The Victorian era (1837–1901) was a time of extraordinary social, scientific, and technological changes, and while many of these advancements are well documented, the more unusual customs and rituals of the time are often forgotten. Amid the strict moral codes, there were strange and downright bizarre practices that pervaded everyday life, particularly in the realms of death, beauty, and medicine. While some of these rituals may seem peculiar or even shocking to us today, they were widely accepted during the period.
Here are ten bizarre and forgotten Victorian rituals that showcase the quirks and eccentricities of this fascinating era.
10. Post-Mortem Photography
One of the most haunting Victorian practices was post-mortem photography. With high mortality rates and the constant threat of disease, death was an omnipresent part of life in the 19th century. As a result, many families turned to post-mortem photography as a way to preserve the memory of their loved ones.
Unlike modern funerary practices, which typically focus on celebrating the life of the deceased, Victorian post-mortem photography sought to capture the dead as though they were still alive. Deceased individuals, often children, were dressed in their finest clothing and carefully posed to make them appear as if they were sleeping or simply resting. In some cases, the eyes of the dead were painted onto the photograph to give the illusion of life. These images were then kept as cherished mementos, a final portrait of the departed.
The practice of post-mortem photography may seem morbid by today’s standards, but in an age where death was a frequent visitor, it offered a tangible way for families to remember their loved ones. The photographs were often displayed prominently in the home, sometimes alongside portraits of the living, blurring the line between life and death in a way that feels eerie to modern sensibilities.
Source: History Extra
9. Mourning Jewelry
Another morbidly fascinating Victorian ritual was the custom of wearing mourning jewelry. When Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, died in 1861, she entered into a state of deep mourning that lasted for the rest of her life. As the queen, her habits set the standard for the rest of the country, and soon the entire nation adopted the practice of wearing mourning attire and jewelry to honour the dead.
Mourning jewelry was often made from black jet, a type of fossilised wood, and was worn as a symbol of grief. However, the most unusual pieces were made using the hair of the deceased. It was not uncommon for grieving relatives to commission rings, brooches, or lockets that contained a lock of hair from their loved one. Some pieces even featured elaborate designs created entirely from woven hair.
This macabre fashion trend was not only a way for Victorians to honour their dead but also to keep a physical part of them close at all times. Mourning jewelry was often passed down through generations as a family heirloom, a lasting connection to the deceased.
Source: The Art of Mourning
8. Death Masks
Before photography became widely accessible, death masks were another way to preserve the likeness of the deceased. A death mask was a plaster or wax cast made of a person’s face after their death. These masks served several purposes, from documenting the physical appearance of notable figures to providing a reference for sculptors and painters.
In the Victorian era, death masks were often created for prominent individuals, including politicians, authors, and scientists. One of the most famous death masks from this time is that of Napoleon Bonaparte, which became a popular object of fascination in Victorian households. For the average person, death masks were less common, but they were occasionally made for family members as a personal keepsake.
What makes death masks particularly unsettling is their eerie realism. Unlike photographs or paintings, they capture the exact contours and features of the deceased’s face, frozen in time. Today, these masks are often displayed in museums, offering a haunting glimpse into the Victorian obsession with death and remembrance.
Source: Smithsonian Magazine
7. Spiritualism and Séances
The Victorian fascination with death extended into the supernatural, and one of the most bizarre rituals of the era was the widespread practice of spiritualism and séances. Spiritualism, which became popular in the mid-19th century, was the belief that the spirits of the dead could communicate with the living through a medium. Séances, in which groups would gather to make contact with the deceased, became a common ritual, often held in private homes or public halls.
Séances typically involved a medium who would enter a trance-like state and act as a conduit for the spirits. Participants would ask questions, hoping to receive answers from the other side, often through knocks, table tilting, or written messages. In some cases, more dramatic manifestations were reported, such as objects levitating, ghostly apparitions, or even full materialisations of the dead.
Spiritualism attracted people from all walks of life, including notable figures like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and even Queen Victoria herself. While many Victorians found comfort in the idea of being able to communicate with their deceased loved ones, the practice also led to widespread fraud, with some mediums going to great lengths to fake supernatural phenomena.
Despite the scepticism, spiritualism remained popular throughout the Victorian era and into the early 20th century, reflecting the period’s deep preoccupation with death and the afterlife.
Source: BBC History
6. The Cult of the Good Death
Victorian attitudes toward death were influenced by the concept of the Cult of the Good Death, a belief system that placed a heavy emphasis on dying well and being properly mourned. In the Victorian era, a “good death” was one that occurred at home, surrounded by loved ones, with ample time for religious rites and farewells. Dying in a state of grace, with full acceptance of one’s fate, was considered essential for securing a place in heaven.
The rituals surrounding death were elaborate, with families expected to go through a lengthy mourning period. Mourning attire was strictly regulated, especially for women. Widows, for example, were expected to wear full black mourning garb for at least two years, with the first year being reserved for “deep mourning,” during which social activities were severely restricted.
The “good death” also extended to the funeral itself, which was seen as a public display of respectability and social status. Lavish funerals, complete with ornate coffins, horse-drawn hearses, and elaborate floral arrangements, were common among the Victorian upper and middle classes. For many families, the funeral was an opportunity to demonstrate their wealth and piety.
This obsession with dying well and being properly mourned highlights the Victorians’ preoccupation with death as a central part of life, as well as their anxiety over the fate of the soul in the afterlife.
Source: The Victorian Web
5. Cupping Therapy
While death and mourning dominated much of Victorian culture, the era was also known for its bizarre medical practices. One of the most peculiar was cupping therapy, a form of alternative medicine that involved placing heated glass cups on the skin to create suction. This was believed to draw out “bad blood” and toxins, thereby curing ailments ranging from headaches to respiratory problems.
Cupping was particularly popular in Victorian England and was used to treat a wide variety of conditions. Physicians and lay practitioners alike performed the treatment, often leaving patients with painful welts and bruises. Despite its somewhat gruesome appearance, cupping was considered an effective remedy, and its use persisted throughout the 19th century.
Interestingly, cupping therapy has seen a resurgence in recent years, with some modern practitioners continuing to tout its benefits. However, in the Victorian era, it was often used in conjunction with other questionable medical treatments, such as bloodletting, making it one of the many strange and sometimes harmful rituals of the time.
Source: British Medical Journal
4. Corset Tightlacing
Victorian fashion is synonymous with corsets, but the practice of tightlacing took this garment to an extreme. While corsets were worn by women throughout the 19th century to achieve the fashionable hourglass figure, some Victorians took it to the next level by lacing their corsets as tightly as possible, often to the point of discomfort or even physical harm.
Tightlacing involved pulling the corset strings so tight that a woman’s waist could be reduced by several inches, sometimes resulting in a waist size as small as 16 inches. This extreme practice was seen as a sign of beauty and femininity, but it also had serious health consequences. Tightlacing could cause breathing difficulties, digestive problems, and even damage to internal organs.
Despite the risks, tightlacing remained popular among Victorian women, especially in the upper classes, where a tiny waist was seen as a symbol of wealth and refinement. Today, the practice is often viewed as a symbol of the oppressive beauty standards of the time, but for many Victorians, it was simply a necessary part of maintaining social status and appearance.
Source: Fashion History Museum
3. Electrotherapy
The Victorian era was a time of great scientific and technological innovation, but not all of the advancements were based on sound medical science. Electrotherapy was one of the more unusual medical treatments of the time, involving the use of electric currents to treat a wide range of ailments, from depression to paralysis.
Victorian physicians believed that electricity had healing properties, and electrotherapy devices became widely available to both doctors and the general public. These devices ranged from small, handheld machines to larger, more elaborate contraptions that delivered electric shocks to various parts of the body.
Electrotherapy was often marketed as a cure-all, promising to relieve pain, improve circulation, and even cure hysteria in women. While some patients claimed to experience relief from their symptoms, the practice was largely based on pseudoscience, and the effectiveness of electrotherapy remains questionable.
Despite its dubious medical value, electrotherapy was incredibly popular in the Victorian era, reflecting the period’s fascination with new technologies and their potential to transform health and wellbeing.
Source: The Electric Century
2. Memento Mori
While the Victorians were known for their elaborate mourning rituals, the practice of memento mori took their obsession with death to an even more personal level. Memento mori, which translates to “remember you must die,” was a form of art and jewellery that served as a constant reminder of the inevitability of death.
Memento mori jewellery often featured symbols of mortality, such as skulls, coffins, and hourglasses, and was worn by both men and women as a way to reflect on the fleeting nature of life. The pieces were typically made from dark materials, such as black enamel or onyx, and were sometimes inscribed with Latin phrases reminding the wearer of their mortality.
In addition to jewellery, memento mori artwork was also popular during the Victorian era, with paintings and sculptures depicting scenes of death and decay. These works often served as a stark reminder of the transient nature of life and the importance of living a virtuous existence in preparation for the afterlife.
The practice of memento mori reflects the Victorians’ deep preoccupation with death and the afterlife, as well as their desire to confront mortality head-on rather than shy away from it.
Source: Tate Britain
1. Funeral Feasts
One of the most unusual Victorian rituals surrounding death was the tradition of funeral feasts. While it may seem odd to modern sensibilities, the practice of hosting a feast after a funeral was a common way for Victorians to honour the dead and provide comfort to the grieving family.
Funeral feasts varied depending on the social class of the deceased, with wealthier families hosting elaborate banquets that included multiple courses and fine wines. The food served often had symbolic significance, with certain dishes representing the afterlife or the journey of the soul. For example, funeral cakes, also known as burial biscuits, were a staple at Victorian funerals and were often decorated with religious symbols.
For poorer families, the funeral feast was a more modest affair, but it still played an important role in the mourning process. It was seen as a way to bring the community together, allowing friends and family to offer their condolences while also sharing in the practical task of providing food and support.
While the idea of a funeral feast may seem strange today, it was an important part of Victorian mourning rituals, serving as a final send-off for the deceased and a way to ease the grief of those left behind.
Source: English Heritage
The Victorian era was a time of profound contradictions: a period of great technological advancement and moral rigidity, yet also a time when bizarre and morbid customs flourished. From death photography to funeral feasts, these rituals reflect the Victorians’ complex relationship with death, beauty, and health. While many of these practices may seem alien to us today, they offer a fascinating glimpse into the culture of a bygone era, where death was ever-present and rituals were essential to coping with the uncertainties of life and the afterlife.
