Submitted by the staff of the Orillia Museum of Art & History (OMAH)
Throughout human history, the way we mourn the dead has not changed much. Although, the Victorian era marked an interesting shift in how the deceased were honoured. This was through the practice of making hair wreaths.
From 1850 to 1875, one of the most popular hobbies for women was creating these elaborate wreaths. At the time, hair was seen as a tangible reminder or representation of a person. It wasn’t uncommon for friends and family members to exchange locks of their hair, which the receiver would save as a keepsake.
Once people died, a piece of their hair was collected and would be included in a family wreath. Hair wreaths were constructed almost entirely of human hair, which was manipulated to resemble a variety of flowers, floral sprigs, and leaves. Other materials, such as wool and beads, were also used or incorporated into the designs.
In the photo above, the flowers, placed together in a horseshoe-shaped wreath, represent a common Victorian symbol for good luck displayed with the open ends up to ‘hold the luck inside’ but also to symbolize the dead’s ascent to heaven. The process of completing one of these wreaths could take many years as the creator would add new hair as more friends and families died.
Today, we may see this as a rather unsettling practice, but the Victorians did not.
This specific hair wreath belonged to the donor’s mother, who brought it from England when she emigrated. The wreath was appraised in 2002 and is believed to be from the Edwardian era, meaning it is a late example of the practice.
Next week, we will feature another object from the OMAH collection that showcases our local history.