Mourning Customs and History

Dead Man Cycling An Australian cyclist named James Somerville was said to have won his last race, crossing the finish line–dead.

The Broom Corn Seed Funeral Swindle Who among us has not fantasized wistfully about faking their own death and disappearing? Some amusing and instructive stories of vintage insurance fraud from my files.

A Stiff Drink Some vintage fizz about stiff drinks with plenty of ice.

Enough Rope: The Hangman’s Rope in the Press The hangman’s rope was a subject of absorbing interest to the 19th century reading public, judging by the loving details about material, quality, and pedigree of rope as reported in the papers.

Dead Man Standing An inquiry into the fantasy of Victorian standing post-mortems: dead people, supported by headrests.

The Funeral Men A woman and her maid see a pair of funeral mutes standing silently on the balcony outside her husband’s dressing room as a token of his death.

Ordering a Funeral for Mother A devoted son orders a lavish funeral for his mother–who is not dead and declines the festivities.

Fearing the Walking Dead, The Undertaker’s Revenge, and the Lost Art of the Coffin Threat A compendium of popular posts.

Painting the Face of a Dead Emperor When Tsar Paul I was murdered in 1801, Marie Antoinette’s hairdresser stepped in to make sure the Emperor looked his post-mortem best.