A Vanitas Scene in which a woman playing a lute is confronted by an old man holding a skull and a mirror reflecting the image of a skull - reminders of mortality. By the Master of the Female Half Lengths - on display the National Portrait Gallery Six Lives exhibition #mementomori #arthistory

Some interesting talks and podcast appearances coming up! Always enjoy talking death history so if you have ideas feel free to get in touch! Hopefully I will be lucky and make an appearance at London Month of the Dead this year - nothing confirmed yet! ⚰️

As the London Museum website has a shiny new look with a ceramic pigeon let’s pass the exciting time until 2026 with a reminder of a ceramic deathly masterpiece - the 17th century memento mori plate discovered in a sewer #mementomori #londonmuseum

Exciting news coming!! ⚰️

I will be talking all about Undertakers and the Funerals of Georgian London on 2nd Nov for London Month of the Dead - join me at Guys Hospital Chapel for stories of coffins and candlelight from Westminster to Wapping! ⚰️ Tickets available now! designmynight.com/london/whats-o…

Join me on 2nd November for Undertakers and Funerals in Georgian London - 10% off with the discount code too! A very exciting lineup! londonmonthofthedead.com

I’m making my London Month of the Dead debut at the end of an exciting month of talks. Join me at Guys Hospital Chapel on Nov 2nd for ‘In At The Death’ and discover the curious funerals of Georgian London from Westminster to Wapping ⚰️ #lmotd #londonmonthofthedead londonmonthofthedead.com/index.html

A winged figure with a skull head and a living body unveils the memorial for Stanislao Antonio Fryznekier a Polish man from Krakow who died in Padua in 1687. The figure gazes down from the wall of the Basilica of Saint Anthony #mementomori #tomb #padova

This death historian has a very strong urge to visit Leeds for this interesting exhibition at Leeds Museums & Galleries - as a historian of the funeral trade it seems rather perfect!!! museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk/events/leeds-c…

The Key Hill catacombs are a fascinating space and nestled in a really striking cemetery too - well worth a visit!

Discover the curious funerals of Georgian London from Westminster to Wapping! Join me for ‘In At The Death’ my first London Month of the Dead event at Guys Hospital Chapel on Nov 2nd ⚰️ #lmotd #londonmonthofthedead londonmonthofthedead.com/inatthedeath.h…

#OTD in 1666 a fire at the bakery of Thomas Farrinor starts what will become the Great Fire of London. Here are a few items from the fire gallery at the old London Museum London Wall site. Leather fire bucket and hat from the 1670s and part of a 17th century fire engine.

On this day in 1878 the SS Princess Alice sank after a collision with the collier Bywell Castle at Galleons Reach on the Thames. Over 600 passengers died in the polluted water and the recovery was a difficult process. These items are from the London Museum Docklands display

The second anniversary of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II - as I waited and stood on Whitehall opposite Scotland House to see the procession and coffin pass. As a historian of funerals I had studied state funerals but never before witnessed one #QueenElizabethII

Sad to hear of the death of Dr Julian Litten - his work was an inspiration to me and helped to spark my passion for the history of the funeral trade. The English Way of Death was brilliant account of the changing approaches to death. Farewell from this death historian to another!

Less than a week to go!! The curious funerals of Georgian London from Westminster to Wapping! Join me for ‘In At The Death’ my first London Month of the Dead event at Guys Hospital Chapel on Nov 2nd ⚰️ #lmotd #londonmonthofthedead londonmonthofthedead.com/inatthedeath.h…

📣NEW EPISODE! The Curious Case of the Interrupted Funeral Join Rebecca Rideal & Dr Dan O'Brien to investigate a 19th-century murder mystery, where nothing is quite as it seems… Available wherever you get your podcasts Apple podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/kil… Spotify open.spotify.com/episode/64MKtL…

This weekend Kirsten Robertson will be taking on the Isle of White Challenge to in support of Missing People - it’s a great cause and really epic challenge too, 54km!! justgiving.com/page/kirsten-r…