James Cockburn Funeral Directors

If you have any more “unusual” requests we will be only too happy to discuss these with you.

Prior to the funeral taking place we provide all clients with a written estimate of the costs of the funeral and confirmation of the arrangements. In all cases clients are asked to make a payment towards the account before the funeral taking place to cover payments that we have to make on your behalf, and also any additional services that we may be providing. We will be happy to provide guidance on obtaining assistance with the funeral expenses from the DWP should you be eligible for this assistance.

Every country has its own procedures to be followed in the event of a death – even in England, Ireland and Wales, procedures and practice are very different from Scotland. We are able to repatriate the deceased to or from anywhere else in the world, but in such cases it is essential to contact our funeral director before making any other arrangements so that appropriate advice can be given and all the legal procedures can be completed to allow repatriation to take place.

Every individual has their own beliefs and we can cater for all requirements irrespective of this. The funeral ceremony can be conducted by the deceased’s own parish minister, priest, or religious leader; or if this is not in keeping with the wishes of the deceased, it is possible for a non-religious ceremony either conducted by a Civil Celebrant, Humanist, or even a friend or family member.  No matter who is leading the ceremony, it is important that the person arranging the funeral meets with them before hand to discuss the format the ceremony will take. This may include music to be played, and this should also be discussed with the funeral director to ensure that adequate provision for this is made.

In the case of burial, if a client already has a family lair in a cemetery it may be possible to use this if there is sufficient space. Every lair will have a set of “Title Deeds” containing details of the lair and its owner; it is considerably easier to check for space in a lair if these are to hand. If the family does not already own a lair it is possible to purchase a new lair, normally with space for up to three interments, at a variety of cemeteries. Please note that the purchase and opening of a lair can be very expensive and some cemeteries charge a surcharge depending on where the deceased and the lair purchaser/owner stay. As a general rule, in Glasgow and the surrounding area, burial tends to be a more expensive option than cremation.

If cremation is your choice, we are within easy reach of no less than seven crematoria in Glasgow and the surrounding area. At the time of making the funeral arrangements, the client will be asked what has to happen to the cremated remains after the funeral has taken place. These can be scattered in the gardens at the crematorium or retained by the family to do something more personal with them. We have a variety of urns, caskets, and memorial jewellery which can be chosen to retain the ashes in. Rigorous procedures are always followed both by crematorium staff and ourselves ensuring that it is always the correct ashes that are returned to the client.

Our standard coffin range is shown below although we are able to cater for more unusual designs. Ranging from our standard veneered oak coffin to solid wood coffins and caskets, English or American style caskets, cardboard or “eco” coffins, the range is endless. Our funeral directors will be happy to discuss any more unusual ideas you may have. The interior of all our coffins are suitably lined and finished depending on the coffin chosen, and provided with a simple shroud for the deceased. If desirable, the deceased can be dressed in their own clothes – our funeral director can advise you on what is permitted.  See our coffin brochure for further details.

We operate a main fleet of Jaguar Hearse and matching Limousines. Each of these vehicles is finished in black with a luxurious air-conditioned leather interior. The hearse has ample space for displaying large floral tributes alongside the coffin, while each of the limousines can easily seat seven adults in comfort and is easily accessible by the disabled and wheelchair users. Each vehicle is driven by an experienced chauffeur who will ensure your comfort and needs are met on the day of the funeral.

It is possible for us to meet more unusual requests for vehicles including horse drawn hearses, motorcycle hearses, and different colours’ of vehicle.   Such requests usually require more time for planning and should be discussed with the funeral director as early as possible.

We work closely with a local florist and are happy to arrange your choice of floral tributes with her;  alternatively you can meet with her personally or arrange with your own choice of florist for tributes to be delivered to us prior to the funeral.  Please remember that in the case of cremation, we are restricted to the number and size of floral tributes that can be taken into the crematorium; the funeral director will be able to advise you on this.

Many people choose to place a death notice and notice of the funeral arrangements into a local newspaper. We are happy to do this for you and our funeral directors can help you compose suitable wording for it. The cost of publishing a death notice can vary greatly between newspapers and the funeral director will be able to provide you with guidance on this.