Bracelet, c1850, Tucker House
Nobody mourned quite like the Victorians. Following the death of Prince Albert in 1861, Queen Victoria went into deep mourning for 40 years – the rest of her life. Strict mourning etiquette was rigorously followed, particularly by the upper classes. For example, on the death of a husband, a wife was required to mourn for two years; a sibling was mourned for six months; for aunts or uncles it was two months. Jewellery was part of the ritual, as demonstrated by this bracelet on display at Tucker House. At first glance it may seem fairly inconspicuous; however upon closer inspection its true nature is revealed: the band is made from the hair of the deceased. It has been finely woven by hand into this intricate star pattern. The centrepiece is a tiny glass-fronted locket, which would have contained an image of the departed. The bracelet is just two inches in diameter, indicating it was probably worn by a child. While this artifact may seem a little macabre today, during the Victorian age such pieces were commonplace.
