As part of their GCSE
Philosophy and Ethics course, pupils are required to understand what happens
after death, and the grieving process which loved ones face. A significant part
of the process is making funeral arrangements. Whilst this can be an extremely
difficult and painful task, it is an essential part of saying goodbye. On
Tuesday, funeral directors from Tomalin and Son of Henley visited the College
to explain more about the events which occur in the aftermath of someone
passing on.
Head of Philosophy Mr Jon
Brownley had forewarned pupils and staff not to be alarmed as a hearse rolled
onto the school site on Tuesday afternoon, as Bruce Jones and his colleague
arrived to meet our pupils. Tomalins, a business which has been in the Jones
family for over 60 years, are involved in about 250 services a year, which rather
surprisingly makes them quite a small company in the undertaking industry.
The directors brought
three different types of crematorium boxes, along with two different types of
coffins. This included biodegradable materials such as wicker, which causes no
harm to the environment. Bruce explained how religious burials can only take
place in consecrated ground, which is also important to help keep track of who
is placed where. Being certain of a person’s identity is absolutely crucial,
for obvious reasons, meaning deaths invariably involve a large volume of
paperwork. The deceased are usually given a wristband which enables easy
identification.
Year 10 pupil Will
Tompkins said: ‘We learnt about what happens when people die. Whilst it is a
sad topic, it was interesting to find out more about the process. For example,
I did not know that when a person dies the body must be kept in a good
condition for as long as possible. Undertakers are responsible for dressing the
person in their favourite clothes and pumping a liquid around their arteries
which prevents them decomposing too early. We also learnt that coffins can
sometimes be homemade.’
Mr Brownley added: ‘The
boys found the talk very interesting and asked mature, sensible questions. We
were shown how funeral directors and embalmists keep a body preserved and
looking in good condition during the period before a funeral. The super-absorbent
cotton wool was fascinating; it only came onto the market 18 months ago but has
made life a lot easier for the professionals. The boys also had the opportunity
to carry coffins and look inside the hearse.
He continued: ‘Whilst it is a sombre topic, elements are
hugely interesting and it is important for pupils to tackle life’s biggest
issues during education. I would like to
thank Bruce for giving up his time, and also the Rev (Mr Cousins) for helping
to organise their visit. Next week, we will continue this unit of study with a
visit to a local crematorium.’
