Curators Choice – Of Mourning and Bonnets

During the Victorian era the practice of public mourning became very popular. Funerals would be as elaborate as the mourners could afford. Some saw large processions led by black horses wearing black ostrich feathers and pulling the hearse. Memento mori, tokens to remember the deceased, were gifted to the chief mourners. Such tokens could include photographs of the deceased. Or a piece of jewellery or a picture made from the deceased’s hair.

Mourners wore mourning dress. Different rules on what to wear and for how long applied depending on who you were mourning. A widow was expected to stay in mourning for two years, wearing black and purple clothing known as “widow’s weeds”.

In this video, Collections Assistant Decorative Arts Madeleine Gray, takes a closer look at a selection of Victorian mourning bonnets from the collection.

Focus On

Curators Choice – Arthur Herbert Portrait

A closer look at the portrait of Arthur Herbert by John Baptist Closterman.

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Curators Choice – Boy’s Dresses

A closer look at the clothes worn by Rowland Winn, 1st Baron St Oswald as a small boy.

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Curators Choice – Fowler’s Mosaics

A closer look at William Fowler of Winterton’s engravings of mosaics.

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Curators Choice – Harold Astwood’s Watercolours

A closer look at the watercolours of local scenes by Harold Astwood.

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Curators Choice – Reverend Parkinson’s Waistcoat

A closer look at the Reverend Parkinson’s waistcoat.

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Curators Choice – Stukeley’s Itinerarium Curiosum

A closer look at William Stukeley’s book, the Itinerarium Curiosum.

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