THE BLUE PLAGUE: DEATH, DISEASE & THE DARK SIDE OF VICTORIAN HARWICH 🕯️
This Halloween, step back into the fog-shrouded world of Victorian Harwich…
But beware.
For something deadly has arrived in the harbour.
⚓ ASIATIC CHOLERA — THE BLUE PLAGUE
In the nineteenth century, a ship arriving in Harwich could bring more than cargo and passengers.
It could bring death.
Imagine the bells ringing across the town…
A sailor collapsing at the docks.
A family falling sick overnight.
The Port Health Officer ordering a vessel into quarantine.
And behind a closed door…
A doctor quietly closing his medical bag.
“There is nothing more I can do.”
Join us for an atmospheric and immersive journey into one of the most terrifying diseases of the Victorian age, told from the perspective of the Harwich Port Health Officer.
But this is no ordinary history talk…
🦠 You will be quarantined.
Every visitor will receive their own Victorian Health Pass.
And somewhere upon your pass…
There may be a mark.
If you find a blue mark…
You may already be infected.
Over approximately 45 minutes, discover:
⚓ Why Harwich was particularly vulnerable to infectious disease arriving by sea
🦠 The horrifying symptoms of Asiatic Cholera
🌫️ The Victorian belief in miasma
💉 The bizarre and sometimes terrifying treatments used by Victorian doctors
⚰️ The elaborate rituals surrounding Victorian death and burial
🖤 The strict rules of Victorian mourning and the strange jewellery made from human hair
📸 Post-mortem photography and the Victorian obsession with preserving the image of the dead
🔔 The terrifying fear of premature burial — and the invention of safety coffins
🌊 The dangers faced by sailors and families living in a busy maritime port
👻 And finally… the desperate Victorian attempt to pierce the veil and communicate with those who had died
But remember…
Not everything you hear in the darkness comes from the dead.
Some of it…Comes from the living.
Come and discover the darker history of Harwich…
If you dare.
Waiting list Only by emailing groupbookings@harwichmuseum.co.uk
Tickets £ 4 each (free for season ticket holders).
Save with our great value Season Ticket Adult £15.
Your season ticket must be shown on admission to the museum and events.
For all events please remember to pay in advance (includes entry to the museum) and let us know in good time if you cannot attend so we may be able to reallocate your place to someone else.