Yorkshire Funeral Biscuits

"The custom of distributing to the mourners at a funeral specially prepared biscuits in wrappers sealed with black wax, was formerly widely prevalent in Great Britain... The practice may be an altered survival of ceremonial cannibalism when the flesh of dead kinsmen was eaten by the mourners."

This may also explain why the British love their tea and biscuits!

[via Pitt Rivers Museum]

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Posted By: Alex - Wed Jan 15, 2014
Category: Death

Comments

Oops! They still sever a 'cake' down here.
Oumba, oumba, oumba chucka!

Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 01/15/14 at 10:28 AM

I've always held that funerals are for the living not the dead. Not that I'm opposed to a good wake with a meal and a few drinks to toast the departed on their way to wherever.

Posted by KDP on 01/15/14 at 10:44 AM

I'm confused? Is that the same as a Sunday go to meeting Bun? :lol: :coolsmile:

Posted by Tyrusguy on 01/15/14 at 11:56 AM

I agree, KDP.

That cannibalism idea puts a whole new twist on the "funeral baked meats" from Hamlet. Insert your own Danish salami reference here...

Posted by TheCannyScot on 01/15/14 at 12:43 PM

Eating the dead? Well that idea is pretty horrible. It makes the human cheese sound good by comparison.

Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 01/15/14 at 10:05 PM

Could the biscuits be related to the people who were hired to attend the funeral as professional mourners? Perhaps the packaged food was part of their payment? Professional mourners were often hired to fill a crowd, increasing the status of the deceased perhaps?? Some could be hired as the wailers, the cryers and the silent but morose players. Not unlike the ancient civilizations who paid people to walk in funeral processions, weeping, wailing, gnashing their teeth, tearing at their hair and faces, and rubbing ashes into their faces and all-black clothing. Often the pros were seen as beneficial since no one wants to be the one who starts audibly expressing their grief. If somebody else is already sobbing, it's much easier to cry yourself. Cheery poem on the bag, too!

Posted by emma j. on 01/16/14 at 02:13 PM

Mr. T and biscuits?

Posted by Fluffy Bunny Slippers on 01/16/14 at 04:14 PM

I'll take the sin-eating, but I refuse to believe in any cannibalism link. That's just another of those myths the Victorians loved to dream up to convince themselves that they, by contrast, were civilised.

Posted by Richard Bos on 01/17/14 at 08:31 AM

Thanks for your interesting article about Yorkshire Funeral Biscuits .

Warm Regard's
Amy

Posted by Best Biscuit Recipe on 03/25/14 at 04:22 AM

I'm confused? Is that the same as a Sunday go to meeting Bun? http://www.bestbiscuitrecipe.com/

Posted by Amy on 03/25/14 at 04:23 AM

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