Why did undertakers in Victorian England employ mute people for funeral processions?

There is no evidence that the professional mourners in Victorian England were actually deaf or hard of hearing. In some references they were referred to as "newts". A hired mute was simply one who would dress in gray or black and look very somber. If you wanted a different sort of service for your loved one, you might employ a professional wailer or keener instead. There are numerous citations in the Bible of of hired mourners. Having a large entourage of mourners, either paid or unpaid was a symbol of status.

https://regencyredingote.wordpress.com/2015/10/23/the-regency-way-of-death-funeral-mutes/

Basically, these people were hired as assistants for an undertaker himself, to do most of the lowly work required. This included helping set the solemn tone of a funeral, leading some of the processions or being part of same, professional mourning (facial expressions, and guttural sounds of grief only as they obviously could not articulate) and generally helping maintain the trappings of grief to suit the position in society of the deceased. There are many sites on the net regarding this:
Here are a couple:

http://romancingthepast.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/the-undertakers-mute.html
http://www.victorianlondon.org/death/characteroffunerals.htm
http://www.historyextra.com/qa/victorian-funerals

The role of mute people in the death industry evolved over time. Initially, after an undertaker was hired the body became his responsibility, so mutes were posted to protect and guard bodies. With time mutes joined the funeral procession and assumed a more ceremonial role. They dressed in formal black suits and hats and carried staffs all of which were draped with crepe swaths that were color coded (e.g., white for children, black for adults). It was de rigueur during Victorian times for a funeral to have a mute. In other words, it wasn't a proper send off without a mute in the cortege.

Now, after all this talk of mutes I'll let the cat out of the bag - most of them could speak!

If you would like to know more about this unusual occupation visit:

https://www.austins.co.uk/blog/index.php/the-history-of-the-victorian-mute/