This ring commemorates Ann Scurfield, who died 20 October, 1790 at the age of 59. Nothing is currently known of her life but the Scurfield family originated in County Durham in the north of England, so it is possible that she lived in that area. The inscription 'Not lost but gone before' which is found on the pedestal of the funerary urn refers to the hope that the deceased and their loved ones would be reunited in heaven. The ground at the bottom of the funerary scene is made up of chopped hair. Hair was often used in sentimental and mourning jewel as a durable and tactile memorial of the donor.

From the early seventeenth to the end of the nineteenth century, testators left money in their wills to have rings with commemorative inscriptions made and distributed to their friends and families. Simple bands enamelled with the name and life dates of the deceased were frequently made, sometimes set with a gemstone or a bezel set with a rock crystal covering a symbol such as a coffin or initials in gold wire. In the later 18th century, rings followed neo-classical designs, their oval bezels often decorated with the same designs as funerary monuments such as urns, broken pillars and mourning figures. Hair from the deceased was incorporated into the designs or set in a compartment at the back of the ring to give each jewel a uniquely personal element. Black or white enamel were favoured though white enamel was often, though not universally used to commemorate children and unmarried adults. By the end of the 19th century, memorial ring designs were becoming more standardised. The hoops were often inscribed with phrases such as 'In memory' whilst a commemorative inscription could be added to the inside of the hoop. The custom of giving rings as memorials gradually declined in the early 20th century, although the Goldsmiths Journal suggests that some were still being sold in the 1930s.