Memorial Card 6 ½ “ x 4 ¼ “
Black and Gold; copyrighted, 1886, by the Memorial Card Co. of Philadelphia, PA
Thomas H. Crowell (1818-1888)
One of several memorial cards in the archival collection, including one for Thomas’s wife Abbie who died in 1898.

Memorial cards gained popularity during the Victorian period, particularly following the death of Albert, Queen Victoria’s consort. A typical mourning card of the period was black with gilt print. Frequently they had a drawing of the Bible, or other religious symbol at the top, the name of the deceased with death date in the middle, and a poem at the bottom. The cards often served as an invitation to the funeral as well as a memorial of the deceased.