March is Women’s History Month. The practice of wearing hair jewelry predates the Victorian period, but many often associate hair brooches, rings and pendants with mourning during the time of Queen Victoria, when it became wildly popular. Wearing a lock of hair from a deceased loved one was seen as carrying sentiments of that person with you at all times. Also, since hair does not decay like other natural material the pieces could be worn without fear of the breakdown of their loved one’s locks. Hair jewelry could also be worn in celebration of achievements or to signify the bond between friends or loved ones.
This brooch contains hair belonging to Anne Peters Brugh Woodson. She attended Hollins College and wore the brooch around 1855. It was donated to the Botetourt Museum of History and Culture by Mrs. Fulton Waid and is on view in one of the upstairs galleries.
~ Botetourt County Museum of History & Culture
