Sunday 30 September 2012

Saturday 29 September 2012

Mourning clothes


Maltese Death, Mourning, and Funeral Customs
A. Cremona
"Folklore"  Vol. 34, No. 4 (Dec. 31, 1923)

© Godric Godricson
"The wearing of special mourning clothes was general in the fourteenth century, but became less marked by the year 1700. Women used to wear woollen trailing skirts and dark shawls over their heads. Some better-class people wore one black transparent veil over the head and another veil of black silk taffeta over the gown, reaching to the waist. A sort of Majorca woollen cloth is prescribed for mourning wear to the heirs under a will of A.D. 1543.

The Grand Master's suite wore a special garment called Scoto, of thin light serge. Although it is nowadays customary with some families to put on as little mourning as possible and to shorten its period, a full mourning dress is worn by others for two full years after the death of parents. The simplest style of mourning, a black necktie and a crape arm band, is in general use after the death of a distant relative".

Frances Jane Hamilton - Chale

Saint Andrew - Chale, Isle of Wight [Link]

© Godric Godricson

Friday 28 September 2012

Thursday 27 September 2012

Table tomb - Chale

17th Century Table tombs
Saint Andrew - Chale, Isle of Wight [Link]

© Godric Godricson