Mary Redstone marries

It is the First World War and Market Lavington and Easterton’s young men are away from home on military service. But young men from the commonwealth – notably Canada, are over here, learning the coarse arts of war on Salisbury Plain. It is no wonder romances sprang up between the local lasses and the overseas men. Some ended, as romances will, when separation occurred. Some ended with the oh so sad death of the serviceman. But some came to fruition and ended in marriage. Mary Redstone, an Easterton lass, married her Canadian, Edward Bliss Taylor, after the war ended in 1919. The marriage was local but the couple made their permanent home in Canada.

We have a copy of a wedding photo.

Group at the Easterton wedding of Mary Redstone and Edward Bliss Taylor in 1919

 

We are not certain of the location but we think this could be almost the last house in Easterton – we know the Redstones lived there. We don’t know most of the people in the image but imagine there are more Redstone relatives than Taylors. Let’s concentrate on the three we know.

The Reverend King, Vicar of Easterton with the happy couple

Mary is clearly in the middle with Canadian serviceman, always known as, Bliss on her arm. Are they Sergeant stripes he sports on his wrist? The vicar is the Reverend King who was Vicar of Easterton. It was his insistence on improvements to the road that loops round from Easterton to the top of Spin Hill in Market Lavington that led to the road being given his name – King’s Road. No apostrophe is used these days so it is just Kings Road.

We have seen Mary before on this blog – as a much older woman in 1972 when she visited her old home. You can click here to read that.

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A wedding in 1946

Back in 1946 Laurie Cooper married Renee Baker in Market Lavington. The photographer – at a guess it would have been Mr Burgess but that isn’t definite, lined up the guests for a group photo and here it is.

Wedding group at the marriage of Laurie Cooper to Renee Baker in 1946

We pass this over to our readers for help. The bride and groom are in the foreground but who are the other guests?

All suggestions gratefully received. Thanks.

Fred Sayer and Jess Trotter

Fred and Jess were both Market Lavington people when they married in the spring of 1929. A photo of the couple in their wedding finery has recently been given to the museum. (Thanks, Jim).

Jessica Hester L Trotter was the daughter of William Trotter and his wife Jessie. She was actually born at Lydd in Kent in about 1906 but by the time of the 1911 census the family lived in Market Lavington. William was landlord at the Volunteer Arms on Church Street where he also ran a coal and firewood business.

Frederick Herbert Sayer was born in about 1905 in Bath. His father, also Fred Sayer was a bus driver and in 1911 the family lived in Nailsworth but very soon after they moved to Market Lavington. When Fred took over as owner of the Lavington Motor Services the yard of the Volunteer Arms became his HQ for a while. Jess and Fred must have known each other since they were well under ten years old.

Childhood friendship presumably turned to romance at some point, leading to that wedding in 1929.

Fred Sayer and Jess Trotter in their wedding finery in 1929

What a handsome couple!

Another photo from Jim shows the couple outside a house. The couple look a little older, but we have no idea as to the location.

We know that Jess died in the Salisbury district in 1992. Fred probably died earlier, possibly in the Southampton area.

 

A bridesmaid

Back in 2012 we showed a wedding photo of Percy Wilkins to Lilian Blake. The wedding took place in 1948.

Lilian had a bridesmaid. We have a photo of her but very little information.

Margery was the bridesmaid when Lilian Blake married Percy Wilkins in 1948

This is Margery. Her surname is not known but it is understood she was a fostered child.

Perhaps someone out there can tell us more.

A wedding to identify

Phil and Liz, who recently celebrated their Golden Wedding and who have lived in and around Lavington and Easterton for all of their lives, recently gave us this photo. It’s a very washed out photo of a wedding and Phil and Liz had no idea when, where or who. So now we, as well as they, require help from our readers.

Washed out wedding photo. It’s hard to make out much of it!

Well obviously nobody can do much with that original image but a few moments with a graphics program produced this.

Same photo, digitally enhanced and now recognisable as Market Lavington

There seemed more chance of identifying things in it now – and we have.

It is in Market Lavington. The house just behind the bride is Spring Villa. Above the coachman’s hat we see Ramscliffe. The railings visible at the left are part of the churchyard fence. The rather odd looking shelter has a tarpaulin which we think had come from or belonged to Neate and Son who look to have been house furnishers of Devizes. They were certainly trading around the start of the twentieth century. The April 9^th 2015 Devizes Gazette and Herald actually has a 1906 nostalgia photo of their premises. It may give some clue to the date of the wedding.

The tarpaulin belonged to a company we know was in business in 1906

We might even make the people a bit more recognisable although the photographer has not managed to get front views of faces.

There we see the bride and below we have the bowler hatted gent and the police sergeant.

Liz’s mother had been a Miss Fitch and Liz wondered if the coachman might be one of her Fitch relatives who was a coachman.

Other possible surnames in the photo are Merritt or (less likely) Francis.

Do get in touch if you are able to help us.

Settle down or settle up?

How strange words in the English language can be. Settling down and settling up ought to have entirely opposite meanings, but as far as we know the meanings are entirely different with no link between them.

However, during our closed season we have taken all the display on our circa 1800 settle down and have now put up a new display on the same settle.

A fresh settle display for 2015

At the left hand end a bride is ready to depart. She’s wearing a 1920s wedding dress. Her two maids are taking a breather with her, wearing appropriate period aprons. Other items, possibly recently worn by household members have been hung on the settle prior to being put away. Perhaps the bride has decided the necklace is a bit chunky for her wedding dress.

Just out of shot, the bride’s niece is in the pram. She’s in a family heirloom Christening gown for there is to be a joint ceremony.

At least they all have a very short walk to the church!

Do visit in 2015 to see what’s new at Market Lavington Museum. Remember, admission is free although we welcome donations to help us with running costs.

Wedding of Mary Ethel Cooper and William Blake

We have recently been given copies of three photos of the wedding of William and Ethel (as she was known). The wedding took place in 1920. One of the pictures, with the largest group of guests we have seen before and you can click here to see it.

Today we’ll look at a smaller group and ponder on who the people might be.

Wedding of Bill Blake and Ethel Cooper – Market Lavington – 1920

The location is clear here. It is taken outside Number 2 Parsonage Lane which was the home of the Cooper family. We know the bride and groom and we also know that the young bridesmaid was a niece of the groom. We do not know who the other bridesmaids were.

But perhaps we are most interested in the two older men. We guess they are the fathers of bride and groom – but which is which. The one on the right looks utterly fed up with the whole business. If he is Jacob Bolter Cooper, father of the bride, he’d have been about 80 by then. That was a good old age back in 1920. He may well have had enough. John Blake, father of the groom was around 70. The mothers of both parties to the marriage were already deceased.

So, once again, we appeal for help in identifying, particularly the two men.

Market Lavington Wedding, August 1912

The wedding referred to in this report was between Dorothy Welch and Charles Apps. This brief report, with a full list of gifts given, appeared in a newspaper.

Dorothy was the sister of Jack Welch. We are publishing diary entries and letters home by Jack Welch, 100 years after they were written. That appears on www.jackwelchdiaries,wordpress.com .

But here it is the present list which is fascinating, including gifts from many people we know much about at Market Lavington Museum including Jack, himself and also the Burbidges who lived in our museum building.

The wedding was of Mr C T T Apps of Calne to Miss Dorothy Welch of Market Lavington, daughter of Mr and Mrs James Welch. She was a teacher in the Sunday School, he was Assistant Master at the Dauntsey Agricultural College and had recently been appointed headmaster of the Calne County Secondary School. The ceremony was performed by Rev Alfred Apps, brother of the bridegroom, organist Mr M Taylor.

Presents were given by:

Miss Dorothy Akers (tea cosy)

Mrs Awdry (silver teapot)

Miss Norah Alexander (tray cloth)

Mrs Abrams (cushion)

Mr and Mrs Akers (teaspoons in case)

Miss Bouverie (pewter cake dish)

Mrs Billington (photoframe)

Mr and Mrs Bird (Trowbridge)(salt cellars and spoons)

Mr Burgess and Phyllis (sugar tongs)

Mr Herbert Bird and Miss Nelly Bird (custard pot)

Miss Bainham (hand painted doyleys)

Miss Benison (soup ladle)

Mr and Mrs Burbridge (glass jug)

Mr and Mrs Brewer (jam dish)

Mrs Brooks (water jug)

Mrs Buchanan (book)

Mr and Mrs Cole and Miss Summer (pair of silver candlesticks)

Mrs Stephen Coleman (tea cosy)

Mrs Chinnock (carved stool)

Mr C C Coombs (cake knife)

Mrs George Cooper (pair of vases)

Mr and Mrs Duck (set of trays)

Mr and Mrs Dunn (sugar sifter)

Mr Mrs and Miss Eldin (set of servers)

Mrs Earle (grandmother) cruets and household linen)

Miss M G V Freeman (butter knife)

Miss Irene Ferris (table mat)

Miss Giles (Lacock) (cushion cover and jam spoons)

Mr R L Gillingham (Calne) brass tea stand

Mr A Gough (Calne) (sugar basin and tongs)

Miss Gray (sauce bottle stand)

Mr A L Gough (thermos flask)

Mr and Mrs F Glass (cheque)

Misses Glass and Mr Cecil Glass (pendant)

Mr R Glass (pair of vases)

Mr and Mrs G Gough Misses Gough and Mr C Gough (pair of brass water jugs)

Mrs Goddard (tray cloths)

Rev and Mrs Frank Glass 9silver butter dish and knife)

Mrs Gye (set of jugs)

Mr and Mrs J E Gye (brass crumbtray and brush)

Mrs Green (fruit dishes)

Mr and Mrs Hiscock (set of jugs)

Mr and Mrs Hussey (gold pencil case)

Miss Nellie Hiscock (hand worked tray cloth)

Mrs Ingram (cushion)

Miss Johns (waist buckle)

Mr and Mrs W James (mounted oak butter dish)

Mrs King (pair of ornaments)

Miss R King (glass dishes and hairpincases)

Mr and Mrs W G Lush (carriage clock)

Mr and Miss Lord (chafing dish)

Misses Maggs (jam spoon)

Mrs Merritt and Mr H Merritt (jam dish)

Mr and Mrs H Merritt (jam dish)

Mrs Maynard (picture)

Mrs Mundy and family (jardiniere and ferns)

Mrs T Merritt (glass dish)

Mrs McInnes (pickle fork)

Misses Nosworthy (crocheted tea cloth)

Mr and Mrs E Notton (sugar sifter)

Miss M Newman (oil painting)

Mr and Mrs Oram (rose bowl)

Mr P L Oram (fountain pen)

Mr and Mrs Edwin Potter (dinner service)

Mr Percy Pond (silver mounted photo frame)

Mr and Mrs Parnall (tea service)

Mr and Mrs Pullein (Calne) (silver sugar clips)

Miss M Price (jardiniere)

Mr and Mrs W H Park (silver jam spoon)

Mr and Mrs Frank Potter (rose bowl)

Mr and Mrs W Rendell (Empire mirror)

Rev Mrs and Miss Sturton (brass kettle stand and lamp)

Mrs Stone (silver spoons)

Miss Sturton (table centre)

Miss Stevens (silver mounted salt caster)

Mrs and Miss Smith (cream jug(

Miss Slade (drawing room stool)

Mr and Mrs J Oakley Solomon (sugar basin and caster)

Mr Arthur Street (water colours)

Col and Mrs Stephens (dinner service)

Mrs William Smith (toilet bottle and glass)

Mr and Mrs John Sainsbury (case of fish carvers)

Mr and Mrs Saunders (glass jugs)

Mr and Miss Seabourne (picture)

Mr and Mrs Spencer Smith (silver fruit knife, spoon and bread flrk)

Miss Irina Stevens (ivory pepper mill)

Mr and Mrs W Savours (pair of silver vases)

Mr and Mrs Taylor (photo frame)

Mr and Mrs Ussher and family (pair of Doulton vases)

Miss Marah Ussher bridesmaid (silver photo frame)

Capt Mrs and Miss Viner Johnson (pair of silver flower vases)

Mr E A Vinter (shaving mirror)

Sir Thomas and Lady Warrington (picture)

Mr and Mrs Woodward (silver mounted blotter)

Mrs Wilshin (Devizes) (teapot stand)

Mr and Mrs Wodman (brass candlesticks)

Mr and Mrs Walton (silver mounted preserve jar)

Mr G F Welch (silver gravy spoon)

Mr J Welch (salad bowl and locket)

Mrs Ward (glasses)

Mrs J Welch (silver spoons and jewel case)

Mr and Mrs W Young and Miss Young (silver and ivory bread fork)

Messrs W D and C H Young (toast rack)

 

Maybe we’ll learn more about some of these people by publishing the list, Do get in touch if you can tell us anything about these people.

Vera Burgess gets married

This photo has been sitting around, somewhat unresearched at the museum for ten years. Our curator has recently sorted out some of it. It shows a group at the wedding of Vera Burgess.

Vera was the daughter of Alfred George Burgess who was known as George and his wife who had been born Irene Esther Glover who was known as Rene.

Wedding of Vera Burgess of Market Lavington to Derrick Firmager in 1945

Vera was born in 1922. The Burgess family lived at 13 High Street, Market Lavington. At one time the front of the premises was a shop and out in the back garden there was a photographic studio. We assume the wedding was at Market Lavington. The background in this photo doesn’t give us much in the way of clues.

The wedding took place in 1945. His name was Derick Walter Firmager and he is wearing a military uniform with three stripes so he was a sergeant. Rene and George are on the right. George is more used to working on the other side of the camera and looks a tad nervous. It was probably his brother pressing the shutter. We assume the people on the left are Derrick’s parents. We do not know who the bridesmaids are.

It is good to find a photo of one of the famed Burgess brothers who ran their photography business in Market Lavington for many years.

We believe the Firmagers had two sons. We’d be interested in hearing from them.

 

Another fine wedding photo

Weddings are well photographed these days and many were in times past. This photo, a particularly lovely one, was recently sent to us by Virginia in Australia. The photo shows a bridegroom who was a relative of hers.

The bride was Mary Ethel Cooper who was more usually called Ethel and the groom was William Blake.

Mary Ethel Cooper was born around 1880. She was the daughter of Jacob Bolter Cooper who we have met before on this blog (Click here). The family had premises on Parsonage Lane and it is possible that this photo was taken at that location. The wedding took place in 1920.

William Blake lived in West Lavington, but William was a Londoner by birth which was around 1890.

After their marriage the couple lived on The Terrace, Market Lavington in one of the cottages along the path above Northbrook. As far as we know they lived there for all of the rest of their lives. Both died in the 1950s and are buried in the churchyard at Market Lavington.

Because the photo came from a member of the Blake family, we know more about them. Virginia wrote the following.

Identified by my parents – Dad being the only son of Jimmy Blake (James Robert Christopher Blake)

Back Row

4^th from left – Mary Blake (sister of William the Groom). The children in the photo belonged to her. She never married. They are Margaret Blake & Henry Blake.
2^nd from right Jimmy Blake my Grandfather.
I suspect that the two people sitting behind the little girl are John & Mary Blake – William’s parents but that is a guess.
William had three sisters in all – Mary already identified, as well as Charlotte (Lottie) & Eva. They are probably in the photo but I can’t identify them.  The bridesmaid sitting between the children could possibly be a sister?
William had another brother John but I believe he died fairly early on.
My Dad seems to think that the lady next to Jimmy Blake is Dad’s mother Lilian (nee Cutting) although my Mum seems to think not.  Jimmy & Lilian were married in 1924 (4 years after this wedding) so I suppose it could be my grandmother. Jimmy was only 5 ft 1 ½ inches & Lilian was 5 foot exactly. This fits in with the photo.

It seems likely to us that Jacob Bolter Cooper is in the photo for he was still alive at the time, aged about 80. His wife, Ethel Cooper’s mother, had died some years earlier.

We believe that William and Ethel had one daughter, Lilian. Lilian Blake married Percy Wilkins in 1948 and we know that Percy and Lilian lived on the Terrace as well.

Market Lavington Museum and Virginia have the same hope now – that other people in the photo can be identified.

Do contact us if you can tell us any more.