Photo courtesy Richmond Local History Society

Hello, and welcome to my website.

I work freelance providing a training, consultancy and research service under the banner of Funeral Service Training (London).

My website provides further information about me, my publications and my lectures. Links to all of these can be found above.

Meanwhile, you can contact me by emailing info@brianparsons.org.uk

My New Book: Funerary Practices in England and Wales

Funerary Practices in England and Wales sets English and Welsh funerary practice in its wider legal, national and local governance framework, including the continuing role of the Church of England. It provides the historical context for current practice, provides data on new trends in burial and cremation and examines recent developments including direct cremation and alkaline hydrolysis. It provides detail of current practice and includes a detailed description of a typical funeral, including commemorative practice, and discussion of funeral costs. Chapters address the legalities and technicalities of burial and cremation, explaining the concept of burial rights and the technicalities of grave construction, and outlining cremation certification requirements and the process of cremation. This book is a valuable desk-top resource to give a broader frame of reference for policy makers, and to provide explanation of key concepts for practitioners who may be new to this area of work. The text will be of particular value to academics that may be unfamiliar with the legal, technical and professional aspects of the funerary industry. The text is fully referenced, with an additional bibliography of further reading, and includes illustrations, charts, tables, diagrams and boxed text including key information.

Part of the series Funerary International edited by Dr Julie Rugg, University of York, UK.

Available now ISBN 9781787692268   Price £40.00

Forthcoming Lectures

 

2019

 

London and the Spanish Flu

14 February 2019

Society of Genealogists

Funeral Directors’ Records (and history of F W Paine)

14 March 2019

Society of Genealogists

 

The Changing Face of Funerals in South London

21 March 2019

Barnes & Mortlake History Society

A Very English Building: The Cemetery Chapel

18 May 2019

Great Gardens of Death: Victorian Society Conference on Cemeteries

Following the Fortunes of the Abney Park Cemetery Company

 19 May 2019

20th Colloquium on Cemeteries, University of York

Title to be announced

31 October 2019

Westminster Archive Centre

 

2020

 

The Cemeteries of South London

1 February 2020

North West Kent Family History Society

 

Forthcoming Publications

The Honoured Dead: London Cemeteries in Old Photographs.

Due for publication shortly by Strange Attractor Press.

Current Research & Articles in Preparation

* Funeral Directors and the 1977 Strike

* The Transportation of Coffins by Rail

You can contact me by emailing info@brianparsons.org.uk

W S Bond Bunny France Committed to the Cleansing Flame Evolution of the British Funeral Industry From Brooke Street to Brookwood Funerary Practice in England & Wales Glades of Remembrance J H Kenyon State Funeral of Sir Winston Churchill London Cemeteries London Way of Death Frederick W Paine T H Sanders & Sons Undertaker at Work

Cremation

Earlier Lectures