Funeral Brochure - the City of London Corporation
City of London Cemetery and Crematorium at Aldersbrook Brochure The City of London Cemetery is a Grade I listed landscape 2 Contents Key information Page 3 Key Information Page 4 Introduction Page 5 History of the Cemetery Page 6 Our Commitment to you Page 7 Facilities Page 9 Burial Page 10 Burial options Address and contact information City of London Cemetery and Crematorium Aldersbrook Road London E12 5DQ Tel: 020 8530 2151 Fax: 020 8530 1563 [email protected] www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery Page 11 Service times, Music options Page 12 Chapels Page 13 Private Graves Page 18 Public Graves Page 19 Baby Garden Page 20 Heritage Graves Page 21 Caring for your Grave Page 22 Memorial Management Page 23 Cremation Page 24 Cremation options Page 26 Chapels for Cremations Page 28 Music and visual options Page 29 Choices after a funeral Page 31 Our Memorial Garden Page 36 Green burial of Ashes, Graves for Ashes Page 37 Urns Page 38 Book of Remembrance Page 40 Grave Transfers Page 41 Funeral reception facility Page 42 Recycling of metals and materials Page 44 Genealogy Tel: 020 8530 2151 Email: [email protected] Opening times Winter: 1 October to 31 March 9am to 5pm every day (except Christmas and Boxing Day – 3.00pm closing) Summer: 1 April to 30 September Monday – Friday inclusive 9am to 7pm Saturday and Sunday 9am to 5pm NB: please note that the last entry into the grounds is 30 minutes before closing time and that no cars are admitted after 1pm on Sunday. Office opening times Monday – Friday inclusive 9am to 4pm (except Bank Holidays). www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery 3 History of the Cemetery The City of London Corporation acquired the land occupied by the Cemetery and Crematorium in 1854 because of the overcrowding in the City’s churchyards. The site in East London covering 200 acres was originally the location of Aldersbrook Manor which was situated on the main route from London to Colchester (Romford Road). The Manor house was never quite on the scale of nearby Wanstead Manor but it was an estate, occupied in the early sixteenth century by Sir John Heron, treasurer of the Chamber to Henry VII and Henry VIII, and later by his son Giles who married the daughter of Sir Thomas More. The House was demolished in 1786 by its then owner Sir James Tylney Long of Wanstead Park and much of the land forming the south of Epping Forest and Wanstead had been turned over to farming. Introduction The City of London Cemetery and Crematorium at Aldersbrook is a beautiful Grade I listed landscape in the heart of East London, which has been serving the community since 1856. Our 200 acre site provides a picturesque, safe, park like atmosphere for thousands of visitors 365 days of the year, and offers beautiful formal gardens, well maintained roadways, tree lined avenues and local heritage. We are one of the largest municipal cemeteries in Europe and anyone may be buried here irrespective of City connections or religious/cultural beliefs. Our site is rich in architecture, ecology, geology, horticulture and history, and we have the honour of being the first Cemetery to be awarded the prestigious Green Flag Award, the national standard for parks and green spaces in England and Wales. We pride ourselves on excellent customer service and ensuring that we have a range of options for all. This brochure outlines the unrivalled services we offer, what is available and gives a guide to what to consider when arranging a funeral. Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact our Bereavement Services team (number and email shown below) and we will be happy to help you. More information is also available on our website. The land was purchased in 1854 by the City of London from Lord Wellesley, a relative of the Duke of Wellington. Under the direction of Lt Col William Haywood, The Commissioner of Sewers, the Cemetery was cleverly landscaped and then opened in 1856. The plans included two chapels – one for Anglicans and one for Dissenters, and consecrated and un-consecrated ground for burials. Much the same as today, the site was designed to cater for all elements of society. The catacombs were built into the eastern end of the former lake and the grand entrance the Cemetery’s Gatehouse was designed to make every visitor feel as if they are entering a different world. This remains as a spectacular and iconic feature today. Following the Cremation Act of 1902, London’s first municipal Crematorium was designed and built on the site and opened 1904. Due to Cremation being a relatively new and strange concept, the option was slow to be taken up and by 1910 there had been fewer than 70 services, which is in stark contrast to today where over 70% of our services are Cremations. For more information about the history of the Cemetery see our website or purchase ‘The Cemetery in a Garden – 150 years of the City of London Cemetery and Crematorium’ by David Lambert which is available from the Cemetery Administration Office. The Cemetery and Crematorium is provided by the City of London which is a uniquely diverse organisation, in that it not only promotes and supports the City and provides it with a full range of services but also, provides wider services for London and the nation as a whole. 4 Tel: 020 8530 2151 Email: [email protected] www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery 5 Our Commitment to you The City of London is committed to providing excellent customer service and maintenance standards. We are committed to achieving excellent standards when it comes to grass cutting, maintenance of general flower beds, provision of our grave care scheme and caring for our Memorial Gardens area. For more detail about what we guarantee please see our website. Our professional, committed and dedicated staff are more than pleased to help all visitors, you only need to ask. Facilities Cars We have plenty of parking for those visiting to attend a funeral, please check with our Information and Security team upon arrival and you will be directed to the most convenient place to park your car. We ask you to please observe our regulations with regards to speed limits within the Cemetery. All other visitors will require a car permit to enter, drive around and park in the Cemetery. Please ensure you have applied for a relevant permit in advance of your visit. Please note private cars are not permitted into the Cemetery on Sundays (after 1pm), except those attending funerals. We provide a free regular minibus service at weekends (with full disabled access) from the main gate for all visitors; please ask a member of our Information and Security team at the Gatehouse for more information. 6 Tel: 020 8530 2151 Email: [email protected] www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery 7 We have a number of facilities within our grounds, these include: Burial Facilities in our grounds Burial • A permanent and visible Information and Security team • Administration Office – where our Bereavement Services team is located • A funeral reception facility onsite – see Ernie Turner Centre on page 41 • Grave Care Scheme – we can help you look after your grave, see page 21 • Gatehouse Pantry – serving refreshments 365 days a year • Gatehouse Florist – offering a range of flowers and other services • Plenty of car parking • Toilets throughout the grounds • Baby changing facilities • Shelters and seating • Lots of water points • First Aid provision • Maps for visitor navigation • Literature about the Cemetery • Details and information about our heritage/wildlife walks • We are open 365 days of the year Facilities for disabled visitors The following facilities for disabled visitors are available on request (please let us know in advance by contacting the Bereavement Services team): • Wheelchairs and mobility scooters may be borrowed from the Information and Security team at the main Gatehouse • For those with a hearing impairment, all our chapels and a desk in the Administration Office are fitted with an induction loop • A Crystal Listener is available for use in our Administration Office (with or without a hearing aid) • Our service books are available in Braille • Some Cemetery literature is available in large print upon request 8 Tel: 020 8530 2151 Email: [email protected] www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery 9 Burial Burial options Service times The City of London Cemetery and Crematorium has been providing first class burial options since 1856. We pride ourselves on ensuring that the process is as efficient and smooth running as possible as we know that such decisions can be difficult, especially at a time of bereavement. Our Bereavement Services team are available to advise you in person, in writing, by telephone or by email so please do not hesitate to contact us if we can provide further information. The City of London can host and conduct burials between 9am and 3pm every day of the week and 9am until 12 noon at weekends. These times reduce slightly during the winter months due to available daylight. The cost of your interment includes a 30 minute service in one of our chapels (if you require this option). You should allow for 15 minutes to move from the chapel service to the area of the grave and up to a further 30minutes for the graveside service. We have a wide range of options, for any budget, and anyone may be buried here irrespective of faith or the area in which you live. We have Graves available in our woodland, lawn, traditional and catacomb areas. For available service times please ask your Funeral Director to check and arrange this directly with the City of London Cemetery and Crematorium. We try our very best to accommodate all requests and requirements. Please use this section of the brochure to decide which style of burial and grave you would like and other factors such as lease periods, heritage grave options and the types of memorial permitted in each area. A current Scale of Charges can be accessed online or enclosed in this brochure as a separate leaflet. Music options Choosing a grave with a lasting memorial is an important decision and we strongly suggest you visit the Cemetery to view the types of grave and areas available before you make your final decision. Please call our Bereavement Services team to book an appointment. During an appointment, we will ask you to choose the area in which your loved one will be buried. It is important to note that you will not be able to select the actual grave as graves are allocated two days before the actual burial. If you would like to come and see the final grave position please make sure you arrange this with your Funeral Director and the Cemetery Bereavement Services team in advance. Throughout this section there is a reference to the maximum number of burials in each type of grave. Please note that the actual number of burials may vary according to the ground selected and prevailing weather conditions. 10 Tel: 020 8530 2151 Email: [email protected] Music can often be a very important part of any funeral and we feel that it is important that this side of the service is completely taken care of for you. At the City of London we have a state of the art digital music system and a database that can cater for any taste, requirement or style. Any track can be played in any of our chapels. If you request a piece of music that is not in our existing database, your Funeral Director can try to secure it with our music supplier as long as they have at least 48 hours notice before your service. The standard service time in any of our chapels is 30 minutes, during which you can choose up to three pieces of music to be played and this should all be arranged through your Funeral Director in advance of your service. The normal format would be to have one piece of music played as you enter the service, one during the committal and one when you exit. If you book a longer service, then more music can be played, but please note there are additional charges for this option. We strongly discourage bringing tapes, CDs or DVDs on the day and ask that you arrange all music with your Funeral Director in advance of the service. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery 11 Burial Different Types of Grave Chapels Private Graves (also known as purchased graves) Church The Anglican Church is located at the end of Church Avenue on the left hand side as you enter the Cemetery. This newly renovated and beautiful gothic Grade II listed building is primarily used for burial services and can accommodate around 90 seated mourners. This building has full disabled access, a hearing loop, an electronic organ, music system and a PA system for larger congregations and is supervised by an experienced member of our team. Private Graves are those where the ‘Rights of Burial’ are owned by an individual or small number of people (usually a close relative of the deceased). A lease is available for a fixed period of time during which the owner(s) may decide who may be buried in that grave and give permission for any memorial work to be carried out. If the lease expires and is not renewed, the Rights of Burial revert to the City of London. When an owner dies, they automatically have the right to be interred in their own grave, and to have an inscription on an existing memorial (as long as this work is carried out on site and no other work is carried out). If the owner dies and subsequent burials are to take place, a new memorial is to be erected or an existing memorial needs to be removed for the inscription, the ownership must be transferred beforehand – please contact our Bereavement Services team to arrange. NB: It is important to note that change of ownership of your grave does not automatically pass to the next of kin or executor. When securing this type of grave ownership it is important to provide all names in full, including middle names where applicable. Difficulties may arise later, for example, if an owner completes a permit for monumental work and the details provided do not match those in our Private Grave Register. Chapel The non-conformist Chapel is located at the end of Chapel Avenue and can be seen from the main Cemetery Gatehouse. This bright and non-religious grade II listed building has a circular seating pattern and can be used for burial services, pre-funeral ceremonies or rituals and can accommodate around 70 mourners. This building has full disabled access, a hearing loop, an electronic organ, music system and PA system for larger congregations and is supervised by an experienced member of our team. 12 Tel: 020 8530 2151 Email: [email protected] Before purchasing a grave it is important that you fully understand our rules and regulations. Memorial specifications vary according to the type of grave, and some styles have more restrictions than others. For further details please see our Rules and Regulations document which is available online www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery or enclosed in this brochure as a separate leaflet. There are many different types of grave available at the City of London Cemetery, details are on the next few pages. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery 13 Burial Private Lawn Grave This type of grave can accommodate up to two burials and up to a maximum coffin / casket size of 213cm x 76cm (7’ x 2’6”). The grave is turfed and has a small garden space. A concrete ‘lawn unit’ is provided and the memorial is cemented into this to make it secure. The only adornment allowed in this area is a free standing vase plate that may be placed within the garden space directly in front of the headstone. Please note large memorials are not permitted in this area – you should select a Large Lawn Grave if you require this option. Private Conservation Lawn Grave (available from 2012) This grave can accommodate up to three burials. This is a lawn grave but located in our conservation section which means that all memorials have to be of a light colour. Private Woodland Grave The private woodland graves can accommodate two private burials within our natural woodland area. There are no memorials of any kind in this area, so please bear this in mind when selecting this option. Private Large Lawn Grave This grave can accommodate up to two burials. This is similar in concept to the standard lawn, but suitable for much larger coffins or caskets. There is a wider choice of memorials permitted in this area with a maximum height of 4’ (122cms). This is located in our conservation section which means that all memorials have to be of a light colour. Private Traditional Non Constructed Grave This type of grave can accommodate up to four burials. A concrete landing is placed directly on the ground and a substantial memorial (up to 152cm or 5’ high) can be erected on top of the grave landing. Private Traditional 14 Tel: 020 8530 2151 Email: [email protected] www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery 15 Burial Part Constructed Grave Private Graves for Burial of Ashes This type of grave can accommodate up to four burials. Before a concrete landing is installed, a concrete sleeve and two courses of brickwork are laid to provide a solid foundation for the grave. This removes the possibility of subsidence later on and allows a substantial memorial to be erected on top of the landing. We have specific areas within the Cemetery providing private graves for the burial of ashes. A headstone may be erected and each grave can hold up to ten urns or caskets. Please consult our Bereavement Services team for what options are available. Private Conservation Traditional Grave This type of grave can accommodate up to two burials. This is a traditional style grave with a landing and kerbs but is located in our Conservation area therefore all memorials have to be of a light colour. Private Vault Fully Constructed Catacomb Our catacomb is an impressive semi-circle gothic structure in the centre of the Cemetery. The structure contains chambers that can accommodate one interment each. This option is perfect for those who do not wish to be buried in the ground or who wish to consider a different burial option. You need a specifically designed coffin or casket and this is sealed into the chamber with a memorial tablet. Please consult your Funeral Director or our Bereavement Services team for more information on our catacomb options. This type of grave can accommodate up to four burials. The grave is fully lined with reinforced concrete, with two courses of brickwork on top to support the landing. A substantial memorial can be erected on this type of grave. 16 Tel: 020 8530 2151 Email: [email protected] www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery 17 Burial Public Graves (also known as un-purchased graves) This type of grave is where the City of London owns the ‘Rights of Burial’ and unrelated people are buried in the same grave. There are currently two different types of public grave available at the City of London: Public Lawn Grave This type of grave will be used for up to six burials. Once the grave is complete we erect a memorial which states the name, age and date of death of all those interred within. Baby Garden We have a dedicated Baby Garden designed to provide an area of peace and tranquillity for you to reflect and remember. This beautifully landscaped public burial area has a specially renovated memorial angel which stands in memory of all children. There is a facility to allow the placement of cut flowers, a pergola walkway around the landscaped flower borders and memorial walls which allow each family to dedicate a commemorative plaque to their loved one. If you would like to view the Baby Garden area or have any questions about the type of burial in this area, please contact our Bereavement Services team. Public Woodland Grave Situated in a beautiful natural woodland area in the Cemetery. There are no memorials erected in this area and it is one of our more natural or green options. There may be up to three unrelated interments in each grave. There is also an option to have a private grave in our woodland area. 18 Tel: 020 8530 2151 Email: [email protected] www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery 19 Burial Heritage Graves You will see when you visit the City of London Cemetery and Crematorium that we have some beautiful older and more traditional grave areas. These areas are often located in primary areas and have stunning memorials, and many of the graves within them have leases that are now extinguished. The City of London Cemetery and Crematorium have a Heritage Programme that conserves the traditional heritage of these grave areas, but allows new families to lease existing graves and re-use the monuments already on them. This gives you the option of perhaps obtaining a more substantial grave whilst preserving the history of our site. For more information on what heritage graves are available and what the options are please make an appointment with our Bereavement Services team. Caring for your Grave We provide a scheme where we look after your grave for you. This includes options like planting seasonal flowers or thrift, or we can wash, weed or renovate your memorial depending on what your needs are. Prices for these services vary depending on the type, size and condition of your grave. Please see our website for our Scale of Charges, have a look at the leaflet enclosed in this pack or contact our Bereavement Services team for more details. 20 Tel: 020 8530 2151 Email: [email protected] www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery 21 Burial Cremation Memorial Management Following a new burial here at the City of London Cemetery we will mark your grave with a wooden peg showing the grave number, grave reference and the surname of the deceased. If it is likely to be some time before the memorial is placed on the grave you can purchase a temporary marker and this can be placed on the grave for one year, while you choose your memorial or gravestone. Please take your time in choosing an appropriate inscription and any other features you might like such as a photograph. We advise you to consider whether you will require further interments and inscriptions when you are selecting your memorial. Cremation The City of London does not offer an in-house masonry service but can advise you regarding masons who are permitted to work on our site. We require that all memorial work on our site is undertaken by qualified and accredited monumental masons. We recommend you obtain quotations from several companies and thoroughly check our regulations about what type, style, colour and size of memorial is permitted in the area of your grave. Generally speaking, a memorial should be made of a solid stone such as granite, marble, limestone or Portland stone. Although we inspect and approve each memorial, we do not guarantee the workmanship or materials used, so you should ensure that you are happy with what you have ordered and received and that it meets our rules and regulations. Please note, the grave owner is responsible for the maintenance of the memorial, and should the stone become unstable or dilapidated, steps may be taken to lay it down, remove it or ‘make it safe’. 22 Tel: 020 8530 2151 Email: [email protected] www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery 23 Cremation Cremation options The City of London Cemetery and Crematorium has been providing first class Cremation services since 1904. We pride ourselves on ensuring that your funeral experience at the City of London is as efficient and smooth running as possible as we know that this is a very difficult time. Our Bereavement Services team are available to advise you in person, in writing, by telephone or by email so please do not hesitate to contact us if we can provide any further information to what is in this guide. Please use this section of the brochure to help you decide on the type of service you would like, your chapel of choice and what you would like to do with the ashes after the service. We have a wide range of options, for any budget, and anyone may be cremated here irrespective of faith or the area in which you live. We also have a wide variety of options for you to consider after the funeral, and encourage you to select what best suits your family and circumstance. The City of London Cemetery & Crematorium is committed to reducing the environmental impact caused by the service that it provides. For this reason our crematorium is fitted with state of the art cremators designed to meet all current and future legislation. All of our cremators and ancillary equipment is supplied by Facultatieve Technologies who are a leading name in the manufacture of cremation equipment across the globe. The abatement equipment used at our crematorium removes mercury and other toxic particles before any gases are released into the atmosphere, with all toxic residues being collected and disposed of in the most environmentally friendly way. The City of London crematorium has and will continue to reduce the level of mercury emitted from the cremation process by over 50%. This has been achieved with no impact on the service that we provide to the bereaved. A Scale of Charges with all our costs relating to Cremation can be accessed online or is enclosed in this brochure as a separate leaflet. Please feel free to book an appointment with our Bereavement Services team if you wish to view the chapels or to select a Memorial Garden dedication. 24 Tel: 020 8530 2151 Email: [email protected] www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery 25 Cremation Chapels for Cremations Traditional Crematorium Chapel The traditional Crematorium is located in the centre of the Cemetery at the end of Cheethams Avenue. Surrounded by our landscaped Memorial Gardens and at the edge of a beautiful Sunken Garden, this Edwardian Grade II listed building offers a more traditional funeral setting for cremation services, which can seat up to 80 mourners. There is a floral display area adjacent to the building on which your funeral flowers can be displayed and the chapel offers a PA system should you have more mourners than can be seated. 26 Tel: 020 8530 2151 Email: [email protected] Modern Crematorium Chapels Our Modern Crematorium is in the heart of the Cemetery and offers a modern yet appropriate setting for Cremation services. The building, located in Rhododendron Avenue is of a late 20th Century design and has a chapel on the north and south sides. Our North Chapel follows a classic red theme with beech wood and can seat around 100 mourners and our South Chapel has a tranquil green theme with oak wood that can also seat around 100 mourners. Both our North and South Chapels have large sliding glass doors that open out to a covered area where a further 200 to 300 mourners can stand, view and listen (with an in built PA system) to a funeral at any one time. They both have piped church organs, visual screens that can be used for presentations, videos or photographs and a state of the art digital music system. Please speak to your Funeral Director about what options are available in these chapels. Just behind the Modern Crematorium we have a floral display area where you can lay flowers or dedications following your service. We also have waiting rooms and toilet facilities adjacent to both chapels for all visitors. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery 27 Music and visual options Music can often be a very important part of any funeral and we feel that it is important that this side of the service is completely taken care of for you. At the City of London we have a state of the art music system and a database that can cater for any taste, requirement or style. Any track can be played in any of our chapels. If you request a piece of music that is not in our existing database, your Funeral Director can order it for you as long as they have at least 48 hours before your service. Choices after a funeral The standard service time in any of our chapels is 30 minutes, during which you can choose up to three pieces of music to be played and this should all be arranged through your Funeral Director in advance of your service. The normal format would be to have one piece of music played as you enter the service, one during the committal and one when you exit. If you book a longer service, then more music can be played, but please note there are additional charges for this option. We strongly discourage bringing cassette tapes, CDs or DVD’s on the day and ask that you arrange all music with your Funeral Director in advance of the service. We have visual screens in our Modern Crematorium that allow presentations, videos and photographs to be displayed during the service if you wish. Please also arrange these options with your funeral Director well in advance of the service. Tel: 020 8530 2151 Email: [email protected] www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery 29 Choices after a funeral 28 Choices after a funeral Choices after funeral Our Memorial Garden Here at the City of London Cemetery and Crematorium at Aldersbrook we understand that you will want to commemorate and remember your loved one in an appropriate way and we pride ourselves on providing a range of choices for you to consider after the funeral service. With 32 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens right in the very heart of our site, our Memorial Gardens provide an unrivalled location for the placement of ashes. The distinguished landscape consists of a wide choice of positions for Ashes in any of our pre-planted 600 rose beds, 14 flower beds, shrub borders or by one of our many trees, benches or dedicated pathways. Whether your funeral service has been held here or not, we are pleased to offer post funeral services and a wide variety of options in our very special and well maintained 32 acre Memorial Garden. If the funeral service was held here, we will store the Ashes free of charge for up to two months after the funeral; to give you time to decide what you want to do. If you need more time, you can arrange for us to hold them for an additional fee, by calling our Bereavement Services team. The following options are available after a funeral. Please use this guide to help you decide which option is best; you can have the ashes: • placed in our beautiful memorial garden with a dedication see pages 32-34 • placed in a new or existing niche in our columbarium see page 34 • scattered in our Garden of Rest within our memorial garden see page 35 • buried in unmarked woodland grave see page 36 • interred in a private Grave see page 17 • or collect your Ashes in a complimentary container or purchase an urn/casket of your choosing see page 37. 30 Tel: 020 8530 2151 Email: [email protected] Each dedication position within the memorial gardens can accommodate a maximum of two plaques and therefore be dedicated to two people. Our landscaped formal gardens are broken up into smaller sections by pathways, walkways and boxed hedges, allowing you to reflect and remember your loved one with some privacy. The tranquil and fragrant gardens are delightful to walk around, appropriate for guests of all ages and there are lots of areas to sit and enjoy the displays. We have a team of over 25 gardeners working in our grounds to ensure they look their best; all our Memorial Garden areas are maintained to the highest of standards which includes weeding, trimming, pruning and mowing grass on a regular basis. All our options are shown overleaf but are subject to availability. It is well worth visiting the gardens to decide what area and type of memorial you would prefer and then to book an appointment with our Bereavement Services team to choose your actual dedication and the length of the lease you would like to take out. Once you have selected the bed you want, we reserve the position and then order a standard bronze plaque with an inscription, we then arrange a suitable time for you to have an appointment to place the Ashes loosely in the soil by your dedication. You will be assisted by an experienced and sympathetic member of our team and looked after throughout the process. It is worth noting that with our Memorial Garden dedications, once ashes are in the ground they become part of the soil and therefore cannot be removed, even when your lease expires. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery 31 Choices after a funeral Rose bush You can select any one of a variety of coloured rose bushes. We have a number of rose bush sections that are surrounded either by grass, by pathways or along walled areas. Standard rose bush These roses are taller than the normal bush rose and provide a striking fan like display of roses that stand proud in our gardens. Again there are a variety of colours you can select in various locations. Flowering shrub in a border There are a large number of shrubs located in beds around the gardens which include Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Hydrangeas, Viburnums and many more. Space in a flower bed Our beautifully landscaped flower beds really come to life with colour in the spring and summer, but we also ensure that there is attractive and tidy seasonal planting in these beds during the autumn and winter months. This area is ideal if you are looking for your memorial to be a part of a stunning floral display. Individual shrub or tree If you are looking for an individual dedication of either a shrub or tree then we can arrange that for you. These shrub or tree ‘rings’ are unique to your dedication(s) (of which you can have up to two) and allow the option for you to have an area just for your loved one. Garden seat Space in a heather border If you are looking for a fragrant and perhaps softer option then the heather borders are an ideal choice. 32 Tel: 020 8530 2151 Email: [email protected] We have lots of areas for people to take a seat throughout all parts of our grounds. These seats provide convenient areas for people to rest, sit and reflect and are much loved by all those who visit our site. These are lovely dedications and a wonderful idea to commemorate a loved one. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery 33 Choices after a funeral Garden of Rest Flagstone in a dedicated pathway The pathways in and around our gardens are a lovely feature of the site and there are a number from which you can choose to have a flagstone. Our flagstones are made of solid stone and the inscription is cut into the face of the tablet. If you choose not to select a personalised dedication we offer the option of scattering or strewing Ashes in our Garden of Rest which is located in the gardens area of our site. This is a quiet and shaded area, which has a number of seats for visitors and provides a tranquil but unmarked final resting place for ashes. If the funeral service was held here then we offer this option free of charge for up to a year after the service and you will have an appointment in the same way as you would with our other dedications. If the cremation was held elsewhere but you wish to use this area, then please contact our Bereavement Services team who can still arrange this for you for a charge. Columbarium niches The columbarium niches are a wonderful alternative to having your ashes scattered or strewn into the ground. You can keep the ashes in an urn of your choice and place them in a ‘niche’ or chamber above ground. Indoor The indoor niches located in the main Columbarium provide a quiet and serene environment for you to visit your loved one and are located right by the Books of Remembrance. There are a variety of niche shapes and heights to choose from. Outdoor The outdoor niches are located in our beautiful Memorial Gardens area and are encapsulated into well-trimmed hedges. These closed and locked niches allow you to have a large dedication plaque on the outside with text. The outdoor options allow a high level of personalisation for a dedication. 34 Tel: 020 8530 2151 Email: [email protected] www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery 35 Choices after a funeral Green burial of Ashes Urns Burial of Ashes in a Bio-degradable urn in our unmarked woodland area If you have had a Cremation at the City of London Crematorium, as standard we place the ashes in a sturdy, blue, environmentally friendly, free container. We don’t actually produce or make any urns here at the City of London but we do have a range of urns and caskets for you to purchase from us or we can show you various bespoke options from one of the suppliers that we regularly deal with and trust. This is a green choice and is available for those who want to bury Ashes in an urn in an unmarked area. The urn dissolves after a short period of time and the Ashes form part of the soil. It is important to note that the Ashes can not therefore be moved from this area at a later date. Burial of Ashes loosely in an unmarked woodland area This is an option where one of our team bury the Ashes loosely in an unmarked woodland area for you and it is not witnessed by any family or friends. It is important to note that the Ashes can not therefore be moved from this area at a later date. Graves for Ashes We have specific areas within the Cemetery where you can purchase a private grave for the burial of Ashes. A headstone may be erected and each grave can hold up to ten urns or caskets. Please consult our Bereavement Services team for what options are available. 36 Tel: 020 8530 2151 Email: [email protected] www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery 37 Choices after a funeral Book of Remembrance Our Books of Remembrance provide the opportunity for a lasting and personalised dedication to a loved one on a date of your choice. Once an entry is placed in the Book of Remembrance it is there forever. The actual Books are beautifully displayed in well-lit glass display cabinets in our Hall of Remembrance which is located in our stunning Columbarium at the centre of the Cemetery. Wherever your loved one might be in the Cemetery or in the Memorial Gardens, the Books of Remembrance are easy to access. This quiet and peaceful room allows you to visit the books and read the dedications of the day. These beautiful, calligraphic messages are a lovely way to highlight a memory, whether it is on a birthday, anniversary or just a special time of year. Each book has a page for every day of the year and the pages are turned every morning to the current day. We also have an electronic display of the books in the waiting area of the main administration office which can be viewed during office hours and they can also be viewed online via our website which enables the viewing of any page at any time. There is also the opportunity for you to have a ‘replica’ made of your inscription on white card or in a covered or leather bound book for you to keep at home. This can be arranged through our Bereavement Services team or ordered online. All the messages are hand written to the highest standard and therefore we require at least five months from receipt of your Book of Remembrance application to when it actually appears in the book. Please bear this in mind if you want the inscription by a particular date. The replicas can usually be made within a month. For all options and prices please see the current Scale of Charges on our website or enclosed in this brochure as a separate leaflet. 38 Tel: 020 8530 2151 Email: [email protected] www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery 39 Grave Transfers The original purchaser of a Grave holds the exclusive ownership or ‘Rights of Burial’ for that plot for the length of time on the lease. If the sole owner is to be buried in the Grave then an interment may take place and an inscription placed on the memorial as long as the work is carried out on site, without having to transfer the ‘Rights of Burial’ to another individual but no further monumental work can be carried out. However, if the grave owner is to be buried in the plot and you wish to undertake any of the following actions then you will need to arrange to have the ‘Rights of Burial’ transferred: • if the owner’s inscription on a headstone requires the removal of the memorial from the City of London Cemetery and Crematorium • if any structural work is to be carried out on the memorial (on or off site) including cleaning and or renovation • a new memorial is to be erected • the grave is to be opened again for further burials or ashes. We can arrange the transfer of ownership by either production of Probate of will, or Grant of Letters of Administration or in cases where neither of these documents are taken out, ownership will need to be transferred by Statutory Declaration by the next of kin. Statutory Declarations are legal documents produced by the City of London that then need to be signed in the presence of a Magistrate or Commissioner for Oaths. If you wish to present your documents to the City of London Cemetery and Crematorium, you will need to make an appointment to arrange this, or for any further advice on Grave Transfers please call our specialist in the Bereavement Services team. For the current fees for Grave transfers please see our Scale of Charges document on our website or enclosed in this booklet as a separate leaflet. Other Information Funeral reception facility Funerals can often be a time when families and friends come together to remember, reminisce and or even celebrate the life of the person they have lost. We know that many families hold a reception after a funeral to allow the attendees and guests to reflect and share stories. Here at the City of London Cemetery and Crematorium we offer a comfortable and appropriate reception facility within our grounds to allow you to do this with the minimum amount of stress. This may allow the easy assembly and gathering of all those whom attended a funeral service and saves you having to host at home or find an alternative unfamiliar venue. Our Ernie Turner Centre, which is located just inside the Cemetery gates, offers a function room that can hold up to 100 people for a standing reception. It has plenty of parking and an onsite caterer who can meet a range of needs and budgets. To check availability of the facility or to come and view the room, please contact our Bereavement Services team. 40 Tel: 020 8530 2151 Email: [email protected] www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery 41 Recycling of metals and materials We are often asked what happens to any materials or metals that are remaining after a Cremation has taken place. Many of the materials used for special medical purposes are stainless steel, titanium and cobalt chrome, all produced from non-renewable sources. Over time these resources will be depleted and such metals will become less available. The practice of recycling these metals has now become a European precedent and provides the City of London with an opportunity for Crematoria to contribute to a sustainable future. Subject to applicant approval (which we ask on your Cremation paperwork), we recycle all of the metals collected after our Cremations and donate all proceeds to either the Lord Mayor’s or local charities. The City of London does not benefit in any way from the recycling of these materials. For softer metals such as gold or silver, we strongly suggest you ask your Funeral Director to remove these items from the deceased before the Cremation. If you are not sure or have any further questions please consult with your Funeral Director. 42 Tel: 020 8530 2151 Email: [email protected] www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery 43 Genealogy The City of London Cemetery and Crematorium holds over 150 years of stories, history and heritage in both our grounds and in our Burial and Cremation Registers. There are 88 Registers, each weighing around 25kg, with over 300 pages of recorded interments / cremations per register. Over 500,000 people have been interred here and with 250,000 cremations and the remains from over 30 London Churchyards interred at the site, the figure is fast approaching 1 million. From 1856 – 1956 all burials were manually recorded in our registers and the books were not indexed, so searching for an individual record can be a lengthy and time consuming process, particularly without the exact date of death or burial. The complexity and length of time it takes to search for a record is reflected in the costs we now have to charge for the searches. The more data you can gather before contacting us will result in a lower cost to find the information you require. From 1998 all our records are computerised, we therefore happily conduct these searches free of charge. You have several options to search our registers – conduct a search of early records online via our website, or you can contact our Bereavement Services team to arrange for them to conduct the search for you (all costs for this service are outlined in our Scale of Charges document). Alternatively, if you would like to come and search through the Registers yourself we offer this service free of charge as long as you book an appointment with our Bereavement Services team in advance. 44 Tel: 020 8530 2151 Email: [email protected] www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery 45 The City of London Cemetery and Crematorium at Aldersbrook is provided by the City of London Corporation which is a uniquely diverse organisation in that it not only promotes and supports the City, and provides it with a full range of services but also provides wider services for London and for the nation as a whole. City of London Cemetery & Crematorium at Aldersbrook Aldersbrook Road, London E12 5DQ Tel: +44 (0)20 8530 2151 Fax: +44 (0)20 8530 1563 [email protected] www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cemetery
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