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| Priscilla Etienne Funeography© |
Every time I got quiet moments I'd pop two stands along and chat to the vibrant and charming 6ft 6 Stuart Poulton (funeral director) based in North Weald. While we were chatting a woman approached him, I assumed she was just there to look at the various stands and take in the beautiful surroundings.
She began to cry and Stuart immediately hugged her and spoke to her, clearly giving her reassurance. I remember thinking how safe and comforted she must have felt. When she left him I asked who she was and he explained that her husband had just died and he had him in his care. People warm to Stuart,just as I did.
Website: www.poultonfunerals.com
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| Priscilla Etienne Funeography© |
The Reverend Paul Sinclair was displaying his brilliant motorcycle hearse. I won't say every biker's dream because this hearse is appealing to people from all walks of life. I look forward to funeography being commissioned to document a funeral featuring this wonderful final carriage.
Website: www.motorcyclefunerals.com
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| Priscilla Etienne Funeography© |
Winter Willow Eco-Coffins were also exhibiting their beautiful woven basket type coffins. They are a charity who provide resources and shelter for the homeless, they also provide basket making courses.
Website: www.winterwillow.org.uk
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| Priscilla Etienne Funeography© |
The London Casket Company have very lavish caskets, a little too 'Soprano' (T.V. show) for my taste but many people still use them; I guess it's just personal preference.
As Funeographer's we are asked to take last pictures of a loved one, and one of the things I like about caskets is that they're padded well and the cushion lifts the top half of the person, allowing for better composition.
Website: www.caskets.co.uk
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| Priscilla Etienne Funeography© |
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| Priscilla Etienne Funeography© |
Carlton Carriages hire out a beautiful carriage and horses for weddings and funerals. The horses were so well behaved and it was a really long day for them.
Website: www.horsesandcarriages.co.uk
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| Priscilla Etienne Funeography© |
Funeral Map are a new company launching in August 2011. They provide a directory of all companies and organisations within the funeral industry. This is a great idea because it gives control to families who want to personalize a funeral and have more choice. Funeography will certainly be in their directory.
Website: www.funeralmap.co.uk
Greenfield Creations provide fantastic biodegradable cardboard coffins that take up to 23 stone. The designs can be personalized and the prices are excellent. I remember thinking that money was no object where our mum's funeral was concerned but when you start to see the cost rising, worry then starts to take over. Lower cost does not mean poorer quality.
Website: www.greenfieldcreationscoffins.co.uk
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| Priscilla Etienne Funeography© |
Here are some examples of the beautiful memorials the carpenters at the woodland burial parks create.
Website: www.woodlandburialparks.co.uk
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| Priscilla Etienne Funeography© |
Cemetery open days are happening again. It's an excellent way to bring life and death together. There are lots of choices available now and I don't think we need to be experiencing a death of a loved one to look into them. So many times we get caught out by a death that we don't have time to think or prepare for what we think they would have wanted. This vulnerability can sometimes cause us to choose things that are not quite right. We go out and carefully window shop for clothes, looking at styles, textures and colours and always wanting value for money and quality. It's time we did the same for funerals.
Cemetery open days are a wonderfully valuable thing, go along to them when they are advertised in your area or part of the world they are really helpful and important.
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| Priscilla Etienne Funeography© |
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| Priscilla Etienne photographed by Ken Kamara© |
I'd like to finish by thanking Fran Hall manager of the Chiltern Woodland Burial Park and also her colleagues Peter Taylor and Angie Whitaker.
I dedicate this blog to my wonderfully talented former neighbour, who worked most of his life with wood and carpentry... Bill Eames
