of the body after you have had a preliminary meeting. | ||