Home About Me Books Articles Lectures Images Training Contact Me

 © Brian Parsons 2024  |  Contact Me  |  Site Map

Earlier Lectures

This page lists the lectures I gave from 1998 to 2016.

For details of later lectures, please click here.

1988

‘The British Funeral industry: Past, Present and Future’, Cremation Society Conference, July 1998

2001

 

‘Funeral Directors versus burial and cremation authorities: Conflict or Collaboration?’, Confederation of Burial Authorities, May 2001

2002

‘Funerals and Funeral Directing in London: A Look at the Last 100 years’, Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery, June 2002

2003

‘Predictable occurrence, unpredictable demand’, Westminster Business School, May 2003

2004

‘From Welbeck to Woking: William Garstin and the First Cremations’, Cremation Society Conference, July 2004

‘From Welbeck via Kensal Green to Woking’, Cremation Society Conference, July 2004

2006

‘Cremation in England: The Early Years’, British Institute of Funeral Directors Region F, July 2006

‘Educating the funeral director’, ICCM Educational Seminar, April 2006

‘From Welbeck via Kensal Green to Woking’, Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery, April 2006

‘The Development of Cremation’, City of London Cemetery Open Day, August 2006

‘Funeral Directors and Distance Transportation of the Dead’, FIAT/IFTA International Conference, June 2006

2007

‘Continuing Professional Development: Looking Outside the Box’, BIFD Conference, October 2007

‘In Memoriam: A concert of Renaissance, Baroque and Contemporary Choral Music associated with remembrance and burial, interspersed with reflections on changing funeral rites’, London Festival of Contemporary Church Music, May 2007

2008

‘Battle Ground for Burials: Kingsbury Lawn Cemetery’, Ninth Cemeteries Colloquium, University of York, May 2008

‘Continuing Professional Development: A Strategy for the BIE’, British Institute of Embalmers Tutors’ Study Day, March 2008

‘London Cemeteries: A Look at the Twentieth Century’, Brookwood Cemetery Society, July 2008 & Friends of West Norwood Cemetery, October 2008

2009

‘Funeral Directing and Funerals in the UK: A Few Insights’, Open University, July 2009

‘Setting the Standard at the Start. Tracing the Origins of the Co-operative Funeral Service’, Co-operative Funeral Service Managers’ Association, October 2009

‘A Look at the Cemeteries of South London’, Croydon Association of Funeral Directors, October 2009

‘Burying Enza: the Spanish Flu 1918-1919 and the Disposal of the Dead in London’, for Tenth Cemeteries Colloquium May 2009 and for National Association of Funeral Directors November 2009

2010

‘European Influences on the Development of Cremation in Great Britain’, Death & Dying in 18th-21st Century Europe: Refiguring Death Rites in Europe, International Conference, Alba Iulia, Romania, September 2010

‘Innovation in the face of Disaster: Dealing with the World’s Greatest Air Tragedy’, ICCM Conference, September 2010

2011

‘London Cemeteries: A Look at the Twentieth Century’, London Parks and Gardens Trust, 11 April 2011

2012

‘Down Among the Dead Men’. Presentation given at Death: Southbank’s Festival for the Living, 27-29 January 2012

‘Funeral Directing in London: A Short History’. For the Croydon Association of Funeral Directors February, 2012

‘Robertson at the City: Portrait of a Cemetery Superintendent’. For Thirteenth Colloquium on Cemeteries, University of York, May 2012

‘JH Kenyon: A Unique History’. For JH Kenyon, June 2012

‘Funeral Reform and the Clergy’. For clergy seminar in Dorset, June 2012

‘The Pioneers of Preservation: The Development of Embalming in 20th Century Britain’. For BIE Midlands Division, July 2012

‘A Dying Business? Mortality and Funeral Directing in West London’. For The Social Context of Death, Dying and Disposal, 10th International Conference, Raboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, September 2012

‘Understanding the Funeral Business’. For the board of Scotmid Co-operative, Edinburgh, October 2012

2013

‘Funeral Directing in 20th Century Scotland’. For 'Death in Modern Scotland, 1855-1955: beliefs, attitudes and practices', New College, University of Edinburgh, February 2013

‘The Development of Cremation in Britain’. For Sturminster Newton Museum Society, April 2013

‘From Brooke Street to Brookwood: Nineteenth Century Funeral Reform and S Alban the Martyr Holborn Burial Society’. For Fourteenth Cemeteries Colloquium, University of York, May 2013

‘Undertaking History’. For University of Westminster Summer School, July 2013

‘Committed to the Cleansing Flame: The History of Cremation in North London since 1874’. For Camden Local History Society, July 2013

‘Serving the Bereaved: Yesterday, Today and in the Future’. For Scotmid Co-operative Society Funeral Conference, August 2013

‘Americanisation of the British Funeral Industry: Fact or Fiction?’. For 11th International Death, Dying and Disposal Conference, Open University, September 2013

‘Robertson and the Early Years of the Nation Association of Cemetery Superintendents’. For ICCM Learning Convention, September 2013

‘Undertaking in London’. For Hendrick’s Carnival of Knowledge, London Day of the Dead, October 2013

‘Frederick W Paine: A Unique History of Service to the Community’. For FW Paine, October 2013

‘A Look at the Cemeteries of South London’. For Mycenae House Local History Society, October 2013

‘JH Kenyon: A unique History’. For JH Kenyon, October 2013

2014

‘The history of UK funeral practices’ For the Death Salon, Barts Pathology Museum, 12 April 2014

‘Clients, competition and communication’, Scotmid Funeral Conference, 5 May 2014

‘Frederick W Paine: A Unique History of Service to the Community’, 13 May 2014

‘Abandoning Burial. Explaining a Regional Shift Towards Cremation’, Cemeteries Colloquium, University of York, 16 May 2014

‘Undertaking History’, University of Westminster Summer School, 9 July 2014

‘Frederick W Paine: Serving the Community in War and Peace’, 10 July 2014

‘Frederick W Paine: Serving the Community in War and Peace’, 2 October 2014

‘Undertakers and coffin’, 8 October 2014, Newman Brothers Coffin Furnishing Factory, Birmingham

‘Funeral service in West London - A Short History’, 11 November 2014, Western District of the London Association of Funeral Directors

‘The Magnificent Seven’, 17 December 2014, Lauderdale House, Highgate

2015

‘Portrait of the Work of the Undertaker’. Southern District of the London Association of Funeral Directors, 12 January 2015

‘The History of F W Paine’. West Surrey History Society (Feltham Branch), 24 February 2015

‘Funeral Directing in War and Peace’. NAFD Yorkshire Educational Weekend, Scarborough, 21-22 March 2015

‘Premature Burial and the Undertakers When is Death?’ Conference, University of Leicester, 16-18 April 2015

‘Burying the Dead in London: An insight from 1965’ Cemeteries Colloquium, University of York, 15 May 2015

‘F W Paine: Serving the community in war and peace’ Lecture given at F W Paine, Kingston, 6 October 2015

‘The Funeral of Sir Winston Churchill: 30 January 1965’ Lecture given at

J H Kenyon, 83 Westbourne Grove, London W2, 13 October 2015

2016

‘A Tale of Two Cemeteries: Securing new burial space in London during the interwar period’ - Seventeenth Colloquium of Cemeteries, University of York, Friday 20th May, 2016

‘Frederick Paine: Serving the Community in War and Peace’ - Frederick W Paine Museum, 24 Old London Road, Kingston KT2 6QG, Tuesday 21 June 2016

‘Funeral Directors and the Promotion of Cremation: A Regional Perspective’ - Cremation & Burial Communication & Education Conference, Stratford-on-Avon, Monday 4 July 2016

‘Cremation in London: the Development of Cremation in the Capital’ - Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery, Thursday 8 September 2016 at 7.30pm.

‘The History of Frederick Paine Funeral Directors’ - Esher District Local History Society, Saturday 10 September 2016 at 2.30pm.

‘Frederick Paine: Serving the Community in War and Peace’ - Maldens & Coombe Heritage Society. Wednesday 14 September 2016 at 7pm.

‘Mortlake Crematorium’: a talk on the development of cremation and the story behind Mortlake Crematorium. This event is part of Open House London 2016. Sunday 18 September 2016 in the Crematorium Chapel at Mortlake.

‘The Cemeteries of South London’ - Frederick W Paine Museum, 24 Old London Road, Kingston KT2 6QG, Tuesday 20 September 2016 at 7pm.

‘Frederick Paine: Serving the Community in War and Peace’ - Frederick W Paine Museum, 24 Old London Road, Kingston KT2 6QG, Tuesday 4 October 2016 at 7pm.

‘London Cemeteries’ - Highgate Cemetery, Thursday 20 October 2016 (Part of the ‘London Month of the Dead’ events)

‘The Story of the Unknown Warrior’ - J H Kenyon Funeral Directors, 83 Westbourne Grove W2 4UL, Thursday 27 October 2016.

‘The History of Frederick Paine’ - The Mausolea & Monuments Trust, Saturday 12 November 2016.

Lectures in 2017

‘The Work of the Funeral Director’, University of York, Thursday 2 February 2017.

‘The Funeral Director and Dealing with Bereaved Families’, Academy of Forensic Medical Science, Thursday 9 February 2017.

‘The Cemeteries of South London’ - Friends of West Norwood Cemetery, Saturday 18 February 2017.

‘The History of Mortlake Crematorium’, Brentford & Chiswick Local History Society, Monday 20 February 2017.

‘The History of Ayton Castle’, Monday 20 March 2017.

‘The Changing Face of Funerals’, Ayton Scottish WI, Wednesday 22 March 2017.

‘Frederick W Paine: Serving the Community in War and Peace’, Surbiton and District Historical Society, 2 May 2017

 

‘Frederick W Paine: A History of Service to the Community’, F W Paine, Kingston, 13 June 2017

‘The Cemeteries of South London’, Friends of Nunhead Cemetery, 15 June 2017

‘Burying Enza: The Spanish flu and the burial of the dead in London’, The Friends of Brockley and Ladywell Cemetery, 20 June 2017

‘The History of Mortlake Crematorium’, Richmond Local History Society, 8 July 2017

‘The History of Mortlake Crematorium’, Know your place – Richmond upon Thames Heritage Festival, 12 September 2017

 

‘The Changing Face of Funerals in South London’, F W Paine, Kingston, 19 September 2017

‘The History of Mortlake Crematorium’, Acton History Group, 8 November 2017