30/07/2026
Good morning everyone. I’d like to take a moment to reflect on one of the main stories taking place within the media this week. The trial of disgraced funeral director Robert Bush of Legacy funeral directors in Hull. After reading the articles online I find myself having to refrain from reading anymore. I have tried to work out the reason this man has carried out the vile acts that he has. This year marks the 26th year since starting my career within the funeral industry.
Over those 26 years and I know many funeral directors will agree, there has been many changes take place to which I think has allowed the industry to decline in more ways than one. Years ago life was very different and people always used their local funeral director that their parents used to carry out family funerals as did their parents before them and so on.
Like GP’s everyone had their own that they would see when they were sick and this was the same for funeral directors. These days we make an appointment only to end up seeing one of many doctors within a practice. The world is a very different place now compared to back then. These days funeral services are very different to the traditional funerals years ago.
When thinking about the terrible acts carried out at Legacy funeral directors I can only presume that most of the deceased people that were left to decompose over many months had chosen a direct cremation. If the deceased or their families had chosen a traditional funeral with a minister/celebrant, hearse, limousine, floral tributes etc then the family would have attended the service and their loved ones coffin would have been right the on display during the service. Proof that the funeral had taken place.
When people choose a direct cremation service the deceased is collected from wherever they pass away and are prepared for cremation at a funeral home. On the day of the funeral service the coffin is conveyed to the crematorium and cremated and the family are not present. For this the family have to pay the funeral director for the cremation process to take place. I can only think that Robert Bush has decided for some crazy reason to not cremate the deceased but tell the families it had taken place.
As a result of this I’m guessing he kept the money he would have had to pay out to the crematorium on behalf of the family for the cremation to take place. By doing this he left the deceased in his mortuary to decompose and what his intentions were to dispose of their poor remains is something I don’t like to think about. I’ll be honest as a funeral director I think direct cremations are one of the worst things to happen within the profession.
We’ve all seen the adverts on the TV for direct cremation companies and unfortunately the service has taken off. As funeral directors we have to offer this service also. If we didn’t I’m afraid to say that many well established companies may not be here today. I completely understand that many people have their reasons for choosing this service and at the end of the day what the deceased or their families want is what we make happen for them.
How on earth anyone could leave a persons remains to decompose and lie to families as he did is beyond me. Handing back cremated remains to families that aren’t even of their family member is disgusting. He even took money from charity boxes collected on funeral services. We hand the donation box to the families straight after the funeral service has finished. Being a funeral director is a Privilage and an honour and to be able to look after someone’s loved one and the families left behind when they have no idea what to do when they are grieving is a feeling like no other.
Like many industries they all have what we refer to as cowboys and this man I’m afraid was just that. There has been call for many years now that the industry needs to be regulated to prevent just anyone from opening up as a funeral director and I couldn’t agree more. The funeral process from beginning to end should be transparent to families and they should know exactly how their loved one is looked after.
My heart goes out to all of the families affected by this horrific act and I hope justice gets served and they can heal over time.
