The Victorian Era’s deep fascination with death
The Victorian Era Spiritual Movement
In 1848 the greatest religious movements of the 19th century began in the bedroom of two young girls living in a farmhouse in Hydesville, New York. Margaretta Fox, 14, and Kate, her 11-year-old sister, reported a frightening phenomenon. Every night around bedtime, they said, they heard a series of raps on the walls and furniture—raps that seemed to manifest with a peculiar, otherworldly intelligence. This was the beginning of the spiritual movement. Soon the study of life after death would follow and seances, medium sittings and table turning would be all the rage. People were frantic to commune with the dead.
One of the more popular activities during the Victoria Era was post mortem photography, which started around 1860, to immortalize a recently departed loved one in a photograph. Then a new craze began, keeping hair from a departed loved one and having it fashioned into a keep sake, such as art work, jewellery or wreaths.
In the late 1880’s, the body of a young woman was found in the Seine River in Paris. It was believed that she had committed suicide and had drowned. No one could identify her so a death mask was made and displayed with hopes someone would come forward that might recognize her. No one ever did and her death mask went on to become the face of the CPR training mannequin. These mannequins have been used to train millions on life-saving techniques, also known as CPR Annie, Rescue Annie, Resusci Anne. Whatever her name, millions have put their lips on hers. The Romantics among us claim she’s the most kissed woman in history; others whimsically say that every year, thousands of people try to bring the drowned woman back to life.
