General Chat

Good morning all. Do anyone of you know why Victorians were buried with their jaws wired up, my cousins son was asked to find this out for his homework ! I can't find anything about it.

Anyone know.

We get some very strange homework from my 12 year old Sons school TWG,
May be the local libary may have some idea or the local Church.

Teresa

I would imagine it was just for cosmetic reasons so that the mouth wasn't gaping open

It was a common practice that,, real teeth were used by dentists as false teeth were quite a new invention and to have a set of lovely nashers was priceless from the rotten molars round at that time,,,,so real teeth were pulled and sold by undertakers.!!!

also corpes were laid out at home in the front parlour with all the neighbours paying respects to the open coffin,as the lid was put on by the undertaker when burial time came..so gummy OH could be a shock:}}}

Kay???
Wow, I never knew that.
But I guess they thought that if someone who was about to be buried had a good set of teeth, well, what a waste!!

K

P.S. Just wondering if it is still common practise to have the body at home, front parlour style, laid out in the coffin for all to come and pay respects, and then, just before the funeral, the lid is nailed on - I remember that happening when I lived in Italy in the late 1980's/early 1990's but don't remember ever doing that at home in UK.
Is it considered rather old fashioned these days?
Can anyone shed some light on the matter whilst we are on the subject?
Mind you - these days, what with the central heating an' all...........

Some great replies keep them coming lol

I rather think that in Ireland, certainly in N Ireland, that they still do have keep the body at home - for the wake at least. But funerals usually take place within about 4 days. I wonder if a combination of high rise flats - try taking a coffin in a lift - and a 10 day gap between death and burial/cremation, have discouraged the practice in England.

It can still done at your request if you so wish to have a night vigil in your own home,,

Undertakers in Victorian times didnt have Chapel of Rests and laid out the deceased at home after they had been in measured and gone away to make the coffin...!!

Thanks Kay and Fiona aka Ruby
Yes, see what you mean - there's such a long gap these days befween death and funeral, and also I hadn't considered high rise flats/lifts/stairs.
Looked at those photos on the website - yes, I can see they didn't consider death particularly morbid.

Interesting thread, this one.

K

Fiona - I know in NI they like to bury on the third day - sometimes it appears to occur in undue haste e.g person dies Wednesday at 11.00p.m. they will be buried on Friday if at all possible. Can never understand why it usually takes 10/14 days on mainland.

Re coffins and highrise flats. I was shown a small door at back of lift and apparently this was opened to accommodate coffins!!!!

i know where i live, alot of people choose to have there loved ones home a few days before the funral, with the lid off, "where possible" and the undertaker secures the lid the morning of the funral, x

edited, just vewed the site with the pictures, the baby layed with his reflection int he water is beautiful, some very spooky pictures, thanks carol xxxxx

I have many RC friends and find they have a loved one home overnight,or took to church for the night.

its a wonder Victorian kids wasnt traumatised for life...}}}}}

Ive got many plaited hair memorials, macarb nowdays but what a work of art...

There was quite a thriving business around Victorian Funerals.Lots of Memorial Jewelry etc, usually made from Jet.**M**

Even today there are countries where to take a photo of deceased in coffin is the norm. I know of southern irish and poles who have done this.

n

Here in Oz, I can remember funerals being conducted at home, but that hasn't been done for a long time now.
These days, the deceased is removed from the place of death by the Funeral Director and taken to his premises. Many of the premises have refrigeration and some have their own chapel - or they keep the body until the day of the funeral if being held at a church or crematorium. It's a matter of choice where the funeral is held. If it's a burial, there is usually one service at the chapel/church, then the guests all follow in cars and another short service is held by the graveside. Some arrange a 'viewing' in the hours preceding the funeral - others don't. Again, a matter of choice.

Usuallly, the clergy will announce that guests are invited to attend a venue for refreshments following the interment. This is commonly known as a "wake", but it is not a real wake. Just a chance for refreshments and to be able to relax and catch up with other attendees.

With cremations, the crematorium has a chapel and the service can be held there - or if a church service is wanted, a service at the church is followed by moving to the crematorium or the casket is placed in the hearse and it will be taken away for a private cremation.