Victorian post-mortem photograpahs

[purplebreeze]

Dear All - I am not sure if this is the right place on the forum but thought I would give it a try. I know this maybe a long shot but worth trying. I am a second year MA student undertaking a dissertation on Victorian post-mortem photographs (photographs of dead people taken as keepsakes - for anyone that doesn't know - I didn't know they existed until I studied them a few years back), especially looking at ones that were taken between 1860-1900 of the type which include some artistic setting such as angels, flowers rather than the very plain ones. I was hoping with the Victorian influence of the area that someone may have some family photographs of this kind they would be willing to let me look at or that someone may have converted a property and found an album or some pictures of this kind and wondering what to do with them, if so I would really appreciate looking at them. Or even some geneologists or local historians out there that may be able to point me to someone who can help.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and if you can help please get in touch either on this thread or PM.

Geraldine

[RosieH]

I didn't know such things existed. I can't help (sorry), but this sounds fascinating. Good luck.

[KidKruger]

There used to be a website with this sort of stuff on, even more recent than Victorian - but typically it's post mortems of traumatic accidents.

[purplebreeze]

Dear RosieH - Thank you for commenting

Neither did I until a while back but it is actually quite fascinating especially with our culture of the fear of death and the Victorians having many children dying and mothers dying in child birth that were documented with the new technology of photography. It made a good combination of immortalising the person that had died and a keepsake for the ones mourning. There is a fantastic (I think) author Audrey Linkman if you want to know more. I love some of the pictures that really dress people up imitating some paintings of the time. I also love the cemataries such as Nunhead where some of the graves are so ornate and so much symbolism used. I would love to make this personally to someone and investigate their photographs.

Geraldine

[Laur]

Hi Purplebreeze

Yes I am aware of this after reading an article in the Daily Mail recently.

Here is the link to the full article:

****Please note the link may be upsetting to some****

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2450832/Victorian-photographs-relatives-posing-alongside-dead-bodies.html

[purplebreeze]

Dear KidKruger

Thank you for that information, any particular suggestions of sites? I have found a couple so not sure if one of them is one you are talking about and there does seem to be a revival of this type of photography happening. What I am after is photographs taken between 1860-1900 especially the really ornate Victorian ones and even the tinted ones. My ideal would be to get my hands on photographs that someone who has and wants to know more about in their family history or a found original that may link the person in the picture to a property.

Geraldine

[purplebreeze]

Dear Laur

Thank you for the link. If its not to intrusive to ask what did you think when you read it. When I found out about them I was urrgh that is horrible.

[Laur]

I will PM you purplebreeze

[purplebreeze]

Thank you Laur...

[minder]

Laur, I don't remember seeing this article in the paper version (and I read the Daily Mail everyday) so was it just on-line?

Purplebreeze, I thought this was the kind of research you were looking for?

[Sue]

I think those photos are really touching and beautiful.

It was a different time. People didn't have cameras etc to constantly be recording the lives of their children, relatives and friends, as we do now.

A photo like that might be the only thing somebody had to remember their dead child or other loved one by, apart from their own memory, and was probably very comforting.

[purplebreeze]

Dear Minder

Not always are things published in papers aswell as the website, many newspapers do bit of both so worth checking out their website as often they lso miss out what is in the paper. So much information and so little time I think, my dad often tells me about articles I cant find online so he posts them to me. I do love (if that's the right word) these pictures and especially poignant the couple with the baby and the mother holding her forehead but the ones I rally want I will add a picture for example but would so love to actually either know who the people are in the picture of be able to find out (unlike many of the pictures from this time)

Thank you for your comment x

[Sue]

Where is the angel picture from, purplebreeze?

It's very sweet.

[purplebreeze]

Sue you are so right and how amazing must that have been at this time. A really good book i have just read is Audrey Linkman 'The Victorians: Photographic Portraits when she talks about how we do not focus on the private and the intimate but focus on the public in modern day life x its so different nowadays and would be lovely if we could do this with our dead x

[purplebreeze]

I am not sure where it is from x but I am sure someone on piniterest has it now x I saved it a while ago and never (derr) saved where from just loved the image x and wonder who it is...is it mothers they look young but they could be or is it older sisters - my sister is 15yrs older than me so it could be ... or aunts I am 8-24yrs older than my neices and nephews so it could be ... but the photo is lush and those sweet babies - thats why if I had a point I could find out something about the photo - I have nothing to go on here just a gorgeous picture inspired by art x

[bonaome]

Have you looked at Flickr?

You can join up for free - and then contact other users etc. If you spend a bit of time with it you may well find a bunch of useful contacts and resources and starting points.

[missbabs]

i went to a talk at barts pathology museum last autumn and the woman spoke about this in her presentation.

They may be able to give you some tips . . .

3rd Floor, Robin Brook Centre, W Smithfield, London

020 7882 5555

[Laur]

Hi minder

The article was on the Daily Mail website....I'm not entirely sure if it was in the paper version as well, but my guess is probably not...as the website seems to have a lot more stories.

[mrure26]

You mean there are people who actually read the Daily Mail? Jeez.

[purplebreeze]

Dear Bonaome

Thank you - I found a few through flikr but didn't realise you could sign up and contact people ... will check this out : )

[purplebreeze]

Dear missbabs

That sound interesting I will give them a call. Thank you for the information.