Local funeral director, Welham Jones Funerals & Memorials’ Swanley funeral home will be closed over the Easter period BUT our phones lines WILL BE OPEN.
Please see below for our opening times over Easter:
Thursday 14th April : Office closes at 4pm
Good Friday, 15th April : Office closed, phone lines open
Saturday 16th April : Office closed, phone lines open
Easter Sunday, 17th April : Office closed, phone lines open
Easter Monday, 18th April : Office closed, phone lines open
If you require our services out of these hours, please phone the office number your require and we will respond accordingly.
From all the staff at Welham Jones, we wish you all a very peaceful Easter.
The curtain call: what actually happens to the coffin after the curtains close at a funeral?
by Simon Welham
For some families, the moment the curtains close at a funeral can be unexpectedly unsettling. Such a simple act can leave you feeling off balance—suddenly unsure where your loved one has gone, what is happening to them, and when they will be returned to you. The world behind the curtain can feel strangely distant, elusive, separate from your own. It may sound surprising, but in our 30+ years supporting families across the Southeast, we know these thoughts are more common than you might think. That is why we want to help—by dispelling the myths, sharing the facts, and offering some gentle reassurance about what really happens beyond the curtain.
Introducing Sam O’Flynn: Our Tunbridge Wells funeral arranger
by Simon Welham
Through 30+ years of working local funeral directors across West Kent and Southeast London, we’ve seen society get progressively better at speaking to loved ones about funerals, meaning that a lot of the mystery and myth surrounding our trade has – thankfully – started to clear. However, one question that we are still often asked is ‘what does a funeral arranger do?’ We sat down with Tunbridge Wells’ funeral arranger Sam O’flynn to find out the responsibilities, trials and triumphs that come with being a funeral arranger.
The funeral cortege – the journey that carries the deceased and mourners to the site of the funeral ceremony – has long been seen as a purely functional aspect of the service; a way from get from A to B. However, at Welham Jones, we believe that there are a whole host of opportunities that hide between these two little letters, and that the cortege it is an often-overlooked opportunity for loved ones to reminisce one last time. So, what are the popular sights that bring back memories for Tonbridge locals? and how can you customise your cortege?