An Independent and Traditional Family Funeral Directors 125 Years of Providing Help When Needed
639/645 Wimborne Road, Winton, Bournemouth BH9 2AR 01202 528818
3a Runnymeade Parade, Ringwood Road, Bransgore BH23 8NJ 01425 674595
The first steps
What to do first depends on where the death has occurred and whether the Coroner* needs to be informed.
Death at a Private Residence or Care Home
Should the death occur at a private residence or somewhere like a care home, then a doctor or a person of suitable authority will have to confirm the death before we are able to arrange for the transfer of the deceased to our premises. Please contact us after the death has been confirmed and we will arrange for the deceased to be taken to our chapels of rest as soon as possible,
*A death is reported to the Coroner by a doctor, the police or by the registrar if any of the following circumstances apply:
The deceased was not treated by a
doctor during the last illness or
has not been seen by the doctor in the
14 days preceeding death.
The death was unnatural caused by an
accident, violent or suspicious
circumstances.
The cause of death is uncertain.
The deceased was undergoing an
operation.
The death was caused by an industrial
disease.
Death in a Hospital or those referred to the Coroner
Should it be necessary for the Coroner* to arrange for the removal of the deceased or if the death is at a hospital, please do not hesitate to telephone us between 8.00am and 9.00pm, even over a weekend or bank holiday. We can usually advise you of what procedures happen next and we will liase with the Coroner or hospital at the earliest opportunity to ensure that the deceased can be released to our care as quickly as possible.
Contact Us
Telephone (24 Hours) Bournemouth 01202 528818 Bransgore 01425 674595 Email wsmithandsons@btconnect.com Visit Bournemouth 08.30-17.00 mon-fri 09.30-12.00 sat Bransgore 09.30-16.30 mon-fri (closed 12.30-13.30 )
What we need to know
During your initial contact with ourselves there will be certain information that we will need to know. To help prepare you for what we are about to ask, we have listed the information needed below:
~ The full names of the deceased.
~ The place where they have died.
~ The name of the next of kin, executor or person responsible for
the funeral arrangements.
~ Their address and telephone number.
~ Their relationship, if any, to the deceased.
~ Whether the type of funeral is to be either burial or cremation.
Don't worry if this is not known yet. We appreciate that further
consultation with other members of the family or a check on what
has been specified in a Will may be necessary.
Please also let us know if there are any special cicumstances that apply, such as if the deceased weighs above 15 stone (95Kg)
There are also some further particulars which, although not essential at this stage, will assist us:
~ The date of birth of the deceased.
~ The marital status of the deceased.
~ The General Practioner of the deceased.
~ Any specific religious requirements, such as if a particular
minister or church is wanted.
~ If there are any date and time considerations, such as dates
family are not able to attend or whether mourners need a
particular time of day to suit travel arrangements.
~ Whether there is a pre-paid funeral plan in existence.
~ Have we carried out funerals for relatives in the past?
~ Please let us know if there could be any financial difficulties with
paying for the funeral.*
* If the deceased did not leave sufficient funds then those making the arrangements must be prepared to pay the funeral costs. If there is a problem you need to let us know, then we can advise you of what possible courses of action are available. Please note that a grant from the Social Fund is dependant on a number of conditions being satisfied, and even if they agree with a claim they will only pay for a part of the funeral cost. For more information about the Social Fund use the link below.
If not made during the initial call to us, one of our directors will phone to make an appointment to meet the person responsible for the funeral to discuss the arrangements. Please see below to find out more information about this.
Alternatively, it may be possible to Register the death before making the funeral arrangements. For help and advice concerning this use the direct link from the main menu.
Arranging the funeral
Arrangements about the funeral are usually made by means of an informal meeting between the next of kin or executors of the deceased and one of our directors which normally takes about one hour. During this time we need to ask various facts about the deceased in order to help us to complete any necessary paperwork and to listen to your thoughts and requirements concerning the funeral itself and what services you need us to provide.
These arrangements can be made wherever you feel most comfortable. We have private reception rooms available at both our offices in Bournemouth or Bransgore, or if you prefer, they can be carried out any local address at no additional charge.
If distance necessitates, then everything can be arranged over the telephone with any documentation sent and returned in the post.
There are many choices that need to be made when planning a funeral, so in order to help prepare you please use the adjacent link to "funeral choices"
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