Wednesday 3 June 2026 18.30-19.30 UK time (online only) 

This fully illustrated talk looks at the factors that led to the first cremation at Woking in March 1885 and explores why cremation was slow to develop in the decades that followed. After the Second World War its popularity rose dramatically, and today just over 80 per cent of funerals take place at crematoria. The talk concludes by looking at the shift from burial to cremation and considers modern developments such as direct cremation and the emerging practice of ‘water cremation’.

About our speaker
Dr Brian Parsons has worked in funeral directing in London since 1982. He now focuses on staff training, but also researches the history of funeral service along with the development of cremation and London cemeteries. He is the author of a number of books including The London Way of Death, Committed to the Cleansing Flame, (with Hugh Meller) London Cemeteries: An Illustrated Guide and Gazetteer, and (with Peter C Jupp) From Dust to Ashes. The Development of Cremation in England & Wales, 1874-2025.