Pallbearers 'refused coffin lift'

Hom3r · 08-12-2007, 17:23

This is absolutly discusting

" war veteran's coffin was pushed into a church on a squeaky trolley "without dignity" because pallbearers feared risking injury, his family was disgusted when the coffin bearing Eric, 89 - who weighed about nine stone - was jolted around"

I would of told then to **** off, and asked for family/friends to help move the coffin.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7134536.stm

Xaccers · 08-12-2007, 17:57

WTF? My nan was huge and the pallbearers could be seen struggling but they still carried her coffin up the aisle.
9st is too heavy? WTF????

Perhaps the church should look into increasing the height of their doorway?

slug · 08-12-2007, 18:33

Quote:

Eric Blackwell, of Burwell, Cambs, a former World War II private and factory foreman died of pneumonia in May.

Why did they wait 6 months to bury him?

Xaccers · 08-12-2007, 19:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by slug

Why did they wait 6 months to bury him?

Maybe it's just taken that long for the news story to filter through to the bbc?

NEONKNIGHT · 08-12-2007, 21:34

Quote:

"The current practice for both our company and at least one of our competitors is to use a wheeled bier at Trinity Church.

"The average coffin with flowers on the bearers' shoulders has a height of 7ft 3ins and with doors of 6ft 8ins to carry into Trinity Church would mean staff having to bend their legs and straighten up once inside.

"This I find unacceptable and could lead to back problems."

The last paragraph explains why they used a 'wheeled bier' at Trinity Church. Maybe they should have put some WD40 on the thing though.

Xaccers · 09-12-2007, 02:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by NEONKNIGHT

The last paragraph explains why they used a 'wheeled bier' at Trinity Church. Maybe they should have put some WD40 on the thing though.

And once through the door, lift the coffin and carry it the rest of the way?

NEONKNIGHT · 09-12-2007, 09:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xaccers

And once through the door, lift the coffin and carry it the rest of the way?

They could of I suppose(?) but not knowing the layout of the place and what kind of service the minister had in mind, its hard to know really.

Vlad_Dracul · 10-12-2007, 10:09

Does it really matter how he is conveyed into church? true perhaps the carriage could have done with a squirt of oil but surely its just tradition?

Bear in mind that once you do your back in,its usually done for life and presents recurrent issues.

nurses, ambulance crews and similar have all developed techniques or have mechanical devices for lifting/conveying bodies whether dead or alive.

Xaccers · 10-12-2007, 10:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vlad_Dracul

Does it really matter how he is conveyed into church? true perhaps the carriage could have done with a squirt of oil but surely its just tradition?

Bear in mind that once you do your back in,its usually done for life and presents recurrent issues.

nurses, ambulance crews and similar have all developed techniques or have mechanical devices for lifting/conveying bodies whether dead or alive.

Its about showing respect.
An undertakers which allows a trolly to become squeaky isn't doing a professional job, in which case where else are they being sloppy?
Failing to explain it to the family before hand, that due to the low door way they'd have to bend their knees and that could risk not only their employees heath but also if they were to fall over, the coffin would be dropped and no body wants that now do they? Bit hard to argue against that.

Most of us know that the best way to check the cleanliness of a restaurant's kitchen is to check out their toilets, because if they're bothering to have spotless toilets, chances are they'll apply the same to the kitchen.
So for an undertakers to be this sloppy, I'd be worried about other aspects of their service.

Vlad_Dracul · 10-12-2007, 10:21

Agreed,the squeaky trolley was sloppy. sadly,familiarity can sometims breed contempt.

did you manage to catch this v series about the day to day lives of a family of funeral directors?
http://www.albins.co.uk/itv.htm

This lot were old school/very professional family business.

Xaccers · 10-12-2007, 10:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vlad_Dracul

Agreed,the squeaky trolley was sloppy. sadly,familiarity can sometims breed contempt.

did you manage to catch this v series about the day to day lives of a family of funeral directors?
http://www.albins.co.uk/itv.htm

This lot were old school/very professional family business.

Think I caught a couple of bits of it.

The thing is, most funeral directors are unbelievably professional and would be shocked at the thought of a squeaky trolly, even though they can understand why a trolly was used.

mrsmac2006 · 10-12-2007, 13:02

I agree that they could have waited untill they got him into the church then lifted the coffin and carried it.

I myself was at my grandads funeral on friday just gone.

Members of the family helped to carry him in to the church, we then had to make our way to the graveside.
Grandad was wheeled out on a sqeeking trolly, the thought that went through my head was if grandad was here he would have soon sorted that out with a bit of wd40. bless him.

I think the world is missing respect, its not always a done thing anymore which is sad.

The words have gone from please & thank you to I am going to sue.

Thank you for listening to my rant
Yvonne

Vlad_Dracul · 10-12-2007, 16:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrsmac2006

I agree that they could have waited untill they got him into the church then lifted the coffin and carried it.

I myself was at my grandads funeral on friday just gone.

Members of the family helped to carry him in to the church, we then had to make our way to the graveside.
Grandad was wheeled out on a sqeeking trolly, the thought that went through my head was if grandad was here he would have soon sorted that out with a bit of wd40. bless him.

I think the world is missing respect, its not always a done thing anymore which is sad.

The words have gone from please & thank you to I am going to sue.

Thank you for listening to my rant
Yvonne

I have this rather irreverant image of the lid lifting slightly,an arm reaching out...a voice saying.."for gawd's sake.." and the pssst of a can of spray lube..then silence"

Arthurgray50@blu · 13-12-2007, 22:53

I find articles such as this are disgusting in the fact that undertakers charge such a vast amount of money, and as you cannot bury or cremate them yourself, undertakers have to carry out there duties with the upmost respect to the families concerned, and carry the coffin, the scenario is like going into the undertaker, paying for the coffin, and then take it out of the hearse yourself and do the job yourself, l have only been asked the coffin once, and that was for my father in law, but l did that under the guidance of the undertaker, as it was the families request, - undertakers do your job properly, and with respect.