Submitted Photo A lecture on Victorian Mourning Practices will be held at The 1891 Fredonia Opera House this Thursday at 7 p.m.

The 1891 Fredonia Opera House continues its new series of free-admission local history lectures when it presents Victorian Mourning Practices this Thursday at 7 p.m.

Victorian Mourning Practices is the fourth of seven multimedia presentations that will be presented over the course of this year as part of the new Chautauqua County History Series. The series features area town, village and county historians presenting lectures on topics of local history and their connection to the world at large.

August’s program features Silver Creek Historian Jamie Rocque detailing some of the common mourning practices of the Victorian era, many of which we find unusual or disconcerting today.

Rocque’s talk will also convey information on England’s Queen Victoria and changes in her demeanor, dress and manner of presenting herself following the death in 1861 of her husband, Prince Albert. Her actions influenced the fashion of the time and initiated some of the mourning customs that have lived on today.

Rocque holds a B.S. in art and history. She has been an avid Civil War living historian for 12 years and has included her family in the hobby as well. She currently is employed by Lincare Inc. as a sales representative.

Admission to Rocque’s presentation is free, with donations gratefully accepted. The next program in the lecture series will be held on Sept. 13, and will feature Cassadaga Historian John Sipos.

Support for Opera House programming comes from the United Arts Appeal of Chautauqua County, and the Arts Services Initiative of WNY’s Give for Greatness program.

The 1891 Fredonia Opera House is a member-supported not-for-profit organization located in Village Hall in downtown Fredonia. For a complete schedule of events, visit www.fredopera.org.