Scattering ashes in docks

[Lorna Mercer]

My father served in the merchant navy for 14 years and he passed away 2 years ago.
It was his wish for his ashes to be scattered in the Birkenhead dock where Clanline was based, as that is who he sailed with.
Does anyone know if this is possible to do, and would we need permission or permits to do so.
Any help or advice that anyone can offer would be most grateful. Thank you.

[James Curry]

This may help. But also perhaps contact the Mersey Missions to Seamen @ 20 Crosby Road South, Liverpool L22 1RQ
0151 920 3253

Scattering ashes at sea, over a river, or on a lake
Unlike a sea burial, you don’t need a license or permission from a landowner. However, the Environmental Agency has some guidelines you should follow:

- The scattering site you choose should not be near any buildings, people swimming or fishing, or marinas
- The scattering site should be no more than 1km upstream of any abstraction of water. You can check this by calling your local Environment Agency office
- Ashes should be scattered as close to the surface of the water as possible and you should avoid windy days so that ashes do not affect people living or working nearby

[Marian Gray]

Hello Lorna, A few more pointers to consider in the link below.

https://scattering-ashes.co.uk/help-...hes/sea-river/

[j.sabourn]

Remember someone telling me he was mate on a ship in dry dock in the Tyne.
Someone came down from the office with an urn from someone in the owners dept. and asked him to bury them at sea when the ship sailed. He got up next morning groggy from the previous night, probably from his visitation to the jungle one of Cappys watering holes , remembered he had a job to do so staggered to the ships side and emptied them overboard before realising the ship was still in dry dock . His first problem was pacifying one of the dock workers at the bottom of the dock who got the contents in his eye, his next worry hopng the next of kin to the ashes didnt change his mind and ask for them back. JS

[j.sabourn]

I went to a wake of a friend a few years ago held in the grounds of a hotel where all the drink and tit bits were served outside. His wife asked me to scatter his ashes , so in case of any problems I scattered them over the roses in the Rose Garden when no one was looking.
My brother took my Mothers ashes back up to Scotland where she asked for hers to be scattered in the village Church Grounds , he should have just done it but asked the Vicars permission and he charged him for it. JS

[J Gowers]

We scattered my wifes grandfather ashes on Loch Vennacher just north of Callandar. A few of us drove up there about 20 miles North of Glasgow. We got to the loch and give the urn to my son and told him to walk down to the waters edge and throw the ashes in the loch. Instead of throwing them down into the water he threw them up in the air over the loch and a gust of wind caught them and he ended up covered in the ashes. He turned around and tearfully exclaimed "Grandads all over me"

Old Bob had been a sailer all through the war and would have enjoyed that story we also buried a few cans of beer at the water edge as you are a long time dead and could get thirsty.

[happy daze john in oz]

Scattering ashes was a common practice here in Port Phillip bay, until the bloody 'Greens' complained it was having a bad effect on the fish there.
Only the 'Greens could think like that.

It was normal done from a motor vessel supplied by the port authority.

Then the state gov put a ban on it.

But now it is quite normal to see a yacht go out onto the bay, stay for a half an hour then return.

There are always ways to get over these things.

[David John Busveids]

I have organised to have half of my ashes scattered at sea. The local RNLI do it on one of their training exercises.

[j.sabourn]

That is being very trusting David ? What happens if half of you finishes upstairs and the other half downstairs ? And ne”er the twain shall meet ? JS

[Les Woodard]

So if you get caught throwing ashes into the sea are they going to demand that you recover them PMSL. Personally anyone can do what ever they wish with my lot even to the extent of putting them into the garbage bin as I have no further use of them. Thnkfully you only get one go at this life and would hate to think that I would have to go through it all again in todays modern world. Said it before. I feel sorry for all those buggers that have devoted their lives to a mythical being. What a waste of a life but if they are right then I am going to end up with egg on the boat race for sure LOL.