One of the most striking images of a funeral, is the hearse arriving at the service. But as much as everyone remembers the hearse itself, they very often don’t notice the one behind the wheel.
And for the majority of the funeral services at Franklin and Hawkins, the one driving the hearse with care, concentration and commitment is our very own Jason.
We went for a drive with Jason to talk about his time working at Franklin and Hawkins Family Funeral Directors.
The first question everyone is being asked, is the same question most people ask us when they find out what we do for a living…..why did you join the funeral industry?
I had just been made redundant and whilst looking for my next job I noticed the advert for a job vacancy at Franklin and Hawkins. In the advert, they specified they were a small, family business and were looking for someone to join their family, not just be an employee. Franklin and Hawkins were actually the funeral directors we chose to look after my Dad when he passed away the previous year, so it felt like it was meant to be.
Being the hearse driver is quite a responsibility, do you ever get nervous?
Only when leading a horse drawn carriage in a funeral cortège. The hearse leads the cortège to protect the horses so it’s a bit more extra pressure. I do consider myself to be a careful and considerate driver, but in that instance you are responsible for not just the family and cars that are following, but the horses too.
So aside from driving the hearse, what other aspects of working at Franklin and Hawkins do you find most rewarding?
The team ethic and camaraderie we have built, it really is like a family. I love when we get to go to different places out of our area, like a different church as I am really interested in buildings and their history. Like today for example, we have taken a family over to Redditch Crematorium and stopped at the fire station he used to work at along the way. This meant so much to the family, and it was lovely for us to be a part of that which I don’t think people consider really, we genuinely feel so privileged to help make these moments happen. Knowing you have helped be a part of such an important day for them is really special.
Is there a stand out moment or memory you have from a funeral service you have been a part of that you would like to share?
I’m a big Liverpool fan and at a service for a fellow supporter, all the mourners wore Liverpool tops, whilst we wore red ties. On the day of the service I brought in a Liverpool teddy I have had for years and placed it on the dashboard of the hearse. The family loved it and found it really thoughtful. They asked me to carry in an authentic, vintage Liverpool football that was placed at the front of the chapel and at the end of the service they then gave it to me to keep. It meant a lot and I’ll never forget it.
What is the best piece of advice or guidance you have heard about grief that has stayed with you?
That time actually is a healer, at the time when you lose someone it feels so final and everything hurts so much. Not just the way you feel at that moment but also when you think about memories. But over time, it does get easier and when you think about the memories they make you feel thankful, not just sad. Working in the funeral industry, you do see a lot of tragedy, especially when people lose someone young. So it makes you realise how lucky you are when you get to have someone in your life for a long time, because so many people don’t get that.
And finally, tell us something about yourself that people would be surprised to learn?
I’m very in touch with nature and I love everything except wasps. My partner Lesley and I, built a hedgehog retreat in our garden last year and housed two hedgehogs for the winter. I also love going for long walks somewhere different and taking photos of landscapes and countryside scenery, I’m never more happy than when I’m by the coast.
