Jamie Murray
Jamie Murray
2023-01-28
Quality fast and reliable service with a cracking bunch of lads definitely recommended
Bill Mitchell
Bill Mitchell
2021-09-14
Contracted this company to clear the flat of my deceased mother. Two young guys cleared EVERYTHING out of the rented property, including furniture, carpets, ornaments, white goods and food/household products, politely, efficiently, and respectfully. Excellent service.
Charles winter
Charles winter
2021-05-21
The guys from Northern House Clearance have just cleared a house for me in Scotland. The house was packed not only with a lifetimes worth of memories, but all the clutter that goes with it. Within 2 days it was emptied down to the floorboards. A great job from a good team of lads. Highly recommended.
Graeme hatton
Graeme hatton
2021-02-24
An excellent 5 star service. Firstly the compassion shown due to the circumstances which resulted in having to use their services, not just on the phone but by the team who arrived, on time, to perform the job. Above all a friendly attitude goes a long way in stressful times. Professional from the start to the end of the day and due to the amount of clutter a second day was needed. I could not believe how much was cleared in just one day, it was as if the clutter had it's own clutter to clear. Hope that I never need to use them again, but if I have to clear another property they will be the only people that I call. Highly recommend them. G.Hatton. Cheshire.
Lorna Hamilton
Lorna Hamilton
2021-02-05
Fantastic service. Highly recommend. The team was so helpful.
Richard Foster
Richard Foster
2020-11-26
The guys from Northern house clearing cleared my deceased brothers house which was in a state. They were very discrete and great guys very understanding at such a sad time. Great job guys thank you.
Xiu Yun Chen
Xiu Yun Chen
2020-11-25
This is a good company would highly recommend these guys. Very efficent and helpful.
Laura
Laura
2020-11-05
Highly recommended. From my initial enquiry I found them to be efficient and professional and was given an immediate quote. On the day the guys arrived promptly and were friendly, helpful and thorough. I would not hesitate to use this company again and I would recommend to others. I felt in good hands and I, m very happy with the service I received.
Ruth Lawrence
Ruth Lawrence
2020-08-22
The team arrived bang on time and began work immediately. They continued for five solid days and completed the entire clearance of my late uncles house, which was a case of extreme hoarding over many decades. They even removed carpets, curtains and swept up so the house was ready for sale. They were exeptionally hard working, polite and charged a reasonable price for this incredibly difficult job. Terrific service, absolutely recommended.
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Victorian Mourning and Commemorative Jewellery

Victorian mourning and commemorative jewellery has its roots in the 18th century, but it really took off from 1861, the year that Queen Victoria’s beloved husband, Prince Albert, died. Victoria took to wearing mourning jewellery as well as clothing, and the fashion quickly took hold in British middle class society. It was a fashion that was to last for the next 20 years.

Jet, a type of fossilised wood akin to coal or lignite, was one of the most popular materials for mourning jewellery. Jet has a deep blackness, skilled craftsmen can easily carve it into highly intricate patterns, and it can be polished to a high gloss. Jet mined at Whitby on the North Yorkshire coast was considered to be of the highest quality, and the town was also a centre for jewellery making. Rings, bracelets and brooches were all made from Jet.

Another popular, and somewhat cheaper, material was Bog Oak, which is wood, not necessarily oak, that has been preserved in a peat bog. Ireland was the biggest single source of Bog Oak. It was less highly valued than Jet because the finish is more of a dark brown than pure black. For collectors, Bog Oak has the disadvantage that it tends to pale over time to a lighter tone, unlike Jet which maintains its hue.

Macabre as it may seem to us, human hair from the deceased was also used to make jewellery, often in combination with gold or silver clasps and findings. Sometimes a lock of hair would be kept in a locket or brooch, but hair was also woven into cord for use as rings or bracelets.

When considering buying mourning jewellery, pay particular attention to its condition. The most valuable pieces are free of damage or wear and tear. You should also look out for pieces that are unusual in some way, perhaps with some kind of personal message inscribed. Such quirks can add value to a piece. Other key factors are quality of both workmanship and materials.

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