1871 A little ten-year-old miss told her mother the other day that she was never going to marry, but meant to be a widow, because widows dressed in such nice black, and always looked so happy.
https://t.co/r17M0nMdz4

2 7

1878 second mourning costumes.
Personal collection.

2 12

During the Great War, the nurse facing down death or murdered by the enemy was a popular theme in art, inspired both by Nurse Edith Cavell and the heroism of thousands of unnamed nurses in the field.
Former eBay listings

6 12

Doves were a popular addition to funeral flowers. Could be bought or hired for the occasion.

3 13

Is it too early to post about bunnies?
Illustration by Charles Copeland for Pinocchio, 1904

23 81

Those who have second sight say when a shroud is seen about a person, the time of his death is judged according to the height of the shroud upon his person. The higher it is toward the head, the sooner his death will be.

4 7

"Posing the Corpse"--for a joke, so the corpse can accuse a malefactor, or join in the fun of the wake.
https://t.co/7nIQI7be7r

1 7

1886 Mr Brown died and left a widow. She did not long mourn, but bestowed her hand (she had no heart) upon Dr. Ward, who attended her husband in his last illness. The townspeople are very indignant and will take up her husband's remains for examination.

4 10

Watch out for too much punch! The Last Drop, Thomas Rowlandson, 1801

https://t.co/8WrpUy89CR

4 14

The night-watch over a corpse and a sinister aural haunting. I do love a ghost story that includes mourning customs. https://t.co/OR4QlGXayg

11 40

Reported in 1896
The funeral procession must not cross a river.
Baldwinsville, N. Y.

2 6

1883
A colonel was courting an Austin widow.
A friend asked the widow how she spent her days.
“Most of my time is taken up with general duties.”
“General Duties! You fickle creature. What will the colonel say when he finds the general cutting him out!

1 3