Ashes Not Collected

[Gaille]

Hi,

This happened to my Nana & Grandads ashes at Blackley Crem.

The undertaker said he would 'sort everything' for dad, and dad presumed this also meant picking up the ashes and getting them to him, but they never did, and when he did ask them it was too late.

When grandad died dad had to go on a business trip right after the funeral for several weeks, the funeral director didnt pick up the ashes, and again when dad asked it was too late (needless to say we havent used that funeral director again!)

Years later I was in the crematorium office & asked what happened it ashes werent claimed and the lady in the office went & got out the records for me, and they had a record of exactly where the ashes had been scattered in the garden of rememberance, strangly enough by sheer co-incidence as they died 20 years apart, and their ashes were scattered in the same area.

Ring Southern & ask, the lady in the office is lovely, she has always helped me out whenever i have called them.

Gaille

[Tierneylass]

Hi Folks

So many thanks for giving me the courage to ring at long last...
rang the Crem today and very nice man gave me all the information straight away!!
Even told me mums name from records as person who arranged funeral etc...he gave me the exact location of where the ashes were scattered and wich section and no his ashes were!! He explained what could be done re book of rememberence etc and Rose bush etc.

Finally some peace in my heart.

Thank you so much

Tlass

[onefortheroad]

Well done, Tlass.

David

[Viktoria]

Tlass ,you have encouraged me to ask about my Mum, I had no idea the exact spot would be known.I just thought "scattered " meant just that. Thankyou.
My Dad`s ashes are scattered at Hill 60 in Belgium, a prominent place in the battle for Ypres in WW1 and where he lost many friends.--- There was a sad/ hilarious moment when customs decided to do  a  drugs check at Dover and we were thinking what to say by way of explanation for a yellow plastic container with a greyish white powder inside------- fortunately they did a very cursory search so did not find it anyway  and the container had in relief on the rim " Manchester Crematorium" so it would probably have been O.K but we were doing the scattering informally with a local Cof E minister present but we really ought to have checked with the Commomwealth War Graves Commission as Hill 60 is a designated undisturbed battlefield burial ground . But getting as many of the family together in a foreign country  was difficult enough.
. He takes up no room.We pop over from time to time and say "hello".Thanks again .Viktoria.

[Plummiegirl]

Some years ago I had my mother cremated & arranged for her ashes to be scattered in the Garden of Remembrance.

Fast forward 1 year later, phone rings "hello its **** undertakers, just calling to let you know we still have Mums ashes, what do you want to do with them?"  it turns out that when me & the lady at the undertakers were filling out the forms the box for scattering was not ticked, lots of chatting & in depth discussions around the unusual arrangements I requested.  We had a good chat & a laugh "she's not giving us any trouble".  Her ashes were duly scattered by the undertakers in the garden of remembrance.

I think that if no-one can be contacted that after 1 year or so the ashes are scattered in the local cemetary.

[Tierneylass]

Its lovely to know that the Crematorium still record everything down to the final detail. Its reasuring that we can still have some sort of memorial service or commemoration even at this late stage.

Mind you all my dad would have wanted was a Ceremonial Pie and a Pint in his memory And a winning bet on the 3 oclock!

Never to late to do that anyway

Thanks for all the help once again
 

[PhoebesMum]

My parents both died very recently so I have had a bit of experience dealing with funerals and ashes etc.  I was rather surprised to be told by the funeral company that they had some ashes in their storage area which had been there for 40 years.  It seems that they are willing to keep them until the wife/husband has also passed away and so enabling a joint ashes ceremony, scattering and/or burial whenever that will be.  They will also keep a set of ashes until the family can come to some sort of agreement over what to do with them.  If one wishes to go and scatter the ashes all you have to do is fetch the "ash boxes" (now in environmentally friendly cardboard and greaseproof paper as most councils are now refusing burials of urns or other slow decomposing materials).  I did ask how big the storage area was and I was told not that big but the boxes are fairly small and didn't take up a lot of room!

Previously I had thought that ashes were kept for only a few weeks at the crematorium but apparently the funeral company fetch the ashes when they are ready and contact is made with the family concerned to see if a decision has been reached as to what is to be done with them.  Now whether this is unique to this particular firm or not, I have no idea.

Just make doubly sure that someone in the immediate family knows where they are!

Another thing that might be of interest is that the plot of land in the cemetery were my mum and dad's ashes were laid to rest, was half a normal burial plot which is slightly larger than the average ashes plot but it means that 2 more ash boxes can be added later - not all councils allow this because it depends on the plot size.  So me and the hubby are now catered for lol!  Although there is no more family left to see that our wishes are adhered to!  So can I count on a few witnesses here?