In Loving Memory • Death Collections at the National Museum of Wales.

Portrait of Mrs William Williams of Caernarfon. It shows her wearing a mourning dress, and a brooch with an image of a man - possibly her husband, Captain Williams. 

The National Museum of Wales is home to a collection of over half a million objects relating to Welsh life, history and culture. In these collections, you will find everything from taxidermy animals to bracelets made of human hair.

Of course, the collection includes an array of objects related to death and mourning – my specialist subject! In this blogpost, I will be sharing a few of my favourite objects and their stories. 

The Abernodwydd Death Bed 

A view of the headboard.

Abernodwydd Farmhouse was originally situated in Llangadfan and was moved to St Fagans National Museum of History in 1951. The timber-framed building was built in 1678 with alterations made in 1708. 

Abernodwydd is home to an extremely interesting bed. Carved on the headboard is a 'Memento Mori' to James Price, who died on the 4th of May 1658. 

A crude figure of death can be seen holding a bow and arrow. Death is surrounded by hexfoils which are commonly known as 'Witch-marks'. These markings are believed to turn away, or ward off, evil.

"They are indeed hexfoils used as ritual protection marks. The marks were not just limited to buildings, but were used on objects as well. Particularly object that had a void or space that needed some form of spiritual protection. Therefore one of the most common places to find them is on chests and coffers - most particularly parish chests - but beds are also another commonplace.

You were considered to be most vulnerable to being interfered with by evil or malign spirits when asleep, so to defend the bedroom, or even the bed space itself, was simple common sense."  -Matthew Champion, Medieval Graffiti Expert.

Hearse and Glass Coffin Carrier

It was common for parishes to own at least one horse-drawn hearse that could be used by members of the congregation on the death of their loved ones. This horse-drawn hearse belonged to the parishioners of Berriew and was used by the congregation until 1910. 

This children's glass coffin carrier dates from the early 1900s. It belonged to and was used by the long-established Clark's Undertakers in Wrexham. 

A view of the Hearse and Coffin Carrier on display at St Fagans National Musuem of History.

Clothing

Funeral Stockings 

These woollen stockings were knitted by Eliza Lewis to be worn after her death. Dating from c.1850, they are made of hand-spun wool from sheep kept on her farm at Esgaironnen in Llanarth. They survive as Eliza suffered from dropsy which caused her limbs to swell and as a result of this, the stockings were too tight to be worn. 

Eliza Lewis's Stockings. (NMW Collections) 

Linen Cloth

This linen cloth is one of two that belonged to Mrs Esther Davies of Cilgryman Fawr. Embroidered with the initials 'E.D', both clothes were used during the 1840s by neighbouring families as makeshift biers to carry the bodies of children who had died in infancy to their place of burial. 

Linen Cloth. (NMW Collections)

A Child's Shroud

This child's shroud dates from 1920 and was used by T. Rhys Undertakers in Clydach. Divided into five pieces, it includes a cover for the body, sleeves, cotton face mesh and a collar.  

Child's Shroud and detail of embroidery. (NWM Collections) 

Child's Leather Boots 

These leather boots were purchased by William and Mary Davies of Tonypandy for their infant son. Sadly, these boots were never worn as the baby died aged seven months on 6th January 1879. 

Child's Leather Boots. (NMW Collections) 

Baby's Outfit

This baby's velvet cape and matching robe was bought in 1889 for a baby boy from Ebbw Vale. Sadly. the outfit remained unworn as the infant died aged seven months.

Baby's Cape and Robe. (NMW Collections)

Mourning Jewellery

Mourning jewellery was (and still is) worn to remind the living of their deceased relatives. As well as this, they reminded the wearer of their inevitable demise. Mourning jewellery came in various different forms including brooches, necklaces, and bracelets.

Families were able to send the hair to businesses that specialised in mourning jewellery. The hair would be woven into a pattern and incorporated into a ring or another piece of jewellery. Engraved on the back of the jewellery would be the name, age, and date of death of the loved one. 

The Mourning Ring of Rev Dr Richard Price and Dr Benjamin Franklin. 

This mourning ring contains the hair of Rev Dr Richard Price and Dr Benjamin Franklin. On the death of Benjamin Franklin in 1790, Richard was sent a lock of his hair by Benjamin Rush. When Richard Price died the following year, a lock of his hair was taken and along with Benjamin Franklin's was entwined and made into a mourning ring. 

The inscription engraved on the inside reads: 'Benjamin Franklin died 17 April 1790.'

The inscription engraved on the outside reads: 'Rich'd Price D.D. Died 19 April 1790.'

Mouring Ring of Rev Dr Richard Price and Dr Benjamin Franklin. (Louvain Rees) 

Mourning Brooch 

This mourning brooch contains the hair of a young girl named Harriet Kelshaw who died on the 5th of June 1825, aged 11. Harriet baptised on the 16th of August 1813. She was the daughter of William and Mary Kelshaw of Thornes in Wakefield, Yorkshire. 

Leeds Intelligencer (16th of June 1825) notes Harriet's death. 

"Same day, the 13th year of her age, Harriet, second daughter Mr. Wm. Kelshaw.”

Harriet was buried at St John the Baptist Church, Wakefield on the 9th of June 1825. Her burial record in the parish register notes her age as 11 years and 10 months. 

The inscription engraved on the back reads: 'Harriet Kelshaw Obt. 4th June 1825'.

Mourning Brooch. (NMW Collections) 

Jet Mourning Necklace 

This jet mourning necklace dates from c.1880 and contains a miniature portrait of the owner's father. 

Jet Mourning Necklace. (NMW Collections) 

Mourning Bracelet

This mourning bracelet is made from woven hair which is held by gold clasps and a mosaic-style image. 

Mourning Bracelet. (NMW Collections) 

Mourning Brooch 

This mourning brooch shows an image of the tomb of Griffith Davies. His daughter's hair has been used to decorate the image.

The inscription reads: 'G.D. Obit. March 21 1856.' 

Mourning Brooch. (NMW Collections) 

I will be writing a separate blogpost on a select few of the mourning cards that are part of the Death Collections in the very near future. There will also be a separate blogpost on the items related to Dr William Price. 

(Sources: Photographs (unless stated) National Museum of Wales Collections)