7 Morbid Victorian Traditions You Won't Believe Actually Used To Be Normal

Have you ever heard of death portraits?

Sophia

• Published in Interesting
• March 23, 2024

Spanning from 1837 to 1901, the Victorian era stands out as a distinctly progressive chapter in British history, marked by remarkable advancements that transformed society and technology. This period fostered an environment ripe for innovation, leading to significant leaps in industrial, scientific, and medical fields.

The era was also celebrated for its contributions to literature and theater, with works that continue to captivate audiences to this day. Imagine the thrill of witnessing the premiere of a Shakespearean play in its original context or reading Charles Dickens' latest publication hot off the press.

The allure of living in such a dynamic and flourishing time is undeniable, offering a front-row seat to the unfolding of groundbreaking discoveries and artistic achievements.

However, this era was not without its darker facets, particularly in its approach to death and mourning. Victorian society harbored a fascination with the macabre, manifesting in elaborate and sometimes unsettling rituals surrounding death.

From post-mortem photography to mourning jewelry made from the hair of the deceased, the period was imbued with practices that might seem bizarre or even disturbing by modern standards. These traditions, steeped in symbolism and the need to navigate grief, offer a window into the complex relationship Victorians had with mortality, contrasting sharply with the era's innovations and cultural riches.

Venture into this aspect of Victorian life, and you'll uncover a world where the progressiveness of the age intertwined curiously with an enduring preoccupation with death. Scroll on!

1. Death Portraits

Before the advent of photography, it was common to commission painted portraits of deceased loved ones as a way to remember them. However, during the Victorian era, this tradition evolved with technological advancements, and death photographs became the norm.

These photographs often included living relatives posing alongside the body of the deceased, creating a lasting, albeit eerie, memento of the departed.

The practice, aimed at preserving the memory of the loved one in the most lifelike manner possible, might seem macabre to modern sensibilities, yet it was a deeply valued custom in a time when mortality rates were high, and such images could be the only visual keepsake of the deceased.

2. Coffin Alarms

In the Victorian era, the fear of premature burial was a genuine concern, owing to the limitations of medical science at the time. To address this terrifying possibility, an innovative solution was devised: the coffin alarm.

This mechanism involved a string attached to the deceased's finger, which then ran through the soil and was connected to a bell atop the headstone. In theory, if the individual was mistakenly buried while still alive, a mere twitch of the finger could ring the bell, alerting passersby to the grave mistake.

The effectiveness of such a device in practice, however, remains a matter of speculation and historical curiosity.

3. Cover the Mirrors

In the Victorian era, the death of a household member triggered a series of peculiar customs aimed at honoring the deceased and warding off further misfortune. One such tradition involved covering all the mirrors in the home.

Though the precise rationale behind this practice remains somewhat murky, it was driven by the superstition that an uncovered mirror could lead to more deaths if it were to fall and break. Additionally, there was a belief that mirrors might trap the soul of the departed, preventing them from moving on to the afterlife.

Furthermore, when it came time to remove the body from the house, it was mandated that the deceased be carried out head first. This procedure was rooted in the belief that it would prevent the spirit of the deceased from looking back into the home and beckoning other family members to join them in death, thereby safeguarding the living from following in their footsteps too soon.

These practices reflect the complex interplay of grief, superstition, and ritual that characterized Victorian attitudes toward death and the afterlife.

4. Coal Jewelry

In Victorian England, the passing of a loved one was accompanied by strict mourning customs, especially for women. During the period of grief, traditional jewelry was considered inappropriate.

Instead, women turned to wearing items made from a fossilized form of coal, referred to as lignite or jet. This somber choice reflects the era's deep-rooted morbid fascinations.

5. Hair of the Dead

Following the initial mourning period in Victorian England, women were permitted to introduce a single piece of jewelry into their attire. However, this wasn't just any ordinary adornment; it had to be crafted from or contain the hair of the deceased.

This practice, while considered deeply sentimental at the time, might strike modern sensibilities as quite unsettling.

6. Mourning Veils and Bonnets

In the intricate rituals of Victorian mourning, widows bore the weight of their loss not just in their hearts but also through their attire. During the initial three months of mourning, tradition dictated that a widow wear a heavy bonnet paired with a veil, symbolizing the depth of her grief.

As this period passed, the veil could be set aside, yet the bonnet remained a part of her wardrobe for nine additional months, serving as a visible marker of her ongoing sorrow. Beyond this, some widows chose to don widow's weeds, a specific form of mourning dress, extending up to two years post the loss of their spouse.

This prolonged period of mourning attire reflected the societal expectations of the time, emphasizing the solemnity of widowhood and the respect and remembrance for the deceased.

7. Making the Dead Look Alive

Death portraits served a poignant purpose in Victorian times, offering grieving families a tangible memory of their departed loved ones. To create these keepsakes, photographers employed various methods to imbue the deceased with an appearance of life.

This macabre art form often involved meticulously posing the body, sometimes incorporating the individual's favorite possessions or activities into the scene. Additionally, techniques such as propping open the eyes were used to simulate the essence of life, striving to capture one final, lifelike image.

While these practices may seem unsettling to us now, they were a testament to the era's attitudes towards death and the desire to preserve the semblance of a bond that transcended mortality.

It seems even in an age of progress, Victorians had a flair for the dramatic, blending breakthroughs with a touch of the macabre. Can you imagine yourself with the dead body of a loved one just to preserve it as a memory in a photograph? Yikes!

Comment down your thoughts, or share this article for all your family and friends to see!

Sophia