Apart from the fundamental decision of whether the funeral service is to be complemented by a burial or a cremation, the next most important information required will be that sought by the Registrar General. This information is needed for the compilation of Government statistics.

Most of this information will also be collated to and becomes part of the "Certified Copy of the Entry" in the Registrar's Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

The information required therefore will fall under the following headings:-

The Deceased's.

• Full name
• Last known address
• Last known occupation
• Sex
• Age at time of death
• Date and place of death
• Place of birth
• Father's name
• Mother's maiden name
• Marital status at time of death
• Details of marriage(s) -
• Details of first marriage - place, deceased's age at the time, name of person to whom married.
• First name of children in order of birth from first or other subsequent marriages.
• Details of second or subsequent marriages - place, deceased's age at the time, name of person to whom married.

In cases where the family grave is to be used, unless registered details of the grave are available, it is most important to be able to tell the funeral director not only the name of the cemetery where the grave is located, but also the name of the person or persons last interred in that grave and the date of those particular interments. This will enable the funeral director to check the cemetery records on behalf of the family and ascertain the accuracy of the ownership of the grave as well as the correctness of its location.

In cases of cremation, of course, no such information will need to be made available unless consideration is being given to the cremated remains being subsequently buried in a family grave. In such event the funeral director will need to have exactly the same information to enable him to identify the appropriate grave for that purpose.