MONMOUTHSHIRE-L Archives

Archiver > MONMOUTHSHIRE > 2007-05 > 1178132577


From: <>
Subject: [MON] Burial Traditions
Date: Wed, 2 May 2007 20:02:57 +0100


In the western Valley of Monmouthshire in the early fifties it was the tradition of men only at the funeral and the women mourned at the house. Before the advent of funeral homes the recently deceased were kept in the front room of the house until the funeral. I remember my grandmother in a coffin of yew on the table in the front room of our terraced house. There were two candles burning at each side of the coffin and the table was adorned with a chenile tablecloth. On the day of the funeral thecoffin was passed out through the front room window into the waiting hearse. I also remember a family who carried their deceased to the cemetery for obvious financial reasons. Many people saved for their funerals. I would not call it the good old days - but there was respect for the deceased - with a steet/road drawing their front room curtains as a mark of respect.

-----------------------------------------
Email sent from www.virginmedia.com/email
Virus-checked using McAfee(R) Software and scanned for spam

This thread: