Gone But Not Forgotten: Victorian Mourning & Funeral Customs

The topics of death and mourning in the 19th century are featured during Hearthside House Museum’s annual exhibit, Gone But Not Forgotten.  A mourning wreath and black draping signals to all passersby that this stately house on Great Road in Lincoln is in mourning.  The occasion is the farewell to former Hearthside homeowner, Simon E. Thornton, who died on May 2, 1873. 

Victorian American mourning and funerary traditions and practices are explored in this re-creation of Mr. Thornton’s wake.  As somber funeral music plays in the background, volunteer docents dressed in mourning attire are situated throughout the house to explain the rituals a family would undertake upon a loved one’s passing.  The mirrors are covered in black, and the sweet smell of flowers pervade the waking room.  The undertaker has come to set up in the master bedroom to prepare the body for its final resting place.  A photographer has been hired to capture one last image of the deceased.  Special stationery and memorials have been created to notify friends and relatives and to memorialize the deceased.  Funeral biscuits are wrapped and sealed with black wax, ready to give to those who come to pay their respects.

On display during this special exhibit are Victorian coffins, mourning fashions and accessories, post-mortem photographs, mourning jewelry and woven hair, antique embalming tools and the actual table that Mr. Thornton’s body was prepared on, the undertaker’s journal where his death was recorded, as well as other funerary memorials and artifacts. 

New to the exhibit this year are the presentation of a mock casket shop, and an 1873 funeral service where the coffin will be carried out of the house by the pallbearers to the “family plot” where a graveside service will be held at the conclusion of the exhibit on November 12th. 

The exhibit opens on Saturday evening, October 28th and closes on Sunday afternoon, November 12th.  Other openings include Sunday, November 5 and Saturday, November 11.  Space is limited for each tour which last 90 min. Reservations are advised by calling 401-726-0597 or email info@hearthsidehouse.org.  Saturday tours begin every half hour between 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.  Sunday tours begin every half hour between 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. except for November 12th, when the last guided tour takes place at 2:00 p.m. due to the funeral service scheduled for 3:15 p.m.

Admission is $20; $10 ages 10-17.  Not advisable for young children.  Special discount on Sunday, Nov. 5th $15 adults; $7 ages 10-17.

Hearthside is located at 677 Great Road, Lincoln, RI.  Built in 1810, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Friends of Hearthside, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization, serves as stewards and managers of the museum.  All proceeds benefit the continued restoration of this Town-owned Blackstone Valley landmark by the organization.

For more information, visit www.hearthsidehouse.org or call the museum at 401-726-0597.