An Edwardian Wedding

Bridget White was the only daughter of William and Edith White of Leahurst, Sunderland Street. Born in 1883 she had three older brothers, Archibald, William and Charles, and one younger brother, John. These men all gave distinguished military service and two, Archibald and William, became fine cricketers. On Thursday 18 January 1906 Bridget married Mr Alfred George William Wright of Bessingby Hall, near Bridlington, in St Mary's Church. This wedding was notable for several reasons: the large number of guests, the wedding reception being held in Tickhill Castle courtesy of the Earl of Scarbrough, and the great detail in which the service, guests and the gifts to the married couple were described in the Bridlington Free Press of 26 January 1906.

The Church was decorated with palms and white flowers loaned by Lord Scarbrough. Mr Ellis, the organist, played a selection of music while the 150 or so invited guests took their places (guests included the Earl and Countess of Scarbrough, Viscount and Viscountess Galway, and the Rt Hon Francis and Lady Gertrude Foljambe). The service was conducted by the Rev Canon Goodall, Vicar of Rotherham, and the Rev A D Alderson, Vicar of Tickhill. Bridget was given away by her uncle, Sir Thomas Woollaston White, her father having died nearly six years previously, and accompanied by four bridesmaids and two children who carried her train. (The bride's cousins Miss Walker and Miss Dalbrace, the bridegroom's cousin Miss McBrayne and Miss Goodall were bridesmaids; the train bearers were Miss Pease and Master Staniland). The best man was Mr Argyle Brocklehurst.

The clothes worn by the wedding party and principal female guests were described fully, in the absence of any photographs. For example, the bride's dress was ivory chiffon over ivory satin, its bodice trimmed with silver embroidered lace and a spray of orange blossom. A full court train was attached to both shoulders and a veil was worn with a tiara of orange blossom. The bridesmaids were dressed in white silk with large white picture hats trimmed with chiffon and ostrich feathers. The bride's bouquet had white flowers while the bridesmaids carried bouquets of red roses and fern trimmed with long green ribbons. (The photograph, right, shows a bridesmaid at a 1905 wedding in a similar style of hat. © Amazing Vintage Wedding photos website www.vintag.es) Wedding gifts were numerous ranging from furniture (including a grand piano), china and many silver items to jewellery and ornaments for the bride and smoking accoutrements for the bridegroom such as a gold cigar cutter, silver cigarette box and silver matchbox. In all, the list of gifts displayed considerable wealth.

After the reception Bridget and Alfred left for London en route to their honeymoon in Italy. Like her mother Edith, Bridget was to have a long widowhood, her husband dying in 1923 while she lived until 1960. Bridget was very active with charitable work (as her mother had been in Tickhill) and she also served as a J.P. In 1911 she had a daughter age 2 and a son under 1 year old.

Bessingby Hall, below, was bought by the Wright family in 1868. The family sold it in 1979 when it became a nursing home. The Hall and its estate were much larger than Bridget's former home, Leahurst. In 1911 she had 9 resident servants to oversee. There were 3 such servants at Leahurst in 1891 and 2 in 1901.