Many families often have a lot of questions around cremations and what happens during a cremation or cremation service. Before working with us at Jackson Family Funeral Directors, our Pershore Funeral Director, Elaina, worked as a crematorium assistant at the Vale Crematorium. Because of this experience, she has kindly answered some of the questions families most commonly ask about the cremation process.
If you are looking for reassurance or simply want to better understand what happens during a cremation, Elaina has shared her insight below.
We believe it is important for families to feel informed and comfortable when making decisions about a funeral and cremation service. Whatever you may choose, our team is always here to offer guidance, support and honest advice.
What Happens During a Direct Cremation?
Direct cremations are treated with the same dignity and respect as an attended funeral, apart from no family or friends are in attendance.
The coffin is transported to the crematorium in a private ambulance, where the chapel attendant will greet the funeral director’s member of staff. Your loved one is then taken into the chapel and placed onto the catafalque.
As your loved one is being brought into the chapel, families can request a specific piece of music if they wish, or if there isn’t a piece of music specified, the chapel attendant will choose a suitable piece of music to be played.
The curtains are then closed, and both the chapel attendant and funeral director’s staff member bow to the coffin to pay their final respects.
When Does a Cremation Happen?
The cremation process normally takes place on the same day, if for any reason it cannot take place that day, it will usually be completed within 24/48 hours of the coffin arriving at the chapel.
How Long Does a Cremation Take?
There really isn’t a set time scale on how long a cremation takes but normally the cremation process can range from anywhere between an hour and a half and 3 hours.
Can Cremation Ashes be Scattered Anywhere?
Ashes can often be scattered anywhere you choose, however some places require permission from the landowner beforehand. Many families choose to scatter ashes in a place that was meaningful to the deceased such as woodland areas, at sea or any other place that held special memories for their loved one.
Can Ashes Ever Get Mixed Up?
No. There are strict procedures that crematorium technicians must follow to ensure this does not happen.
At the crematorium, each deceased has their own set of identification labels that remain with them from the moment they are brought through into the transfer room, throughout the cremation process, and until the ashes are collected by either the family or funeral director.
How Long After the Funeral are Ashes Returned?
Normally if the family or funeral directors are collecting the ashes, they are ready to be collected within 24/48 hours of the cremation taking place.
Can We Still Personalise a Cremation Funeral?
Yes, every funeral can be completely personalised to reflect the life, personality and wishes of your loved one.
Families can choose special music, floral tributes, readings, visual tributes, coloured themes, specific vehicles or any other unique touches that feel meaningful to them. Whether you would prefer a traditional service or something more contemporary, cremation funerals can be tailored in many ways.
Are Cremations Environmentally Friendly?
Many crematoriums now have what is called an abatement system (filtration system) which is a machine that is built on the side of the cremator to filter out anything that is harmful to the environment.
Anything that is harmful is then put through this filtration system and turned into a powder which is then collected by an external company who then professionally dispose of this.
Can We Witness the Cremation?
From Elaina’s previous experience working at The Vale Crematorium, she knows that many crematoriums operate an open-door policy where families may ask to view the crematory area if they wish. However, this depends on the particular crematorium as they may have different policies.
Families can also witness the ‘charging of the coffin’ where the cremator technician will use the roller bier and push the coffin into the cremator.
This doesn’t have to be just for religious reasons either, some people feel they need that final moment of closure to witness the coffin being put into the cremator.
If you have any questions regarding witnessing the cremation, then please speak to your local funeral director or crematorium who will be happy to assist you.
What Happens to Implants or Metals After Cremation?
All metals are recycled after the cremation process has taken place, unless family have specified that they would like the metals returned to them.
The metals are then collected from the crematorium by an external company, such as Orthometals, who then responsibly recycle the materials, who then send a report back to the crematorium. Funds raised through this process are often donated to charities chosen by the crematorium staff.
This allows the process to support meaningful causes while ensuring materials are handled respectfully and responsibly.
Here to Answer Your Questions
We understand that arranging a funeral or cremation can feel unfamiliar and overwhelming, especially when you are grieving.
No question is ever too small, and we believe families should feel comfortable asking anything that helps them feel reassured and informed.
