“Victorian Visions of Death”: A journey through historic grief

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A historic home is offering visitors a unique glimpse into past death customs.

The Latimer House on South Third Street is presenting a tour titled “Victorian Visions of Death.”

This tour explores the death customs of the Victorian era, including the wake, funeral practices, and morgue rituals. It begins with the death of Elizabeth Latimer, the lady of the house.

Rachel Lowell, with the Latimer house, shares her hopes for the tour: “People nowadays are scared to express their grief as outwardly as the Victorians did, and I hope what people take away from this tour is that death is not something we need to ignore or pretend doesn’t happen. It is a part of everyday life, and the more we talk about it, the more we prepare people for when it happens.”

If you missed the “Victorian Visions of Death” tour, the Latimer House will be hosting its “Old Wilmington by Candlelight Tour” in early December. Tickets are on sale now.