The Mourning Society of St Louis is a civilian reenacting group with an interest in mourning, death culture, Spiritualism, and the funeral customs of the mid-nineteenth century through the early twentieth century. This incredibly unique group, co-founded by Edna Dieterle and Katherine Kozemczak in 2005, plans educational events such as historically accurate funerals and wakes, and is the first of its kind. Join the conversation with Patrick, Edna, Katherine, and Sherri Morrow, a member since 2015. How do they build the atmosphere and set the scene? What can modern society learn from Victorian mourning customs? How does playing a character in mourning affect these ladies in their daily lives? Pour some tea, cover your mirror with a black drape, and hear about the inspiration, the research, and the planning behind events that even includes a live seance play based on documented moments in history! Visit BigSeance.com/244 for more info.
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Intro :00
The Mourning Society of St Louis is a civilian reenacting group with an interest in mourning, death culture, spiritualism and the funeral customs of the mid-nineteenth century through the early twentieth century. Their main focus is public educational events. The Mourning Society has participated in events with our partners at the beautiful and historic Bellefontaine Cemetery, the Campbell House Museum, the St Louis Public Library, Jefferson Barracks Historic Site, Missouri History Museum, the General Daniel Bissell House, the Field House Museum, Lafayette Park Conservancy, and the Stephen and Peter Sachs Museum at the Missouri Botanical Garden. :52
Guests for this episode are Edna Dieterle and Katherine Kozemczak, who co-founded the Mourning Society of St. Louis in 2005, along with Sherri Morrow, who joined the group in 2015. 4:15
Katherine tells the story of how the Mourning Society came about. Her and Edna were already volunteers on the board for a historic mansion in St. Louis. But the main inspiration started with Edna's trip to a home Mississippi. 4:55
Katherine and Edna's growing collection of artifacts and accoutrement, including coffins! 6:03
In 2015 their educational mourning events expanded to include funerals at the beautiful and historic Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis, and wakes at the the Campbell House Museum. 7:18
A truly unique group, and probably the first of its kind! 9:01
More on the Victorian funeral events at Bellefontaine Cemetery, including a service in the chapel, and educating participants on the cholera epidemic in 1865. 10:00
A striking and moving sight that includes an undertaker with a historic and period hearse. 12:21
The research and education that goes into the planning of events. 13:50
Sherri on why she joined the Mourning Society. "These are my people." 14:47
Finding (or sewing) Victorian clothing! 15:23
Carpe Diem. Facing mortality and how playing the role of "mourner" affects these reenactors in their daily modern lives? 18:22
When people just don't appreciate or understand it. 23:48
Tear Catchers and Wearing Black. Misconceptions about Victorian mourning customs. 27:14
"A lot of times, women did not attend the funerals at all, because men were like, 'They can't control their emotions and they're going to cry in front of everybody.'" — Katherine 32:03
Black drapery, superstitions around mirrors, and marking the house to know a death has occurred. 34:03
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