The Camden Market field trip was my favorite one this semester. The variety in food that they have to offer is like non other. I made a meal out of just walking around and taking samples from the vendors. But then I finally decided what I wanted to eat and got a chicken wrap. There are also an abundance of weird and quirky shops in Camden as well. The one that really stands out to me is the neon and hip hop 80's store. I had never gone in there before but Jack took me there and it was something I will never forget. The clothing, the workers, and the music was something I have never seen in a retail store before. Not only in the middle of the food area the walk from the tube through the little shops and the people using unique ways to get in you into their store is very comedic. And lastly, our class discussion at the end was quite laughable when the juice stand guy turned up his music so that we could not have a discussion. This field trip was unforgettable and super enjoyable.

Rosetti and Brompton Cemetery

Christina Rosetti's poem "Remember" relates to our visit to the Brompton Cemetery. Some of the most interesting parts of Brompton Cemetery that I saw were the images and designs on each of the grave stones. I came across symbols of flowers, birds, crosses, and angels. During this time death was a very common concept because of the level of sanitation and knowledge of health society had. Building cemeteries to honor the dead became an important part of the Victorian Era. Christina Rosetti’s poem talks about her own death and how it would affect her loved ones, while the Brompton Cemetery was a way for loved ones to grieve for who they have lost. During that time, it was important for family and friends to be able to have a resting place for the ones who passed because death was so common. 

In Christina Rossetti’s poem she says she doesn’t want her loved one to be sad when she dies. The only thing someone can do after a person close to them dies is to remember them and that is the explanation of her poem and the reason for a cemetery. People go to the cemetery to pay their respects and remember the memories they held with the one who passed away. Since death was so common it was written about a significant amount and people had become more accustomed to dealing with death. The Brompton Cemetery is a clear example of people getting accustomed to death and the traditions they do after one dies. There are many symbols on the graves that express mourners love and respect for the ones that passed. It has become an iconic Victorian landmark in London that is a great example for the Victorian Era's approach to death.

Science Museum

I enjoyed visiting the Science Museum. I was most excited to see the Difference Engine No.2 which was designed by Charles Babbage and completed in 2000 by the Science Museum. It solves equations and prints the results in the form of math tables. I was interested in this because it relates to the theme of modernization in the Science Museum. The Difference Engine No. 2 led to many advances in technology which eventually led to the calculator. Although many exhibits were closed, the Science Museum displays and educates visitors about technologies that are old and new. It gives visitors information on the technological process and the future of technology. The exhibition galleries don't stay the same for long because science and technology are always changing and advancing. 

The Difference Engine No.2 relates to the reading, "The Argonauts of the Air," by H.G. Wells because both reflect the theme of modernization. In the reading, Monson and Woodhouse worked to build a "flying machine." Londoners were impatient and thought Monson was crazy for not being able to master it faster. Eventually, this got to him. When they put their work to the test, the world watched as the flying machine flew, but Monson had turned the wings too far, and the machine crashed. This attempt led to improvements in flying in the future. Because of these mistakes, in 1903, the Wright Brothers were able to master the flying machine. This just shows that everything builds on one another and advancements will be made over time along with mistakes, but science is always changing and advancing. Now we have successful airplanes flying from one place to another all day long. Both the Difference Engine No. 2 and the H.G. Wells reading reflect modernization.

(https://collection.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects/co526657/difference-engine-no-2-designed-by-charles-babbage-built-by-science-museum-difference-engine)

Death of the Death

My favorite trip during the second portion of the semester was by far the visit to Brompton Cemetery. I never imagined that would be something coming out of my mouth, but after arriving I was mesmerized by the amount of history packed into one lot within London. Traditionally I view a cemetery to be creepy and uninviting, but Brompton was the exact opposite. In fact, one thing I found to be especially surprising was the idea they actually incorporated a café within the cemetery creating a sense of warm welcoming. The reason I was so intrigued with the cemetery mainly was tied in with the Deborah Lutz article which coined the phrase “Death of the Death”. Sitting down and diving deep into thought brought up a lot of questions personally. Death of the Death refers to the idea the traditional traditions carried out during someones time of death during the Victorian era have completely faded. I wonder if we as a society are missing out on these traditions and the true feeling of death. The most striking material Lutz brought to my attention is the fact when someone is on their deathbed they realize it is the last time they will ever have to share final memories, secrets, and thoughts with those close to them who are surrounding their bed. It made me wonder the things people have taken to death with them and never shared with loved ones because of the fact our traditions have changed so much. Another area of change we saw from the Victorian age that is no longer relevant are relics. A relic is an item kept from someone who has passed away in their memory. For example, a common sign of friendship from the Victorian Age was clipping a strand of hair and weaving it into a bracelet. I feel less strongly about this tradition, but it was still interesting learning about it. Connecting back to the cemetery, I was able to understand death at the time on a much larger scale. I felt more invested in the stories behind several of the more popular tombstones of individuals within the cemetery. Specifically speaking, the two which I were drawn to the most were the ex air force pilot who was responsible for taking down the first Blimp during the war, and the founder of Chelsea Football club. During our class discussion I liked how someone pointed out the stadium was only a couple hundred yard away from the cemetery, and fans routinely walk through the cemetery pay their respects to this man. Death is a tough subject to discuss, and honestly one I always thought I would have no interest in. I am thankful for the trip to Brompton Cemetery for opening up my mind to the different traditions associated with death both during the Victorian Era, as well as now.

The Acknowledgment of Death: The Victorian Era to Today

The Acknowledgment of Death: The Victorian Era to Today

Perhaps the most fascinating connection between the Victorian Era and the present day that we have discussed in class has been the culture and traditions surrounding death. Unlike many other societal customs we’ve touched upon, death is one thing that everybody has, to some extent, faced. This makes it unique in the fact that almost everyone has witnessed the traditions that follow a death in their own life. The prime example that I found the most interesting was the requirement that a widow must wear black for the 3 years following her husband’s death. This obviously gave way to the tradition of wearing black at a funeral that most of us have taken part in today. For me personally I found this lecture to be the most engaging because of the constant back and forth between our lives and the Victorian Era. Other examples that followed this trend were the funeral procession, and the taking keepsakes off the body by the family for remembrance. After learning about the traditions of the Victorian Era, I assumed the cometary would resemble a modern day one. This was clearly not the case with the Brompton Cemetery. With an overfilled and unorganized casket arrangement, the space exhibits the traits that we’ve come to expect from Victorian era establishments. Features such as the chapel and copper fixtures provide further context from the lecture as well. Overall the cemetery helped further extend the lesson on death in the Victorian Era by allowing us to experience it in person.