Hearthside House Museum Presents Gone But Not Forgotten: Victorian Mourning Exhibit

Death and mourning customs during the 19th century are featured during Hearthside House Museum's annual Gone But Not Forgotten: Victorian Mourning & Funeral Customs, which opens on Sunday, Oct. 18. Other dates include Oct. 24, 25, and Nov. 1.

This most unusual and popular exhibit invites visitors to experience the fascinating traditions that families practiced during the late 19th century with the loss of a loved one. The death of Simon E. Thornton, who lived and died at Hearthside in 1873, is the subject for exploring these customs that may be considered quite strange today.

Guests arriving at Hearthside will find purple and black bunting adorning the exterior, and as they step inside the house the draping continues with all the mirrors and mantles in black as well, just as it was done at the time. Volunteers who provide the fully-guided, 90 minute tours are dressed in black too as they guide the guests through all three floors. Each room is filled with artifacts that help tell of the extensive set of practices, rituals and superstitions surrounding a death in the family. Examples of some of the funerary objects on display include a collection of Victorian mourning dresses, bonnets and accessories which could be found in “mourning stores.” Women were expected to follow proper Victorian etiquette that called for black clothing to be worn during different stages of mourning. On display also are pieces of hair jewelry, very fine hair work made with human hair, sometimes from the deceased, woven into designs contained inside of pins, earrings, rings and necklaces.

There are funerary art pieces, elaborate memoriam cards, stationery, and post-mortem photography, all to memorialize the loved ones. A special feature includes the antique embalming tools used at the time following the Civil War when the process to preserve the body first became popular. The preparation of the body was done at home, just as it was for Simon Thornton when he died at Hearthside. Some pieces being shown were actually part of Hearthside's family history. The undertaker’s records where Simon Thornton’s death was recorded when he passed away are on display as well the table he had been embalmed on in the same room where it happened. The Talbot family, who lived there after Thornton, kept several mourning artifacts that include letters written on mourning stationery as well as pieces of mourning jewelry that are also displayed.

Among the numerous topics explored are the causes of death during Victorian times, obituaries, children’s mortality, playing funeral, fear of being buried alive, and the belief in spiritualism to connect to the dearly departed. The tour concludes with the “wake” which is held in the formal parlor, complete with coffin and memorial cards. Here various aspects of the wake and funeral are explored. In appreciation for coming to pay respects to Simon Thornton, guests will leave with a wrapped funeral biscuit, tied with a black ribbon and sealed with black wax, as was commonly done during the 19th century. While this exhibit is presented during the dark season, it is not a Halloween event. Rather it is a well-researched and fascinating journey into the Victorian age of the late mid-late 19th century when death was prevalent and mourning practices were quite elaborate.

Due to limited space on each tour, advanced ticket purchase is required, with timed entry every half hour. Tours take place between 12:30-4, with the last booking at 2:30, except on Oct. 24 when an evening tour is offered between 4-7:30, every half hour, with the last booking at 6:00 pm. Reservations and ticket purchase are available through the website.