It was a cool Tuesday evening when the first Tuakiri June Heritage Highlight session invited a roomful of attendees to journey through the past, present, and future of funeral services in Christchurch. Andrew Bell, Managing Director of Bell, Lamb & Trotter (BL&T), captivated the audience with stories of how funerals have evolved in his hometown.
He began with the origins of BL&T, founded in 1872 by James Lamb — a man whose life included a mix of adventures and misfortunes before settling into funeral work. The business changed hands several times before Andrew purchased it from his parents in 2014. He joked that they prepared him early for a career in end‑of‑life services as he was given a funeral plot for his 12th birthday!
Early Christchurch funerals were simple affairs. Local carpenters and cabinetmakers often doubled as undertakers, since they already had the tools and timber. The deceased would lie in state, followed by the funeral procession to the cemetery. Notices in the newspaper let the community know when and where to join in. Over time, services shifted from homes to funeral homes.
Choosing cemetery sites wasn’t always straightforward. Christchurch’s geology, especially its high-water table, created challenges. Sydenham Cemetery, for example, has only single‑depth graves. Ruru Lawn and Memorial Park sit on silty, sandy ground, so modern graves require forms to prevent collapse during services.
Embalming, cremation and burial at sea
By 1896, embalming arrived in Christchurch. Embalming slows the natural decay process, though today only around 30–40% of people choose it. It remains essential for repatriation and is legally required when sending a body overseas.
Cremation began in New Zealand in 1909 at Karori in Wellington. Public education was needed to explain the process, and for years Christchurch families had to transport loved ones north for cremation. That changed in 1936 when Christchurch opened its first crematorium — still operating today at the corner of Linwood Ave and Keighley’s Road. Cremation rates rose from single digits in the 1940s to 15% in the 1950s, then surged to 70% by 2010 and 75% today.
Ash disposal in New Zealand is flexible, though people must respect private property and cultural sensitivities. Christchurch City Council discourages scattering ashes in high‑use public areas like sports fields or the Botanic Gardens.
Sea burials still exist — but only in three designated locations along New Zealand’s east coast. Running a funeral at sea requires registering with the local council as both a mortuary and a funeral director. Burials on private land are possible but tightly regulated.
While the number of deaths in Aotearoa hasn’t increased, competition among funeral homes has. Christchurch had nine funeral homes in 2003; today there are fifteen, including corporate-owned services like Bledisloe (part of Invocare), which operates multiple funeral, embalming, and cremation businesses across New Zealand.
Funeral services in New Zealand remain unregulated, though the Funeral Directors Association NZ (established in 1937) sets minimum standards. Most funeral homes follow them, though a few occasionally stray. All must comply with the Health (Burial) Regulations 1946 and the Health (Registration of Premises) Regulations 1966.
Changing Traditions
Funeral directors now provide 24‑hour care — a big shift from Andrew’s 1940s rule book, which stated that people could not be collected from rest homes or hospitals between 9pm and 7am. COVID‑19 made video streaming standard. What began as one streamed service a week is now offered at every funeral, with recordings available online for a year before being archived.
Services have become more secular, more culturally diverse, and far more personalised. Many families choose venues that reflect the person being farewelled — mountaintops, golf clubs, boats — with hand‑decorated caskets. Cremation on private property is possible too, though it involves the fire service and plenty of paperwork.
Andrew emphasised the importance of ongoing cultural education so funeral directors can support families in ways that genuinely honour their cultures and traditions.
Another change, a consequence of the End of Life Choice Act 2019, has resulted in people scheduling a funeral director attendance in advance.
Supporting the Community
BL&T also carries out “poor person” burials when someone dies without family or funds. The council provides a free single grave and requires that no headstone or cross be placed. BL&T tries to locate family, places a notice in the newspaper, and holds a simple service. In the 1940s, funeral homes took turns performing these burials; today it’s left to each home’s discretion.
A New Era: Water Cremation
After decades with only burial or flame cremation, BL&T introduced water cremation to New Zealand in partnership with Debbie Richards, forming Water Cremation Aotearoa NZ. After seven years of planning, visits to Minnesota, extensive discussions, and major financial investment, permission was granted — and the facility formally opened in June 2025.
Water cremation produces six times fewer carbon emissions than flame cremation and is gentler on the environment. The process, known as alkaline hydrolysis, places the body — wrapped in NZ wool or silk — into a chamber filled with 95% water and an alkaline solution. Steam pressure and heat accelerate natural decomposition, reducing the body to basic components in 3–4 hours. Only water and bones remain. The water is sterile and DNA‑free and is returned to the water cycle via treatment. The bones are processed into ashes and returned to the family. Any metal implants don’t need to be removed; they’re recycled afterward.
Because water cremation doesn’t use a casket, it’s cheaper than flame cremation. Families can rent a casket for the service if they wish. Andrew noted that around 70% of customers now choose water cremation.
Looking Ahead
New methods like human composting — already seen in Seattle in the United States — may eventually reach New Zealand, though change is slow. With no “Ministry of Death,” politicians tend to avoid the topic.
The evening wrapped up with lively discussion covering a multitude of funeral related topics such as: how long flame cremation takes (about an hour), stories of a ‘coffin seller’ with a nervous tick, variable cremulator settings, burial plot pricing, the occasional mix‑up where someone is buried in not their pre-purchased plot, and a memorable tale from the 1980s - two casket‑handle thieves were caught sneaking out the back of BL&T with a coffin full of stolen handles. Instead of jail, they were sentenced to community service delivering Meals on Wheels — where they reportedly slipped business cards under every plate to drum up extra business. There was also talk of suburban NIMBYism and the reactions of locals when funeral homes tried to open in residential neighbourhoods.
A really interesting evening, lifting the veil on what can sometimes be a taboo subject.
Find out more
- Christchurch City Council Cemeteries database Searchable database for local interments
- Family History – Death and burial resources Guidance on finding local death and burial information
- Finding a Burial Video with tips and tricks for finding the record of a death or burial.
- Guide to selected cemeteries in Christchurch
Andrea
Local History Librarian
Tūranga
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