Pints of Knowledge: Memento Mori: the Victorian Way of Death

“Memento Mori: The Victorian Way of Death”, with Andrea WoodsideStep into the fascinating and surprisingly beautiful world of Victorian mourning, where every ritual had a socially prescribed purpose. This talk will explore the customs, superstitions and symbolism that shaped the Victorians’ response to death, revealing a culture that was far more comfortable with mortality than we are today. Discover how London's Magnificent Seven cemeteries came into existence, and why they became places not only of remembrance but also of Victorian recreation. Learn how to 'read' Victorian funerary monuments, and explore curious traditions around death including stopping the clocks, telling the bees, carrying the deceased from the house feet first, and the importance of funeral mutes - not to forget how the era’s ever-present fear of premature burial inspired ingenious safety coffins.From mourning wear that came with serious health risks, mourning jewellery crafted from the hair of the departed, to the famous mourning emporiums of Jay's and Peter Robinson's both of Regent Street, this talk reveals a world where grief was expressed with remarkable ceremony, artistry and symbolism.Richly illustrated with remarkable stories and objects, Memento Mori: The Victorian Way of Death offers an unforgettable glimpse into a time when every death was a reminder to those left behind to make every day count.Bio
Andrea Woodside is Collections Curator at the National Funeral Museum, and a Trustee and tour guide at one of London's Magnificent Seven cemeteries. A taphophile since the age of six, Andrea has spent her career in hospice care and is a regular speaker on death, dying, and the importance of a proper goodbye.