The Victorian Era (1837–1901) was a time of rapid scientific innovation, cultural development, and societal change. While many of the practices from this era helped shape the modern world, some customs now seem outright strange, even disturbing. From toxic beauty routines to eerie post-mortem photography, these peculiar habits reflect the era’s fascination with beauty, death, and nature. Let’s explore the seven weirdest practices of the Victorian age and what they reveal about this unique period in history.
1. Consuming Toxic Arsenic: Everyday Poison
Arsenic, widely known as a deadly poison today, was a surprisingly common element of Victorian life. People used it in everything—from medicines and cosmetics to wallpaper, children’s toys, and even food. Arsenic-based pigments like Scheele’s green were especially popular for their vibrant hue, making their way into clothing, candies, and home décor.
Doctors even prescribed arsenic as a remedy for various ailments, despite its well-documented toxic effects. Prolonged exposure caused vomiting, organ failure, and even death, but people remained largely unaware of the dangers until a doctor raised concerns in 1857. Women used arsenic-laced face creams to lighten their skin, believing it enhanced their beauty. Little did they know, these “beauty enhancers” were slowly poisoning them.
2. Obsession With Taxidermy
Victorians took the art of taxidermy to a new level, using preserved animals as home décor and conversation pieces. But they didn’t stop at simply displaying stuffed animals. The practice of “anthropomorphic taxidermy” emerged, where animals were posed in human-like scenarios—dressed in tiny costumes, attending tea parties, or even playing musical instruments.
This fascination with taxidermy extended beyond the elite. Middle-class Victorians embraced it as a hobby, preserving everything from butterflies to cats and dogs. Glass domes were often used to create dramatic displays, showcasing these animals as works of art. While the practice allowed Victorians to appreciate nature, it often strayed into the macabre, blending beauty with eerie artificiality.
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3. Post-Mortem Photography: Preserving Memories
In an era when photography was still a novelty, post-mortem photography became a way to preserve the memory of deceased loved ones. Known as “memento mori” photography, this practice involved dressing and posing the dead as if they were still alive. Family members sometimes joined these portraits, creating unsettling yet deeply sentimental images.
The death rate during the Victorian Era was high, especially among children, and many families lacked living photographs of their loved ones. Post-mortem portraits became treasured keepsakes, often stored in family albums. While the practice may seem grim today, it reflected the Victorians’ acceptance of death as an integral part of life.
4. Wearing Dead Birds on Hats
Fashion during the Victorian Era often leaned toward the extravagant and, occasionally, the bizarre. One of the strangest trends was wearing hats adorned with dead birds. Feathers, wings, and entire birds were used to create elaborate headpieces that symbolizes wealth and social status.
This fashion statement came at a great cost to bird populations. In London alone, hunters killed over three-quarters of the 700 bird species available in millinery shops. The devastation eventually led to conservation movements like the Audubon Society, which sought to protect endangered bird species. While bird hats eventually fell out of fashion, their environmental impact remains a sobering reminder of the consequences of unchecked trends.
5. Mummy Unwrapping Parties
Victorian fascination with ancient Egypt gave rise to one of the most bizarre social events of the time: mummy unwrapping parties. Wealthy individuals purchased Egyptian mummies, often through unethical means, and hosted gatherings where guests would witness the unwrapping of these ancient remains.
While these events were framed as educational, they were often more about spectacle than science. The remains were frequently damaged or destroyed during the unwrapping process, showing little regard for preservation or respect for the deceased. Despite their questionable ethics, these parties reflect the era’s obsession with archaeology and the exotic.
6. The Tapeworm Diet: Dangerous Beauty Standards
The Victorian obsession with beauty led some women to adopt extreme measures to maintain their figures, including the tapeworm diet. This bizarre weight-loss method involved swallowing pills containing live tapeworm larvae. The idea was that the tapeworm would consume excess calories, allowing the host to eat freely without gaining weight.
What these women didn’t anticipate were the severe health consequences. Tapeworm infestations caused malnutrition, abdominal pain, and, in severe cases, death. While the trend was short-lived, it remains a chilling example of the lengths people will go to conform to societal beauty standards.
7. Fern Fever: The Craze for Nature
Amid the industrial revolution, Victorians sought solace in nature, leading to a phenomenon known as “Pteridomania” or fern fever. People collected and cultivated ferns, decorating their homes with elaborate displays. Fern motifs appeared on clothing, jewelry, and even furniture, symbolizing a connection to the natural world.
Public parks and conservatories dedicated to ferns became popular gathering places, where enthusiasts could admire and exchange these plants. While relatively harmless compared to other Victorian fads, fern fever highlights the era’s deep appreciation for nature and its desire to escape the growing urbanization of society.
Conclusion
The Victorian Era was a time of contrasts—innovative yet steeped in peculiar customs. From consuming toxic arsenic to hosting mummy unwrapping parties, these practices reveal a society fascinated by beauty, death, and nature, often to extremes. Reflecting on these strange traditions provides valuable lessons about the dangers of societal pressures and the enduring human quest for status and self-expression. These bizarre customs remind us how far humanity has come and how much we still have to learn from history.
