How Do I Find Out When The Funeral Is?

Perhaps you’ve heard a friend or neighbour has died, or wish to check the date and time of a funeral.

Here are some ways to find out.

1. PRESS - Not all next of kin choose to publish the details, but to see if they have, check the Death Announcements sections of the paper of the towns of the place of residence and home town. For those in the Reach group, such as Grimsby Live, these will also be published on the Funeral Notices website. Some councils may publish details of public health funerals in the press, or on their website.
2. OBITUARY SEARCH – A Google search may take you to an announcement on an obituary website, or turn up a memorial page set up for the individual.​
3. FUNERAL HOME WEBSITE or SOCIAL MEDIA - Some funeral homes post obituaries or details of upcoming services. Three local examples are: Lincolnshire Coop’s obituaries page includes service details, Jason Threadgold’s which details the press announcements on the website, and Near & Near who publish the notices on Facebook. Links are below.
4. CREMATORIUM DIARY – Some regions have an online crematorium diary that the public can access – as in the video for GrimsbyCrematorium. ‘Unavailable’ may mean the time is still bookable, is reserved for maintenance or meetings, or the funeral is private.

Still can’t find the service details? One of these may be why.

1. PRIVATE FUNERAL - The next of kin does not wish service details to be published. There may be a service or committal, but it is only for those personally invited.
2. UNATTENDED DIRECT CREMATION – Also known as a funeral without service, so there are no attendees. There may be a celebration of life or memorial service at a later time, or even before the cremation as mourners may gather to say goodbye and wave their person off.
3. PRIVATE CHAPEL – Some funeral homes have an in-house chapel where services take place, such as before cremation or committal at the crematorium, or the burial.
4. DELAY – In the U.K., services usually take place 2-3 weeks after death, assuming there is no inquest or coroner’s report, which could add several weeks. So it could be that arrangements may not yet be made for the service.
5. BEQUEATHMENT – If the deceased left their body to science, they will be transferred to their local medical school. It may be that a memorial service will follow a time after the donation.
6. REPATRIATION – The person may be repatriated to another country, or part of this country, so a funeral may be impractical to coordinate gathering family.

 
LINKS
Funeral Notices
https://funeral-notices.co.uk/national/death-notices
Lincolnshire Cooperative Funerals
https://www.lincolnshire.coop/funeral/obituaries
Jason Threadgold
https://www.jasonthreadgoldfuneraldirector.com/upcoming-services/
Near & Near
https://www.facebook.com/Near-Near-Undertakers-Ltd/