The Legacy of the Undertaker: Steve Person Explores Victorian Funeral Practices

Steve Person is a retired funeral director and will discuss many of the Victorian funeral and mourning customs. It was during the Victorian Era that the ritual of death became increasingly sophisticated and this period saw the development of the modern cemetery, morticians, and public funerals, complete with floral arrangements and a hearse for transportation of the deceased. The ”undertaker” of the Victorian Era was the forerunner of today’s funeral director. Many of the traditions that are observed in our funeral process today arose from the superstitions of the 1800s. Mortuary and embalming equipment from this era are also part of the display that will be shared during this presentation.