Death in the Victorian Era part 2: ‘Widow’s Waeds’

 Victorian-period clothing worn by women, known as "Widow's Weeds" (weeds being derived from the Old English word wǣd, meaning garment), was generally black in colour, symbolising the absence of light and life in death.

Usually, the clothing featured a bonnet made of crape, with a veil worn over the face. The spelling of crape, with an "a", specifically signifies mourning.

A widow would mourn for two and a half years.

For the first year and a day, a widow would wear her weeds entirely in black to signify her loss. After this period, sections of her crepe garments would gradually be removed and sometimes replaced with lace or silk, while ribbon trimmings might be added to her clothing.

In the final six months of mourning, a widow would begin wearing subdued colours other than black, with blues and greys being the most common. These changes occurred gradually but signified that the end of her mourning period was approaching.

Eventually, near the conclusion of mourning, the widow might cease wearing black entirely, although she would still dress in subdued colours. Small touches of colour could then be introduced through the ornamentation of her clothing, including ribbons, bows, rosettes, and buttons. These decorative elements could feature much richer colours than those worn in the preceding months, including purples and creams.

A widower, on the other hand, would generally mourn for one year. A widower's clothing typically included a black suit, black gloves, and a black necktie. Some gentlemen also wore black cufflinks, black silk-lined hats, scarves, and kerchiefs.

The ornamentation of a gentleman's mourning attire varied depending on his relationship to the deceased. In most cases, he would wear his weeds only as long as the women of his household remained in mourning.

A child in mourning would also wear black clothing, following the example set by their parents.

The importance of mourning weeds became particularly significant following the death of Prince Albert in 1861. Loyal subjects throughout the British Empire took their inspiration from Queen Victoria, who wore her widow's weeds until her own death in 1901, which ushered in the Edwardian Era.

It was World War I that ultimately changed Victorian standards of mourning. With so many people dying, it became commonplace for large numbers of the population to be in mourning at any given time, making the traditional practices increasingly difficult to maintain. World War II only accelerated these changes in social customs and traditions.

The influence of the Victorian Era, however, can still be seen today. It remains customary to wear black or dark clothing to a funeral, although many people now choose to wear clothing that reflects the wishes or interests of the deceased, such as a favourite band shirt or sporting colours. Today, attendance and paying one's respects are generally considered more important than adhering to the strict dress conventions and lengthy mourning practices of the Victorian period.

Next Week: Death in the Victorian Era Part 3: Funeral Customs and Superstitions

Death in the Victorian Era (Part 1)

I am fascinated by the rituals associated with death and, coupled with my interest in history, I thought I might do something a little different with The Haunts of Adelaide blog and take a look at Victorian-era beliefs and rituals surrounding death.

The Victorian Era relates to the reign of Queen Victoria. Victoria became Queen on 20 June 1837, and her coronation took place a year later at Westminster Abbey on Thursday, 28 June 1838. She reigned as monarch until her death on 22 January 1901, which ushered in the Edwardian Era. Queen Victoria reigned for 63 years, seven months, and two days.

Victorian Era Mourning Stationery

While the death rituals, beliefs, superstitions, and fashions I will be presenting are of English origin, we in Australia, being part of the British Empire at the time, followed many of the traditions of the Mother Country. Much of what was practised there was copied or adapted to suit our climate and the availability of local materials.

Where do I start in broaching such a sensitive topic?

There are widow's weeds, stationery, decorum, fabrics, jewellery, superstitions, burial rituals, burial rites, mute mourners, and so much more. I think, for this post, we'll start with one of the simplest Victorian requirements associated with death: stationery.

All Victorian death rituals centred on decency, propriety, and decorum. Prayer books and Bibles were often bound in black Morocco leather, with black page markers, and frequently tied with a black ribbon.

Stationery was edged in black, usually with lace or black ribbons. Envelopes, notepaper, cards, and tribute or condolence books used at funerals were treated in the same manner. The black edging conveyed the feelings of sadness and loss associated with death.

This theme carried through to many other aspects of mourning, including black or purple ribbons tied around chairs, pews, vases, or even attached to the clothing of infants.

The people of the Victorian Era held strong social values, and it was expected that individuals would observe social conventions to the letter rather than risk being scorned or thought less of by family and peers.

Because of these conventions, a person in mourning could not be socially active. They were not expected to visit friends or relatives. The theatre was considered entirely inappropriate, with the exception of musical performances after the first six months of mourning.

All of the above demonstrated the depth of one's sorrow and respect for a significant loved one who had passed on to the other side. Unfortunately, this strict isolation, other than for essential daily activities such as obtaining food and other necessities, drove some people into deep depression and, in some cases, even suicide.

Next Week: Death in the Victorian Era Part 2: Widow's Weeds

 

Tracy Muzyk Murder

A horrific case of mob mentality led to the brutal torture murder of an 18-year-old girl in Adelaide. The strength of the attack, not only vicious and merciless, shocked South Australia’s public, even more so when it was revealed that some of the attackers, were younger than their victim.
 It was December 1996 when a gang of six held down Tracy Muzyk and viciously attacked and killed her.

 Her attackers were:
Matthew Austin – aged 22,
Ian McKenzie – aged 19,
Tara Kehoe – aged 19,
Lyle Bascombe – aged 17,
Amanda Pemberton – aged 17,
and another 17-year-old teenager, whose identity was suppressed.

 The group of killers claimed that Ms Muzyk owed $70 to Amanda Pemberton, a teenager Ms Muzyk had recently befriended. They began to beat and humiliate Ms Muzyk. they held her down and put out cigarettes on her skin. They strangled her to near death, then beat her again, then sprayed her face with mace.
 Ms Muzyk was then forced to shower in scalding water before having her hair cut off as an act of humiliation.

 She was forced to walk to a tree in a paddock, where she was tied to the tree and beaten severely again, before being strangled, then beaten with a large steel pole and bashed with a rock.
 Ms Muzyk’s badly beaten body would sit in the paddock near Westlakes High School, tied to the tree and covered with lawn clippings for another 4 days before being found by passers-by.
 
 Detectives working on the case didn’t take long to piece together what had happened and track down the aforementioned killers.
 They were rounded up and put to trial with all found guilty. The sentences given by Justice Kevin Duggan of the Adelaide Supreme Court were as follows:

Matthew Craig Austin – sentenced to life with a non-parole period of 22 years.
Ian Bruce McKenzie – sentenced to life with a non-parole period of 22 years.
Tara Maree Kehoe – sentenced to life with a non-parole period of 18 years.
Amanda Pemberton – sentenced to life.
Lyle Brankik Bascombe – sentenced to life.

Another offender was given a 15 month suspended sentence for her part in the attack.
In 2000, an appeal led to Tara Kehoe's non-parole period being reduced to 15 and a 1/2 years and Pemberton's minimum term to 14 years, causing outrage to the public and from the family of Ms Muzyk.

References: 

The Age, Melbourne Victoria, Friday, May 29^th, 1998

Editors note: In October 2016, 42-year-old, Ms Tara Kehoe was found dead in Adelaide's South.