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Posted 19 April 2010 A New Way To Get To The Cemetery! By: Rick Roberts, Biography & Archived Articles The following letter was received from Global Gazette reader "Charlie" who lives in a village near London, England. He emigrated there a few years ago after growing up in Toronto, then living most of his adult life in Los Angeles. During his first few months in the UK, Charlie wrote several hilarious emails that focused on the things that he found different and amusing about his new country. We didn't publish them at the time because they had nothing to do with genealogy or history. Well, cemeteries and burials have something to do with genealogy -- so I'm going to share Charlie's most recent new UK experience with you even if it is a bit off-topic:
I was walking into town Friday afternoon for libations at my local pub (for reference, I only do this to support the local economy) when a very typical hearse went past me. Nothing special there. Very clean, very black and with the typical large windows. In the back, clearly visible, was no casket. However, following the hearse was a motorcycle, also very clean and very black, complete with driver and passenger resplendent in their black leathers. What made the motorcycle special was that it had a sidecar which resembled a miniature hearse, all black, very clean with large windows, and in this case a casket. Now you can't get much more English than a casket-carrying motorcycle hearse. At least I hope not :)  Picture is from the web site of the Co-operative Funeral Bond, a funeral service based in Portsmouth,England.  This one used for the funeral of Thomas Dillon, Godalming, Surrey, UK on 8th August 2007. The hearse supplied by J Gorringe & Son Funeral Directors, Godalming, Surrey, UK. Photo by Sean Dillon, 8th Aug 2007 (http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier:Motorcycle-Hearse.jpg). It turns out that England is not the only place where motorcycle hearses are built and used. A Google search turned up the Justin Buggy Company in Nashville, Michigan which builds a motorcycle hearse that is towed by a motorcycle or "trike" rather than attached to the motorcycle as a sidecar. Believe it or not, they are not the only USA builder of motorcycle hearses.  The Moloney Family Funeral Homes, a Long Island New York funeral home chain, invested $100,000 in a three-wheeled Harley Davidson and a carriage-style hearse for those "who want to go out in style". Spokesman Michael Moloney says that reaction has been "favorable and positive". "It's not morbid, it's cool," he said. "It's a way for people to always remember your funeral". Built by the Tombstone Hearse Co. of Alum Bank, Pennsylvannia, the black hearse is a replica of a 19th-century horse-drawn carriage and features sconces in each corner, a large window on either side and burgundy and gold curtains. Don't feel left out if you live in Ireland. There is a company named Irish Motorcycle Funerals, based in Mooncoin, County Kilkenny, that has a motorcycle hearse service too -- "services are that of a hearse only, so you can still use your own undertaker". The Irish are so practical.  Just as I was smugly beginning to believe that we Canadians are too conservative to consider using a motorcycle hearse, sure enough I found that there is at least one Canadian company providing the service.... the Forever Free Motorcycle Funeral Hearse Company of Windsor, Ontario "would like to provide your motorcycle fan one last ride".  The Canadian example isn't nearly as fancy, but it does respect our frugal nature and our love of the outdoors. So, if you are looking for a new or different way to get to the cemetery... one of these could be the answer for you... Canadian Genealogy & History Resources from Global Genealogy:
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