Cardboard fans, whether folding or attached to a handle, were a particularly popular means of advertisement from the 1920s-60s.
Collection Feature: Funeral Fans
Mary Toft: The Woman Who Birthed Rabbits
In 1726, when the rest of the country were dealing with periodic harvest failures, Mary Toft sat at home and gave birth to rabbits.
A Sensation in Quebec!
'A Quebec Woman Creates a Sensation, Riding Through St. John Street in a Hearse, Reclining on the Coffin-Bed, and Smoking a Pipe...'
The Thief’s Arm of Prague
The 400 year old arm, impaled on a meat hook, serves as a warning to all future criminals considering robbing the church.
Nancy Luce, The Chicken Lady
For company, Nancy may not have had humans, but she had her chickens...
‘Scratching Fanny’, The Ghost of Cock Lane
In 1762, the haunting of Cock Lane gripped a nation and sent the capital wild with fear and excitement
Death Cheese: A Short History
In life, three things are for certain: Birth, Death and Cheese. The greatest of these is cheese.
Hudds, Huds and Hudes: Graveside Shelters of Yesteryear
Shelters may seem to have been a rather excessive addition to the world of ecclesiastical furniture, after all; what’s a little rain between a vicar and a coffin?
Gef the Ghostly Mongoose
Ghosts and ghouls, hauntings and mournful spirits; one theme remains constant throughout. They are all human. Then there's Gef.
Whitby Jet: What, Why and When?
With Halloween knocking on our door and Whitby goth events calling our name, many of our minds turn to jet, indulgent dark jewellery and the beauty of mourning wear. But, to appreciate jet, its place in fashion, mourning and gem appreciation, we really need to delve into its inky history. ‘Black, forsooth, coal-black as jet…’... Continue Reading →
