Oct 11, 2010: Olde Brits

[chrisinhouston]

Some interesting portraits here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/ga...ture=333325401

I took this picture about an hour after my mother died. I felt my mother's body was like the boat that had made the voyage and lay broken on the beach, no longer needed as the passenger had made it home.

[Griff]

Originally Posted by chrisinhouston

I took this picture about an hour after my mother died. I felt my mother's body was like the boat that had made the voyage and lay broken on the beach, no longer needed as the passenger had made it home.

Beautiful thought, Chris.

[chrisinhouston]

Some one took the time to do a nice collection on Youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07hNTSNDzaE

and here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3LmK...eature=related

One thing to remember is that in this period of history many children of all ages died from natural causes that are easily treatable today such as viruses and other common diseases. This would most likely account for the fact that many of them in these images show little or no signs of decomposition. It was not uncommon in those times to keep the recently deceased on ice in the parlor for family and friends to view before the funeral, the term "living room" comes from that time when a type of parlor was created that was not used for the dead.

Think about today and how so many children you might hear about on your local news dying, do so in a violent manner like a car wreck or physical abuse or some other kind of accident.

One other thought is that today most families who have a typical western style funeral often have an open casket viewing which would be a similar way to remember those that have passed away.

[Spexxvet]

A distant in-law of mine twice had still-born births. She knew the fetuses were dead weeks before her due date, but had to carry them full term. When they were born, her husband had newborn portraits taken, and those pictures are on the mantle alongside pictures of their 2 surviving children.