M Coghlan FAQ

The GP or Doctor at the hospital will produce a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death which is sent electronically to the Medical Examiner, who will scrutinise the information and contact the family to discuss the causes of death. You can ask questions and address any queries you may have at this point. They will then confirm everything with the Registrar.

Each death must be registered in the District where death occurred. This is face-to-face, and any necessary forms for cremation or burial will be electronically sent to us and/or the Authority necessary. For deaths in Q.A. Hospital the local Registration District is Portsmouth.

Yes, they can but a full team must be provided, so either 4 or 6 as required.

Yes, in certain circumstances this can be arranged. Please ask your funeral director for advice.

Music can be played at all local crematoria or cemetery chapels, however churches are more regulated and any choices would need to be cleared with the Incumbent or Vicar for approval. We can provide the means for playing music, if required. At local crematoria, they use the Obitus or Wesley System and there is a vast library of tunes from which to choose. They can also access anything that is available ‘commercially’.

Visual Life Tributes can be produced by us, or we can arrange a Professional Tribute through the Obitus Media Group, to be shown at the service. These can also have music attached. A fixed picture can also be shown at a specific time or throughout the service.

Yes, most deceased can be viewed in one of our Chapels of Rest, depending on the circumstances of the death. Please check with the funeral director beforehand. 

Donations can be sent to a charity – an online memorial page will be set up for each deceased person and this will include details of the funeral venue, and also allow donations to be made directly, which may then be gift-aided. Donations can also be handed in directly through our offices or on the day, to the Funeral Director.

The coffin remains on the catafalque until all the people have left the chapel. It is then moved to the cremator and each person is cremated independently. The remains are kept separate and identified throughout the process.

These can be scattered in the crematorium gardens, interred in a plot at a cemetery or churchyard or elsewhere, such as a favourite spot – permission should be sought.

Memorials can be placed on a grave following a burial once the ground has settled (usually 6 -12 months). A stone tablet can be placed on a grave after an interment of Cremated Remains immediately.

We can put a death notice in a newspaper of your choice, including details of the funeral and any instructions regarding flowers or donations to a charity.

Most crematoria now have a facility whereby the service can be recorded and/or webcast live. The link for this, via email can be shared amongst family members, especially those living abroad who are unable to be present.