Deaths and funerals

Funeral directors

Most people prefer to make their arrangements through a funeral director. For a list of local funeral directors, please see below:

• Co-operative Funeralcare, 127a Milton Road, Gravesend DA12 2PG
  (01474 564082)
• Hergest Cavell Funeral Directors, 128b Milton Road, Gravesend DA12 2RQ
  (01474 326400)
• Lewis Solomon Funeral Service, 19 Darnley Road, Gravesend DA11 0RZ
  (01474 352261)
• R Lawrence & Family Funeral Directors, 206 Rochester Road, Gravesend, DA12 4TY
  (01474 730073)
• Morris & Partners (JD Barker) Ltd, 39 Windmill Street, Gravesend DA12 1BA
  (01474 334448)
• T S Horlock Son Ltd, 10/11 The Hill, Northfleet DA11 9EU
  (01474 352159)
• The Tender Touch, 67 Sun Lane, Gravesend DA12 5HQ
  (01474 746784)

Chapels

There is a chapel available at both Northfleet and Gravesend cemetery where services or ceremonies may take place before burial.

Gravesend Chapel seats up to 70 and Northfleet Chapel seats up to 45. Anybody can lead these services or officiate at the graveside. One of our representatives will be present and the funeral will be under their control.

Crematoriums

The local crematoriums are:

• Thames View Crematorium and Cemetery
• Medway Crematorium
• Eltham Crematorium

Choosing a grave

There are two groups of graves - private and common graves. The vast majority are private graves.

A private grave gives the owner rights as to who is to be buried in that grave. The legal term is the 'Exclusive Right of Burial'.

If you have chosen a private grave you will be sent a legal document that grants you the right to say who is buried in that grave. It is not a deed of land ownership. The Exclusive Right of Burial can be transferred and this must be arranged by us. If the owner dies, the rights pass according to their will and a transfer should be done accordingly.

There are half plots available in the cemeteries for the burial of cremated remains (ashes) and special areas for the burial of babies. We will be happy to discuss your needs with you and explain in more detail the choices that are available to you. You can contact the cemetery office by emailing cemetery.lodge@gravesham.gov.uk or by phoning 01474 337491.

Paying for a funeral

Normally funerals and also the burying of ashes are arranged through a funeral director who will pay our fees on your behalf.  Arrangements can also be made with us directly.

If you think that you may have difficulty in meeting the costs of a funeral you should consider the following:

• If the person left a will then it is normally up to the Executors of the will to make the funeral arrangements.
• If you, or your partner, are on certain benefits then you may be able to apply for help from the Social Fund. Grants may be given to close relatives of the deceased or even to a friend who is arranging the funeral in the absence of close family. Find out more at GOV.UK.
• If the person died in hospital then the NHS will normally pay for a simple funeral.  If the person was in the care of Social Services then they may make the arrangements.
• If they died in the borough of Gravesham then we may take responsibility for the funeral arrangements if no-one else is willing to do it.  We will arrange a burial in a shared grave, for example there will be other unrelated people buried there, and only a small plaque will be allowed on the grave. In some circumstances a cremation may be arranged.  An appropriate minister or celebrant will be engaged to provide a service either at the crematorium or at the graveside.  There will be a hearse and bearers and a simple coffin.  We will not pay for additional transport or flowers. Where family and friends can be traced they will be advised of the funeral arrangements.  We will recover the costs of the funeral from the deceased person's estate before anything can be distributed to the family members who may be entitled to claim a share of the estate.
• If a Funeral Director has already been instructed then we will not become involved. You should discuss with them whether they can offer a payment plan.
• We will not give any financial assistance to people making their own funeral arrangements.

The funerals that are arranged by us are normally referred to as Public Health Funerals because our responsibilities are contained in the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984.

Attending a funeral

When attending a funeral please follow these directions:

• The funeral cortege will enter the cemetery through the main gate (Springhead Road for Northfleet Cemetery and Old Road West for Gravesend Cemetery). It will pause at the gate to verify record entries and then progress to the chapel for a service or directly to the graveside.
• The procession will proceed at walking pace through the cemetery to the graveside. Mourners may walk or follow the procession in their own cars.
• After the burial, funeral cars will normally carry on through the cemetery and exit at Brookvale for Northfleet and Hartshill Road for Gravesend.