An 1860's Funeral at Upper Canada Village
Candy Pollard

As part of its seasonal portrayals of life (and death), Upper Canada Village will be presenting “A 19th Century Funeral” re-enactment event on Saturday, August 23, where visitors will gain dramatic insight into how many of our present-day funeral customs have their roots in the past. This year’s funeral speaks to the sometimes fatal dangers of farm labour in the 1860s.

The 19th century Funeral re-enactment is based on scenarios suggested by actual events from the 1860s as reported in historical sources. It offers visitors a unique visual experience and demon¬strates how the rites of death were observed in the 1860s. The Village’s ongoing commitment to careful research and attention to detail will be evident in every aspect of the re-enactment.

This year, the Village will be portraying the somber funeral of a young man from the Loucks family. The family of the Loucks farm, headed by Captain John Loucks and his wife, Alta, will experience the tragic death of their son, Lucius DeCastle Loucks, born March 22, 1827. Mr. Loucks will have died on August 20th in a farming accident. The funeral will be on August 23rd. Village staff will represent various Loucks family members struggling to deal with such a sudden death.

Beginning at 9:30 a.m. until early afternoon, costumed Village interpreters and visitors alike are invited to pay their respects to the deceased man’s family at the Loucks home. Signs of 1860s mourning customs will surround visitors, from the black crape over the home’s mirrors, to the villagers’ special attire chosen specifically for the occasion. The body, in a plain black wooden coffin, will lie in the darkened parlour until early afternoon, providing ample time for visitors to ask questions and learn more of the background behind the customs of the day.

At 1:15 p.m., visitors will be able to witness the removal of the coffin by pall-bearers. They, together with the deceased man’s family and the resident clergyman, will ride by carriages, forming a cortege behind the coffin as it is taken to Christ Church in an authentic 19th century hearse (one of the oldest of its kind in Canada today). The funeral rites will take place inside the church at 1:30 p.m. and the burial in the adjacent church yard.

The “19th Century Funeral” re-enactment will complete the series of summer events at Upper Canada Village this summer, making way for the site’s fall festivities. These annual celebrations include the “Family Music and Arts Festival” from August 30 to September 1, “Fall Gardens” day on September 13, the “Fall Fair” on September 20 & 21, the “Quilt Show” on September 27 & 28, and “Fall at the Farm”, taking place from September 29 to October 5, when the Village’s daily operations close for the season. Special programming will be offered at the Village on Thanksgiving Weekend from October 10 to October 13, and during its Flavours of Autumn Weekends on October 17, 18, 24 & 25.

www.uppercanadavillage.com

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