As we close the chapter on 2024, our final edition explores how the Victorians mastered the art of endings and remembrance. Through Judith Flanders' revelatory new book and an examination of period mourning jewelry, we discover how an era's approach to death illuminates its values in life. These pieces remind us that grief, though universal, is shaped by culture and time.

"The past beats inside me like a second heart." - John Banville

Book Review: "Rites of Passage: Death and Mourning in Victorian Britain" by Judith Flanders

Judith Flanders' latest work masterfully illuminates the intricate world of Victorian death customs, offering readers a compelling journey through 19th-century Britain's relationship with mortality. While the Victorians' preoccupation with death has become something of a cultural cliché, Flanders brings fresh perspective by examining the practical, social, and commercial aspects of death that shaped the era.

The book's strength lies in its comprehensive approach, exploring everything from deathbed rituals to the burgeoning funeral industry. Flanders challenges common assumptions, notably reconsidering Queen Victoria's famous mourning period as an exception rather than the norm. Her analysis of class differences in death customs provides particularly valuable insights into Victorian social structures.

Perhaps most fascinating is Flanders' examination of death's commercialization. She reveals how Victorian mourning became a complex industry, with specific products and services emerging to meet elaborate social expectations. Her exploration of funeral practices exposes both the ceremonial significance and the often exploitative nature of the death trade.

While the book occasionally underexplores the spiritual dimensions of Victorian death culture, its focus on material and social aspects offers a vivid picture of how death shaped Victorian society. Flanders' engaging writing style makes complex historical material accessible without sacrificing scholarly rigor.

For readers interested in Victorian social history or the evolution of death customs, "Rites of Passage" provides an essential and enlightening read, offering both academic insight and compelling storytelling.

The Art of Remembrance: Victorian Mourning Jewelry

Victorian mourning jewelry embodied the era's elaborate relationship with death and remembrance. These pieces weren't merely decorative but served as essential elements of proper mourning etiquette, particularly after Prince Albert's death in 1861 intensified the culture of commemoration.

The materials used in Victorian mourning jewelry carried deep significance. Jet, sourced primarily from Whitby, became the paramount choice for first-stage mourning. Its deep black luster perfectly expressed the depth of early grief. Hair work, another distinctive feature, transformed loved ones' locks into intricate designs, creating uniquely personal memorials. Rock crystal pieces, while less common, offered a striking way to preserve cherished mementoes or hair arrangements beneath their clear surfaces.

Unlike the stark memento mori imagery of earlier periods, Victorian mourning jewelry favored gentler symbolism. Forget-me-nots, weeping willows, and urns draped in fabric spoke to loss while celebrating memory. This shift reflected broader cultural changes in attitudes toward death, moving from direct confrontation with mortality to more romanticized expressions of grief.

The commerce of mourning jewelry, as Flanders notes in her work, became a significant industry. Jewelers developed specialized catalogs, and pieces were produced at various price points, making memorial jewelry accessible across social classes. This commercialization of grief, while sometimes criticized, democratized the ability to wear one's remembrance.

Today's memorial jewelry continues this tradition of tangible remembrance, though in different forms. The Victorian pieces remind us how material culture shapes our expression of loss and preservation of memory.