Macqueen's Funerals

24/12/2022

23/02/2022

"We are hardwired to say these things when someone dies because otherwise, it would be too much. Human nature is to put boundaries around the loss, so we know it’s something that happens to other people. We say that they’re in a better place or to just remember the good times, because if we spoke the truth – that tragedy comes for us all, that sometimes life is random and cruel and painful and beyond comprehension – I mean, how would we even function?"

In an effort to help – and to protect themselves – people try to shrink the loss with empty platitudes. But that can make grief even more painful

16/02/2022

The Grief Series, based in the UK, is a sequence of projects aiming to create a space where notions of bereavement or grief can be discussed openly.
A vintage caravan packed to the brim with memories; angry karaoke; writing letters that will never be read... different ways to explore the many facets of grief.
In the Toolkit section of their site, Grief Series offers a free downloadable pdf of craft-based activity ideas for marking the loss of a loved one, as well as a fun children's activity pack about Dia De Los Mu***os, Mexico's Day of the Dead.

12/02/2022

I came across this article while trying to fill in some gaps in our office records and it seems too good not to share. Sandwiched between a report on the Camperdown CWA and an Anglican Minister's visit to town, the article offers a lively account of a party held at Leslie Manor in the 1950s. Locals to the area will most likely recognise the names mentioned.
https://www.macqueens.com.au/2022/02/party-at-leslie-…ok-into-the-past

09/02/2022

25/01/2022

"During this time, his perception about the niches also began to change. As he repainted the walls, he glanced at the names on the niches. “I'm goin' see your name everyday, I wanna know something about you,” Watson says. He asked visiting relatives questions about their deceased loved ones. “The relatives introduce me to them,” he explains."
An inspiring story about the difference one man can make, transforming a wreck into a cultural landmark over 26 years and caring for the deceased and their families all the while.

Tucked in a cul-de-sac in the Inner Richmond, The Columbarium's neo-classical architecture and copper dome seem out of place. The inside of the building...