Would you use a second hand coffin?

I think the quality of a funeral and the coffin is a throwback to Victorian times (if not before) and the style and expense of the "carriage" on which you ascend to Heaven was in some way significant.

Definitely, its all a show to impress the neighbours.

Just look at the way an expensive funeral is carried out, the funeral staff are just actors who wear Georgian/Victorian garb. Some funerals also have a procession with one of the above walking in front of the hearse with a posh silver topped walking stick. To top it all they then have a slow drawn out procession and then complain about drivers being disrespectful when they cause a hazard with a traffic tailback.

Unfortunately the people who are in mourning and upset are easily encouraged to part with money for the show.

Something I do believe is a great waste of money, is the flowers. Florists use their tired flowers with only one day left, knowing people will only see them for a few hours on the wreaths.

Some cemeteries have a policy of throwing all flowers away the next day.

I signed to leave my body to medical science when I was 18. As I've got older and the probability of me dying of something really common increases the chances are I won't be required for research or teaching. If I had my way the kids would put me in a black bag in the bin rather than line the pockets of a funeral director but I think this may be illegal.

When I die I want any organs that can be recycled to go to someone else. After that, make the rest into meat to be served in a restaurant and spare one or two poor animals who are still alive from suffering a very unpleasant and barbaric death at the abattoir!

Longpig is supposed to a very tasty alternative to pork!

Its all basically the same as then and nothing has changed much since.

I would have to agree with this. I work in probate. Within the last 3/4 years we had a deceased client who was a very large gentleman.... the funeral directors, who were struggling to find a crem to accommodate him could not even remove the handles from the coffin to make him fit.... never mind remove him from the actual coffin. I do believe that there is legislation regarding this but I am not personally familiar with it.

Secondly, donating to medical science- 1. No offence but they don’t always want/accept the body; 2. If used by medical students they may not be treated with as much respect as you might wish for (not intentionally apparently but because they become so indifferent to the many bodies); 3. Often because only 1 limb is labelled- when you are returned to your family/interred the majority of the pieces may not be actually you (I have learned the above from a medical student).

Having said that ..... as far as I’m concerned, you can chuck me in a spare box when I’ve gone... and if, in the process, someone else could be helped because of me... well I’m all for it!!!

Tell me how many professions there are where no corruption of one sort or another takes place?

 

If there are 8 cremations per day at the crem, and each time the body is removed first. Then at the end of the shift the local undertaker rolls up in the van and returns the 8 coffins to his place. If the guy operating the crem gets a bung of £50 per coffin x8 coffins x5 days = 2 grand per week. Then there is the mark up for the undertaker from the gift that keeps giving.

 

I am not suggesting most crems are at it, but I would wager that some are. It`s a grave concern.

There is a fiddle in every job ,I agree.

They used to be very expensive card board ones. I dont know if they still are.

I was involved with a relatives funeral 2 yrs ago. Instructions were left for a 'cheap' funeral so their kids could have what money was left.

The cheapest wooden coffin was approx £550. The cheapest cardboard & wicker, quick biodegradable coffins started at around £800. Bloody surprised me but clearly the undertakers have identified that there is an increase in demand for biodegradable coffins, (can't see the point if they're going to be burned), hence the high price.

I've been told that crematorium staff don't like cremations with cardboard / wicker coffins as the burn well before the body & some find this upsetting. You'd think they'd be used to it?

I'd prefer to not bother with a coffin at all, to be honest. Both of us have decided that a direct to cremation would be far more our thing than a funeral too, so there would be no need for anything more than a body bag for either of us.

 

If a coffin was necessary, how about one of those metal ones with the end that lifts up so that the occupant can be tipped into paupers' graves? It could be reused pretty much infinitely then.

if you're having some kind of ceremony, its quite hard for the pall bearers to carry a dead body without it being in a box. One on each foot and hand perhaps?

---------- Post added 12-07-2018 at 13:43 ----------

I was involved with a relatives funeral 2 yrs ago. Instructions were left for a 'cheap' funeral so their kids could have what money was left.

 

The cheapest wooden coffin was approx £550. The cheapest cardboard & wicker, quick biodegradable coffins started at around £800. Bloody surprised me but clearly the undertakers have identified that there is an increase in demand for biodegradable coffins, (can't see the point if they're going to be burned), hence the high price.

 

I've been told that crematorium staff don't like cremations with cardboard / wicker coffins as the burn well before the body & some find this upsetting. You'd think they'd be used to it?

I could knock one together out of pallets in a couple of hours.

---------- Post added 12-07-2018 at 13:46 ----------

A couple of alternatives that are now slowly starting to appear are

 

Promession

 

and

 

Resomation

 

TBH, I would prefer the first one, sounds more environmentally friendly

surely the most environmentally friendly way is burial but without any gravestone and instead plant a tree on the spot. Not only does that stop all the energy needed for heating and so on, it means a tree gets planted which is no bad thing.

Additional infomation required;

1, Is the previous user still in it?

2, Did the last guy make a mess?

3, Is this a question for me, as in my funeral, or is it for when I am paying for somebody else?

Realistically number 3 is the most important.

 

I could knock one together out of pallets in a couple of hours.

Really!!! How much?

Really!!! How much?

I'll do it using either 12mm ply @ £250 or £400 for marrine ply and good handles.

You can sort out the inside with padding as you wish.

Less than that on eBay. There's a surprising amount on there.