A new addition to my collection

I found another gem for my collection recently, it's a postmortem picture of a child from Belgium.

Afraid of Thunderstorms

Florence Irene Ford 

Sept 3rd 1861 - Oct 30th 1871

Ten-year-old Florence died of yellow fever. 

During her life she had been incredibly frightened of storms and whenever one occurred she would rush to her mother for reassurance.

Upon Florence's death her mother was so grief stricken that she had Florence's casket constructed with a glass window at the child’s head, furthermore when the grave was dug, she had a set of steps installed so she could descend to her daughters level and look into the grave through a thick glass window. Whenever there was a storm she would go and sit by her daughter to comfort her.
After the mothers death the glass wall was replaced with concrete, but you can still go down the steps to Florence's grave.

A different kind of Postmortem Photograph

As regular readers will know I am a rather obsessive collector of Vintage postmortem photographs of Children. In alot of peoples eyes they are strange items to desire and to spend so much money on, and I can't really explain my love for them, except maybe to speculate that they are some kind of attempt to face my own strong fear of death, which is prehaps the same reason they were originally made.

I feel I should put a warning here that the images futher down the page are very graphic and upsetting

I am interested to a certain extent in all forms of postmortem and mourning imagery, and while browsing recently I came across some particularly intense and strong images of death on a website dedicated to the tragic murder of a mother and her two children.
It was the case of Jeffrey MacDonald who, in 1979 brutally murdered his two daughters and pregnant wife, the details of the case were horrible, and difficult to read.
The crime scene and autopsy photographs of the little girls, however, completely captivated me in a way that only the beautiful victorian photographs have done so before. The death of any child, in any circumstance, anywhere, is a horrible thing that should never happen, but it does happen, every day, in every possible way, and for some reason these images give some kind of comfort at the same time as being horrifying.

It seems wrong to me in a way that I was so captivated by these horrific images, but I was and I think there is an incredible beauty about them, if only to serve as a way to mark an event so horrible most of us couldn't even conceive it, but i'd rather look these things in the eye than pretend they didn't happen.

Jeffrey MacDonald is serving 3 consecutive life sentences

"Suffer little Children to come unto me"

"Be still, my soul, when change and tears are past

all safe and blessed, we shall meet at last"

Departed Father (spirit photograph)

I've always been fascinated by Victorian Spirit Photographs, a type of Victorian trick photography where a deceased family member is superimposed as a 'spirit' into a family photograph. It really reflects the Victorian Mourning culture and their way of dealing with the high mortality rate at the time.
I think its rather beautiful to make an image to reinforce the belief that a dead loved one is still with you.
I made my own take on a spirit photograph using bits from my collection, depicting a family with their deceased father\husband

The face I used for the Father is a photograph of my Great Grandfather.

Christmas Time

Its Christmas day! I've had a pleasant, chilled out day. My parents are watching the Doctor Who Christmas Special, which I don't like, so I decided to share my Christmas pressies on here.
I got two amazing postmortem pictures from my dad, so Chuffed with them.





The Man who sold these photographs said they were both of the same child. This could well be true, the children appear to be the same age and the wreath of flowers round the head on the one picture does look alot like the wreath resting on the childs lap in the other picture.
The only thing is I wonder why the two set ups are so different in background, the one in white with wallpaper behind, the other completely surrounded by Dark fabric. the mounts are also different, why would only one mount have the photographers stamp on it? I guess we'll never know for sure.

Memorial Cards

My Dad got out his collection of Victorian memorial cards, mainly of our family, I thought I would share them here, I love their gothic elegance
If anyone uses Tumblr, find me on there - http://rubyjewel.tumblr.com/

Research Photographs

Harold Ray Featherstone. son of C.R. and L.G. Griffin Featherstone, 1917 - 1919, buried west Union st Cemetery, Athens, Ohio. Found behind the original photograph was the original obituary -
Harold Raymond Featherstone, son of Clyde R. and Leah Griffin Featherstone was born, February 9, 1917 at stewart, Ohio and Died September 16, 1919 at Athens, Ohio. His age was two years, seven months and seven days. As a very young child he had been ill a great deal, but he had completely recovered from his earlier troubles and become quite robust and healthy.

Late on Tuesday afternoon he was accidently drowned by falling into a cistern which had been left partly uncovered unbeknown to his parents.

Although his body was in the water only a short time it was impossible to revive him. It was a terrible shock and irreparable loss to his parents, as he was an only child and will be therefore all the more greatly missed.

He was an attractive little fellow, full of life and energy. He was known by many outside his own family circle and loved by all who knew him. He was a very affectionate, loving little boy and easily won a place in the hearts of all who saw him.

Said Samuel Rogers in one of his writings, "pointing to such, well might Cornelia say. When the rich casket shone in bright array. These are my jewels, well of such as he. When Jesus spake, well might his be, Suffer these little ones o come to me"

We wish to express our sincerest thanks to our many friends for their kindness shown to us during our sad bereavement in the loss of our darling little boy, also the friends who send beautiful floral offerings, Rev. Strecker for his kind words, and mr and mrs Warlburn for their services.
Mr and Mrs C.R. Featherstone


"Another little angel. Before the heavenly throne." Blackstone collection


"suffer little children to come unto me" S.L. Davis collection