funeral notice in shop window (Scotland)

[QueryA]

DMIL passed away recently and I asked the funeral director about putting a notice in the local post office window, and the woman looked at me like I had two heads. I thought this was always done? Is this a just something niche to north Scotland? I thought it was quite normal, and actually think it's a good way of letting the more elderly villagers know (as they maybe don't use social media so much). The death notice will go in the local paper too, but this is just a A5 notice that goes in the local shop window.

I've googled it and have come up with nothing, no images or anything, but I'm sure it's a thing. Anyone else remember this? and has it completely died out with social media (no pun intended)?

Not normal in Edinburgh ;-) but absolutely normal in the islands and I've seen them in small towns/villages elsewhere (usually West coast now I think of it)

I'm in forth valley and it's definitely a thing here, a postcard goes in the newsagents window although I'm not sure since covid if it has been done but "before times" I don't know why the funeral director looked at you in horror though, maybe just a wee village thing 🤔

Normal in the villages around Stirling. I don't think I've seen it in town (I could be wrong)

"Normal in the villages around Stirling. I don't think I've seen it in town (I could be wrong)"

My cousin died in Stirling "top of town" and they put up a notice in the shop so maybe an area specific?

I think it's niche to small communities. I've never heard of it in England and I organise funerals

Have heard of it done in some NE villages but then it’s not done in others which are half an hour up/down the road. I hadn’t heard of it until relatively recently but agree that it would definitely be the way to inform more elderly members of the community. No guarantees on how long local newspapers will last for.

Notices seem to appear on Facebook local pages now.

We're in a Sutherland village and it's totally normal around here.

This was common in the Cornish town I grew up in. Death notices in the window of the butchers and the barbers. No idea if it still happens.

It used to be a thing but not for about 10 years or so.

They do it in Italy and when Covid hit the walls were covered in the notices. I had never seen it anywhere before. We were in Sicily and they were on houses and walls around the Cathedral.

It is so normal where I grew up (north scotland) and still is. My mum is forever updating me on who has passed when I phone her. Just presumed it was widespread and thought the funeral director would know what I was on about, but she just looked bemused/confused when I asked When I think about it, I don't know where in my current town (market town size, central belt) they would be displayed. In my home village it was always the papershop window, and then the post office when the papershop closed.

Thanks for all your responses, I was beginning to think it was a weird quirk of my village!

I live in a village in SE England. Whenever a long-standing villager dies, a notice is always put up on the parish notice board and usually in the village shop. And funnily enough, I saw it in a Cornish village a few years back. Possibly St Mawgan. Shop and pub.

It happens in our central Scotland village, post office window and sometimes the Coop noticeboard. In towns i e them in the funeral directors window too.

I'm not in Scotland but we, Yorkshire, put death notices in a shop window
I didn't think it was unusual until I was stood next to some tourists and they said 'Oh god, they put their dead in the window'
I think its a sensible way of letting people know

I think it might be a throwback to when everyone collected their pensions in person at the post office?

Rural bit of England. Perfectly standard here.

Of course in villages in Scotland its also acceptable for anyone with any vague connection to the decreased to come to the funeral so that's why the notice is put up with the relevant info on it. I learnt from Mumsnet that funerals in England tend to be invitation only.

I'm in Lanarkshire..its a thing in my local village although they have stopped since covid.

I work in a funeral directors and this was common 10-20 years ago. We would do notices for the local paper but also notices for the local village notice boards, bowling clubs, miner’s social clubs etc. Much less common now. Still do the local papers but they have become fewer too. Social media rules now with notices going on the website and Facebook. Sadly many of the clubs have either closed or have a lot fewer members these days. We still do notices for small village shops and notice boards though.

Ayrshire village here - funeral notices go in paper shop and post office windows.

East Coast central belt here, and yes still do it here - always in funeral director window but often in other shops. I saw one in a chip shop yesterday - I was looking to see if it was Italian football related . Its normally only much older people though for other shops or if its a customer of a particular shop, like a bookies or something. Sorry for your loss.

Yes- I’ve seen this in local communities (Scotland). Little cards with black outline in windows of newsagents/butchers etc

Normal where I grew up. Easter Ross.

I'm in a tiny village in NE Scotland and it happens here. I suppose it's more about how big the village is?