Tuesday 20 July 2010

Funeral Gatherings 1

I found a number of real photographic postcards showing funeral processions and crowds at the graveside.

The first shows the enormous procession at the funeral of the late Councillor Rogers and the horse-drawn hearse carrying his coffin. Poignantly, the reverse is inscribed:

To Dear Hilda From Her Loving Mother.

"My dear Fathers funeral" April 10th 1912.

A later owner writes - Probably Bridlington, North Yorkshire


The second shows spectators, dressed in their Sunday Best, watching a hearse drawn by two black horses pass by/ The coffin is draped in a Union Flag. I wonder whether the deceased is a First World War soldier.

4 comments:

Christine H. said...

I realize, in looking at these cards, that horse-drawn carriages are really much more appropriate for a funeral than hearses and cars,especially if people are also walking in the procession. It seems so much more personal.

Heart of the Wood said...

What a great blog! It's only when you start to look that you realise how taboo it's been over the years to take photographs of funerals (except of the rich and famous). And yet the history of how we deal with death is such an important story of social change. (I found you while looking for pictures of horse-drawn corteges for a forthcoming post on my own blog.)

Laurie said...

I agree, Christine - much more personal.

Thanks, Heart of the Wood. Yes, it used to be taboo but it is surprising how many people do it these days!

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