A grave affair – local history group to hear talk on how our relationship to death has changed

THE Westbury Area Family History Group, a branch of the Wiltshire Family History Society, will soon be hearing about the different traditions surrounding death throughout the years as well as learning how our relationship with death has changed throughout history. 

On Thursday 28th July, the history group will be welcoming Dr Helen Frisby to deliver her talk on ‘Traditions of Death and Burial’. 

The group say, “Death has been a source of grief and uncertainty for humanity throughout history, but it has also been the inspiration for a plethora of fascinating traditions.  

“The covering of mirrors to prevent the departed spirit from seeing itself, the passing bell rung to assist the soul to heaven, the ‘sin eater’ who sat beside a coffin eating and drinking to ‘absorb’ the corpse’s sins – all of these were common approaches at one time or another. 

“Yet in the modern day, death has become more clinical than spiritual, something kept hidden behind closed doors.  

“Helen explores English approaches to death and burial from the medieval era to the present day, exploring ancient customs which have long since lapsed, those such as lighting candles that have survived until the present day, and new approaches such as eco-burials, which are changing how we relate to death, dying and the dead.” 

The Westbury Area Family History Group, a branch of the Wiltshire Family History Society, meet every fourth Thursday of the month at 7.15pm in the foyer of Westbury’s Methodist Church. The branch has regular interesting and informative talks and discussions by members and guest speakers on all aspects of family history and general history. 

For more information visit their Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/ 4ththursdayevening/ or email them at: westburywiltshirefhs.co.uk