When Should One Remove One's Hat?

[Stamford_Richard]

Whilst I was taking a stroll at lunchtime, a funeral cortege drove past me and so I instinctively removed my hat.
However, I noticed that the undertaker in the passenger seat of the hearse was wearing his top hat - which leads to me question what the correct etiquette is?

[andy-hughes]

As is - the undertaker wears his hat because it is part of his uniform and he is acting in an official role, you as a bystander should remove your hat.

[woofgang]

As above. When my DH died, the person who took care of everything was a lady and she turned up on the day in a stunning black satin low crown topper with a spray of black iridescent feathers on it. We spent the journey to the crem discussing hats and it made me feel a lot better.
Apparently there are specialist retailers for professional funeral garb, she told me that she had just ordered a new hat and had had to be restrained from ordering several more.

[dannyk13]

Your instinct was good in raising your hat as a mark of respect, I suspect that you are not in the throes of youth.

[MargoTester]

I remember a time when everybody stood still when a hearse passed and all the men doffed their hats. Rarely happens today, nicely done Andy.

[MargoTester]

Beg pardon Stamford - Richard

[RATTER15]

When I was a youngster, if someone died in the street, we would keep the curtains closed all day and if a funeral procession passed us, we had to stand at the side of the road, take our hats off and lower our heads!! How times have changed!

[mazie]

Same with us RATTERS and someone always went round collecting so that a wreathe could be purchased from the neighbours

[melv16]

At my mothers funeral 2 weeks ago, all the neighbours closed their curtains. They are all elderly, so I gather this the way they show their last respects.

[Bazile]

Where does the tradition comes from , where the undertaker walks in front of the hearse for some yards before getting back into the hearse ?

[Old_Geezer]

One should always remove one's hat when taking a bath.

Aside from that I'm unsure it matters so much these days. Many will see it as a sign of respect, probably for someone you never knew anyway and have no knowledge as to whether they'd earned respect or not. I think the undertakers top hat is traditionally left on is it not ? Not that I'm an expert.

If you wish to remove yours, then feel free to do so. It's likely different folk will have different ideas on whether it is still etiquette or not.

[RATTER15]

http://www.quora.com/Why-do-funeral-directors-walk-in-front-of-the-hearse

[MargoTester]

Not sure Bazile,but I would guess that in years gone by he would walk to the end of the street in which the deceased had lived and then get in the hearse

[chrissa1]

When my husband died 4 years ago, I can still see a young man on the pavement who bent his head as we passed him in the cortège.

I will always remember it.

[chaptazbru2]

That's lovely chrissa. I always remember at my Grandma's funeral when the undertaker stood back from her coffin and bowed to her, I know they probably do it all the time, but it moved me so much and I felt that she fully deserved it.

[dunnitall]

Same as you Richard and RATTER regarding the drawing of curtains. In fact one day my mother wasn't too well and forgot to open the sitting room curtains. A neighbour well known for her nosy ways (!) knocked on the door and asked who had died!

[dunnitall]

Sorry I also meant to say that Andy Hughes is correct in my book as that's how it used to be. Don't know that the callow youth would consider it nowadays though.

[gness]

When I started walking my daughter to school almost thirty years ago I passed an elderly gentleman every morning who smiled and doffed his cap.....I thought it was lovely....

Following MrG's coffin along a short bypass we were followed by a man flashing his lights and pulling out trying to pass us..... not quite the gentleman the man in the coffin had been.....x

[TWR]

10 Clarion, I do the same thing and stop, if they start to hoot behind me, my answer, sod them.

[Clanad]

The custom of men wearing hats once enabled the wearer, in days gone past, to make silent social statements that are, unfortunately, unavailable to men today.

I clearly remember as a small child, holding my father's hand as we boarded an elevator in Denver, Colorado to ride up maybe 10-15 stories in a hotel. My father was an old time cowboy with his 4XX Stetson beaver hat always either on his head or in his hand.

On the day of revelation, still fondly remembered, we rode together for maybe 3 or 4 stories and the elevator operator brought the car to a stop. The door opened and two seemingly classy ladies boarded. My father, I noticed immediately and took his hat off and held it about waist level.

Soon after the car began moving one of the women spoke fairly loudly about what kind of a "XXXX" day she was having and the other one responded with the same type of vulgarity, which continued, both using words I'd never heard before... My father, unobtrusively but closely watched by the little boy at his side, raised his hands and placed his Stetson carefully back on his head. He had easily recognized he was not in the presence of "ladies" so there was no need to further indicate any respect. His hat remained on his head for the rest of the ride up...