Our address
620 Rainham Road South
Dagenham
Essex
RM10 8YP

Phone: 020 8592 0164
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Information

Funeral Options

Funeral Costs

Crematoriums

Arranging a Funeral - Information

From the time you first contact us, either by telephone or personally at our office, to the time when all arrangements are completed, we assure you of our confidentiality, personal care and genuine desire to look after your every wish to the very highest standard.

Although some families choose to contact a funeral director several days after death, we believe it is advisable to get in touch early, to enable us to give you careful guidance and explain all the necessary procedures step by step, especially regarding registration. We offer a 24 hour personal telephone service for such information. Full arrangements may then be made at a convenient time at our offices or, if preferred, at your home.

It may be that particular wishes for a person’s funeral have been expressed prior to death in a conversation, in the form of a will or a pre-paid funeral plan. Alternatively, you may be unclear as to what might be appropriate. It’s reassuring to know that our staff are fully trained to take their time to explain and discuss with you all the options available. Whether your wishes are elaborate or simple, your choice will always be respected.

When making arrangements many practical details need to be discussed. Set out below are a number of these important points, some of which are mentioned in greater detail throughout our website.

Burial or cremation.
Date, time and place of the funeral.
Type of service, religious or not.
Coffin or casket.
Vehicles required.
Whether or not to visit the Chapel of Rest.
Floral tributes or donations.
Any special requests.
Death notices in local or national newspapers.
Reception and refreshments following the service.

A written confirmation of all the arrangements made for a funeral will be given to you within our information folder as soon as possible. On the day of the funeral one of our experienced Funeral Directors will be in attendance throughout to ensure all arrangements are completed as requested.

On occasions we are called upon to look after funeral arrangements for babies or infant children. We realise the extreme sadness families experience during this time and therefore our staff are fully trained to be sensitive, caring and understanding throughout the arrangements. May we also assure you of our company’s desire to keep charges to a minimum on these occasions, without of course reducing our high level of service.

Arranging a Funeral - Funeral Options

Topics: Burial or Cremation>>Time and Day of Funeral>>Type of Service & Music>>Type of Coffin>>Vehicles>>Visiting the Chapel of Rest>>Cremated Remains>>

Burial or cremation Back to top

The decision whether to choose burial or cremation is of course a personal and private matter usually agreed collectively by family members of the deceased. A person's wishes may have been expressed verbally prior to death or in the form of a will.

If a burial is chosen, the deceased is usually laid to rest in a local cemetery. Within all local boroughs there are adequate facilities for new graves to be purchased and in many cases there is a choice of the type of grave and location. It is therefore advisable to visit the cemetery beforehand. On occassions where the deceased is to be buried in a different district or borough to where they lived, the burial fees may be considerably more.

Another option today is a Woodland Burial, for people who may prefer a less conventional type of burial in a woodland area. The City of London Cemetery in Manor Park has a designated area, there are also local cemetery solely for this type of burial in Herongate, Brentwood and Theydon Bois. Should this be your wish we would advise you to visit the area before finally deciding.

Many families tend to choose cremation, particularly when immediate family members have moved away and are unable to permanently tend to a grave.

Each and every cremation is carried out individually and in a respectful and dignified way normally on the same day as the funeral. Great care is given to correctly identifying the remains. These are then placed in a separate container and kept in the chapel area at the crematorium.

The staff at West & Coe are always pleased to give advise on the different cemeteries and crematorium and would encourage families to carefully consider all options before making their final choice.

Time and Day of Funeral Back to top

Today the normal time from when a death occurs until the funeral is between 7-10 days, giving time to express and plan all necessary arrangements. However, we are able to complete arrangements several days after death if preferred or in fact to keep the deceased for a longer time should people be on vacation. Sometimes for religious reasons funerals have to be carried out at a certain time or date, be assured that we will do all that we can to accommodate these requests. Funerals are normally carried out Monday – Friday between 10.00am and 4.00pm depending of course on the crematorium or cemetery availability. Be assured whatever your requirements are we will do all we possibly can to accommodate them.

Types of Service & Music Back to top

The type of service you may feel is appropriate, whether religious or not, is entirely your decision. Many people feel it is important to have a meaningful personal service to reflect the person’s life. This is normally held in the Chapel at the cemetery or crematorium or alternatively in a local church. Whether you attend church or not most clergymen will be pleased to conduct a service for you. If you have no particular preference we would normally engage a local Christian minister who would then make contact with you to obtain personal details to be included within the service.

You may like to select suitable music to be played during the service. Tunes, hymns or songs that are special to your family are most appropriate and should be considered. Wherever the service is to be held, if hymns religious or classical tunes are requested, we will be happy to arrange for an organist to be present. If however other music is required such as pop tunes, then these should be played from either a CD or cassette to obtain the best effect. Each of our offices are supplied with hymn books and a list of other suitable music to help you decide on what to have played. Should you wish for a soloist or even a piper to be present we will also be pleased to arrange this for you.

Types of Coffin Back to top

It is our intention at all times to offer families a complete choice of the type of coffins that are available.

All coffins and caskets chosen from our standard range are made from eco-friendly materials which comply with either a cremation or burial.

There are several other styles and designs that can be provided upon request. Whatever your preferred choice, we promise to always offer the same personal high standard of service at all times.

On all occasions, at the time of arranging the funeral, a verbal estimate for each specific coffin or casket will be given to help you decide which is appropriate. Then, after making your choice, a full written estimate of all the costs involved will be set out in our confirmation of the arrangements.

Vehicles Back to top

We are extremely proud of our Bentley and Rolls Royce vehicles, which are recognised to be one of the finest fleet in the country today. Each are designed with tradition and elegance in mind, which enhance the standard of a funeral. Our Limousines cater for all needs, offering prestigious and comfortable seating for up to six mourners. To avoid confusion on the day we recommend that seating arrangements are made before the day of the funeral.

We are also able to provide horse-drawn hearses and mourning coaches in either black or white. These 19th Century vehicles are drawn by black Friesian Horses or white Hungarian Horses and are driven by highly experienced coachmen providing a most elegant and traditional appearance.

Occasionally we are asked to provide vehicles for funerals that are unusual. This may be to reflect the career or lifestyle of the deceased and can take the form of a vintage vehicle, a motorbike with sidecar or a lorry. We will also endeavour to accommodate any particular requests.

Visiting the Chapel of Rest Back to top

Often the decision to visit the Chapel of Rest to see a loved one is not an easy one to make. For some the experience can be helpful and comforting, whilst for others it may not. When arranging the funeral we will discuss with you any specific wishes of dress. You may have fond memories of a person in a particular dress or suit, perhaps even nightwear if he or she was confined to bed for a long period. If dentures or glasses were typically worn, we suggest you let us have these, as it will help our skilled and caring staff to do all they can to present the deceased looking as natural as possible – as if asleep and at peace.

Over the years we have given much thought to the design of our chapels and we are proud of the tasteful decoration, peace and tranquillity that each provide. We realise for some that visiting a Chapel of Rest and seeing a loved one in unfamiliar surroundings, lying in a coffin or casket can be a shock. Our experienced staff will, on every occasion look after you in a sensitive and sympathetic way when showing you into the chapel and remain there with you, if you so wish.

Many people find great comfort in the peace and quietness of a chapel. Just being with their loved ones, holding their hands and talking to them to say their last farewells can mean so much. You may also find it comforting to bring a photograph or letter, a flower or something else of personal significance to place in the coffin. We will of course ensure that those items remain undisturbed.

If you do decide to visit the chapel, we sincerely hope that your lasting memory will be a comforting one.

Whenever a deceased person is brought to our chapel all items of jewellery and personal effects are immediately recorded. The wishes of the family to have them removed or not will then be obtained. Although some people choose to leave rings on particularly wedding rings, it is customary for jewellery to be removed, especially when cremation is chosen. Any items that are to be returned will be at the earliest convenient time.

Cremated remains Back to top

When a cremation is chosen, many people today wish to have the cremated remains placed in a special location to visit in the future where they can still feel close to their loved ones. A final resting place for cremated remains is a personal choice and one you can take your time to make. Until a decision has been reached the remains will be kept safely at the crematorium or we can remove them back to our chapel of rest for safe keeping.

In the crematorium gardens Back to top

Some families choose for the remains to be buried in the crematorium garden of remembrance without any additional ceremony. Alternatively you may decide on a memorial such as a shrub, a plaque or a simple inscription in the book of remembrance. It is always a good idea to ask to see the exact location before you finally decide especially if you intend to have a memorial of some kind. On every occassion, the location of where a persons remains have been buried are carefully recorded.

The actual burial of the remains can take place whenever you like providing it is within the permitted time. You can arrange for this to be done without a ceremony, or alternatively you may prefer to have a small service for the family and close friends in the presence of a religious minister or a cremation official.

If a shrub or plaque has been chosen, you may want to wait until the memorial is ready before the remains are buried. Most crematorium only permit the remains to be buried and not scattered before they are released directly into the soil as no form of container is allowed.

In a cemetery Back to top

You may prefer to choose a local cemetery as a final resting place for your loved one’s remains instead of burying them at the crematorium garden. Even if a cemetery or churchyard has no room left for conventional burials, most have a special area designed for cremated remains where a small memorial can be erected.

If you already have a family grave in a cemetery and even if it is already full for normal earth burials, burying the cremated remains there may still be an option.

A special place Back to top

Cremated remains may be scattered in your own garden and you will not need any form of permission, however it is worth remembering that when you move the remains may have to stay at the property.

During a life time your loved one may have a favourite place. For example a cliff top by the sea, a favourite place to walk, a fishing lake or a much loved sports ground. It’s worth taking your time to consider the perfect place to scatter or bury the remains which could be anywhere you like. In some cases permission will be required.

Keeping them at home Back to top

Remains can be placed in an ornate casket or urn for you to keep at home. However, in our experience people tend to keep the remains at home initially but in the longer term many opt for another final resting place.

Transferring the remains Back to top

Although a cremation may take place locally the remains may be transferred to another crematorium’s garden of remembrance where there may be a family connection.

They may also be taken out of the country for scattering or burial abroad, a Customs certificate would then be required from the crematorium. Some countries may insist on having the container holding the remains sealed in their Embassy’s presence.

It is worth noting that although the remains are returned from the crematorium in a plastic container, we have a range of more elegant urns and caskets available. A wooden casket is more suitable for burials in a cemetery or a churchyard.

Topics: Burial or Cremation>>Time and Day of Funeral>>Type of Service & Music>>Type of Coffin>>Vehicles>>Visiting the Chapel of Rest>>Cremated Remains>>

Arranging a Funeral - Information

Arranging a Funeral - Funeral Options

Arranging a Funeral - Funeral Costs

Arranging a Funeral - Crematoriums