© Brian Parsons 2026 | Contact Me | Site Map
My Lectures
Brian Parsons is available to give the following presentations:
- London Cemeteries: A Look at the Twentieth Century
- A Look at the Cemeteries of South London
- The Development of Cremation in Great Britain
- The History of Frederick W Paine Funeral Directors
- The History of J H Kenyon Funeral Directors
- The Development of Embalming in Modern Britain
- Burying Enza: The 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic and Burial of the Dead in London
- Funeral Directing in London: A Look at the Twentieth century
- Funerals and Funeral Directing in West London
- The Changing Face of Funerals in South London
- The Victorian Funeral
Other lectures are in preparation and enquiries for lectures on related subjects are welcome.
All lectures last 45/50 minutes and are accompanied by a Powerpoint presentation of many rarely seen images.
For further details please contact Brian Parsons
Email: info@brianparsons.org.uk
List of Lectures
From Front Parlour to Funeral Parlour (with Dr Helen Frisby)
24 February 2022
British Association for Local History
Looking North: Looking Forward
19 March 2022
NAFD Yorkshire Education Day
The Cemeteries of South London
6 June 2022
Bromley Borough local History Society
A Look at London's Victorian Cemeteries
21 June 2022
The Victorian Society
Using Funeral Director's Records for Research
27 August 2022
The Society of Genealogists
The Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II
16 September 2022
University of Bath Centre for Death & Society online discussion
The Victorian Funeral
1 October 2022
Last Rights Conference, London
The Changing Face of Funeral Ceremonies: 1850-
15 October 2022
Association of Independent Celebrants
The Story of the Unknown Warrior
26 October 2022
Maldens and Coombe Heritage Society
‘Words on Embalming’, British Institute of Embalmers (Midlands Division), 14 July 2021
‘Words on Embalming’, British Institute of Embalmers (North East Division),
23 September 2021
‘The Changing Face of Funerals in London’, JH Kenyon, 7 October 2021
‘The Cemeteries of South London’, The Pavilion Group, Sidcup, 12 November 2021
‘Reading 'The Order for the Burial of the Dead'. Investigating the role of the cemetery chaplain’, 21st Annual Cemeteries Colloquium, 19 November 2021
‘Reading 'The Order for the Burial of the Dead'. Investigating the role of the cemetery chaplain’, Ecclesiastical History Society Conference, 15 January 2022
27 May 2026
The Development of Cremation in England and Wales, 1874-
London Association of Funeral Directors (6pm, online)
3 June 2026
The Development of Cremation in England and Wales, 1874-
Friends of Arnos Vale Cemetery (6.30pm, online)
4 June 2026
The Development of Cremation in England and Wales, 1874-
Friends of Putney Library, 6.30pm Putney Library SW15 2DR
Saturday 10 October 2026
Study Day (private event)
National Funeral Museum (Based at T. Cribb & Sons, Beckton)
Saturday 7 November 2026
Memorial Service for Dr Julian Litten, Thaxted Parish Church, Essex
(Title to be advised)
4 March 2026
A Look at London’s Cemeteries
U3A online lecture
10 March 2026
The History of F W Paine
Wimbledon Historical Society
10 November 2025
From the Fields of Flanders: The Critical Challenges Presented to Funeral Directors During the Period 1914-
NAFD Education Day, Bletchley Park
Date to be confirmed
Lecture to commemorate the 140th anniversary of Mrs Jeanette Pickersgill, the first person to be cremated at Woking Crematorium.
London Association of Funeral Directors
Friday 23 May
A ‘Magnificent’ Crematorium? The Proposed Crematorium in Brompton Cemetery. 26th Annual Cemeteries Colloquium
Friday 16 May
A Look at London’s Cemeteries
Sunday 23 March
Lecture and tour of the West London Crematorium to commemorate the 140th anniversary of Mrs Jeanette Pickersgill, the first person to be cremated at Woking Crematorium.
London's Cemeteries
Society of Genealogists
Online presentation
11 November 2023
11.30am
London Cemeteries: An Illustrated Guide and Gazetteer
The Friends of West Norwood Cemetery
21 October 2023
2.30pm
A Look at the Cemeteries of London
Funerals, Burial Grounds and Cemeteries
7 October 2023
Southwark Cathedral
The Cemeteries of South London
5 September 2023Lambormey and Sidcup Local History Society
The Victorian Funeral
13 June 2023
FW Paine Kingston
Sunday 21 July 2024
A Look at London’s Cemeteries
F W Paine Funeral Directors, Kingston
Saturday 3 August 2024
Using Funeral Directors’ and Burial Records for Research
North West Kent Family History Society
Wednesday 25 September 2024
A Look at the Cemeteries of South London
Maldens & Coombe History Society
Wednesday 9 October 2024
The Victorian Funeral in London
The Friends of Putney Library
Thursday 28 November 2024
The Victorian Funeral
Society of Genealogists
Online Presentation