National Funeral Museum

A History of Funerals, Mourning and Memento Mori ⏳ Find us @tcribb_sons Beckton💀 Open 9-5 Mon- Fri 🎩 Free Entry By Appointment🐴

[National Funeral Museum @nfmtcribb]

A small and unusual museum ticket away in East London, the National Funeral Museum has enough to satisfy your morbid curiosity!

Find us @TCribb_sons Beckton (E6 5PA)

Mon-Fri ⚰️ 9am-5pm
Free Entry 💀 By Appointment

https://t.co/4gfzMSQ7n2

[T Cribb & Sons @TCribb_sons]

We’re back with @nfmtcribb for some local history - have you ever hear of the Princess Alice disaster?

A tragedy that took place just a stone’s throw from our Beckton site near Galleon’s Reach, it was one of the biggest inland maritime disasters of the 19th century ⚓️🚢

[National Funeral Museum @nfmtcribb]

Our #ObjectOfTheDay is this gold mourning ring dedicated to "Rev S [Lone]" who died December 7th, 1709.

It's engraved with a skull or "death's head", a common memento mori 💀

#NationalFuneralMuseum

[Dr Dan O'Brien @drdan_o]

Another great visit to @nfmtcribb such a fantastic collection and a real treat for this death historian! I first got interested in funeral history at @TCribb_sons and it’s great to it become a place for sharing funeral history! #funerals #mementomori #museums

[National Funeral Museum @nfmtcribb]

Did you know that Victorians often kept "Memoriam cards" on display in their homes?

Provided by undertakers, they were sent or handed out after the funeral and could come in all shapes and sizes.

Can you spot the card with a lock of human hair?

#NationalFuneralMuseum

[Dr Dan O'Brien @drdan_o]

Taking a trip to @nfmtcribb tomorrow - let’s take a look at some of the fantastic things I saw on my first visit in 2021! An absolute trove for a death historian! #mementomori #funeralhistory

[National Funeral Museum @nfmtcribb]

"...and oh bright victory-death by love no come spirit to thy God"

Caroline Sheffield (Aged 11) created this Mourning Sampler in 1838 - showcasing her embroidery skills and commemorating lost loved ones with an urn, wreath and poem.

#NationalFuneralMuseum

[National Funeral Museum @nfmtcribb]

By the early 20th c, people were more likely to die in hospitals than at home. Instead, Funeral Directors offered families Mortuaries to care for and 'Chapels of Rest' to visit their dead.

However, many choose to keep their loved ones at home to this day!

#NationalFuneralMuseum

[National Funeral Museum @nfmtcribb]

Did you know that most bodies in Britain used to be cared for at home?

Families or local laying-out women would wash and shroud the corpse. From the 17th c, Undertakers would provide a coffin and neighbours would visit for refreshments and to pay respects

#NationalFuneralMuseum

[National Funeral Museum @nfmtcribb]

Our #ObjectOfTheDay is this anchor-shaped hearse attachment ⚓

Representing hope, they were often chosen specially for sailor's funerals. A similar anchor rests on top of this Shillibeer Hearse, c. 1936.

#NationalFuneralMuseum

[National Funeral Museum @nfmtcribb]

Here's the non-'barbie-fied' original!

A clipping from the Illustrated London News, dated Dec 28th, 1861 (two weeks after the death and five days after the funeral of Albert, Prince Consort) #NationalFuneralMuseum

[National Funeral Museum @nfmtcribb]

These Barbies are in mourning! 👠⚰

Widows weeds and mourning fashions could be just as fancy as ordinary clothes. Taken from the ILN in 1861, these ladies knew how to dress for death in style! 💀

#NationalFuneralMuseum #BarbieTheMovie

[National Funeral Museum @nfmtcribb]

Did you know that fashionable funerals used to take place at night?

These candle lit processions were more private and simpler than traditional 'heraldic' pomp and splendour. They were popular from the 17th- early 19th centuries🌟🕯🌙

#NationalFuneralMuseum

[National Funeral Museum @nfmtcribb]

Why not have a little peak at our Undertaking cabinet in the #NationalFuneralMuseum - how many tools of this unusual trade can you spot? ⚰💀🎩🐴

[National Funeral Museum @nfmtcribb]

Our #ObjectOfTheDay is this 19th century necklace made from Whitby Jet and shaped like a little book📚📕📚

Jet was one of the most popular types of Victorian Mourning Jewellery, mainly due to it's light weight and dark, shiny colour

#NationalFuneralMuseum

[National Funeral Museum @nfmtcribb]

Our #ObjectoftheDay is an amusing undertakers trade card c. 1850-90 🎩⚰

A charming acrostic poem reads "When Death appears, as sure it must Ride triumphant o'er us all, Send for W R SHERRY, he, you may trust, Horses, Hearse, Coach, Coffin and Pall..."

#NationalFuneralMuseum

[National Funeral Museum @nfmtcribb]

Our #ObjectOfTheDay is this Georgian Mourning Brooch made of gold, blue enamel, seed pearls and human hair.

It was made in the memory of "Frances Webster" who died December 19th, 1785 aged 21.

#NationalFuneralMuseum

[National Funeral Museum @nfmtcribb]

Undertakers had many tools of the trade - these gravers belonged to Stan Cribb from @TCribb_sons 🎩

Dating back to around the 1940s, they were part of a "riddling kit" and used to engrave the name plates on the lids of coffins ⚰

#NationalFuneralMuseum

[Dr Dan O'Brien @drdan_o]

A little memory for #MementoMoriMonday from my trip to the excellent @nfmtcribb back in 2021. Two skeletal mutes with staves stand on either side of this charming and rather satirical poem ‘…slowly the throng come passing along’ Also my ghostly outline too. #mementomori

[T Cribb & Sons @TCribb_sons]

Did you know that it used be compulsory to bury the dead in wool?

We're back with Minette at @nfmtcribb to hear about the strange history of burial laws and how people used to be dressed for their deaths 💀⚰️🪦

~ T Cribb & Sons