We arrived to find not only police, which we had expected, but also Hereford Fire Brigade in tow. They had both been called to the incident. The entire tower block had been taped off and scenes of crime (those people in the white boiler suits that you see on the telly), police detectives, regular coppers, ambulance men, and now sadly not needed firemen that looked smoky, dusty, wet and exhausted. All would soon be clear. Charles Faulkner, an elderly pensioner had suffered a critical heart attack whilst smoking, the cigarette had caused a fire and his whole body had been burnt up.
Previously I had dealt with a carbon monoxide suicide, but that was a bit cleaner than this. Here we had a blackened corpse, hot, smelling and in his fireside chair in front of a still broadcasting television – my first job was to turn it off as “The Wombles” had just started and the song “Underground, Overground” didn’t really seem to suit the moment. ...
Posted by David Anderson on 3rd May 2022
A great read taking the reader through the fascinating complexities of the undertaking business. Written in a communicative style,Tim Penrose highlights the highs and lows of his work in the field. His sense of humour engages the reader while the details of people, places and events give considerable clarity to his personal comments and insights. He shows a perceptive outline of a past Britain without an all-encompassing technology and impersonal social relations.. A wide variety of characters bring a very human picture to the autobiography in a world where real relationships were the most important part of everyday life and business practice. I thoroughly recommend this book.