SETTING FOR BRILLIANT RUSHDEN WEDDING

Happy Scenes Crown Local Romance

John White and his daughter arrive at the church Crowds outside the west entrance to the church The bride and groom leave the church

Popular interest in the wedding at Rushden on Tuesday morning of Miss Florence White and Mr J. L. Wilson was intense, as may be seen from the above picture of a section of the eager crowd of well wishers who thronged the west entrance to the church. On the left the bride, a radiant picture, is seen arriving at the church door with her father, Councillor John White, and on the right the happy bridegroom leads his wife from the church as she looks up at him, smiling happily, and touched by the enthusiastic greeting of many friends on this auspicious day. A joyous beginning is this, indeed.

A beautiful blonde bride, just turned 21, charmed thousands of eyes at Rushden on Tuesday morning.

A dainty figure in ivory and gold, Miss Florence Ellen White – “Jill” to her friends – entered St. Mary’s Parish Church on the arm of her father, Councillor John White, through one of the largest and most eager crowds that has ever assembled for a wedding at Rushden.

Tuesday’s bride is Mr and Mrs White’s elder daughter - she has no brothers - and the bridegroom, Mr Jack Loake Wilson, is the younger son of the late Captain H M Wilson and of Mrs Wilson, “The Lawns,” Kettering, and grandson of the late Mr Matthew C Wilson, for many years a well-known Kettering auctioneer and estate agent, and of the late Mr William F. Loake, one of the founders of the firm of Loake Bros. Ltd., shoe manufacturers, Kettering.

Both have made themselves very popular in the district. The bride, who was educated at Queen Ethelberger’s School, Harrogate, has a special place in the affections of all who belong to the army of bootmakers in her father’s factories, and has always taken her part in the social and sporting events associated with the firm. She has also interested herself in charitable work – often as a collector.

The bridegroom, educated at Wrekin College, Shropshire, is in business as an auctioneer and estate agent with offices at Rushden, Kettering, and Wellingborough. He belongs to both the Rushden and Kettering Golf Clubs and used to play for the Kettering Rugby Football Club.

Policemen holding back the crowds of spectators

For the wedding ceremony, which was at eleven o’clock, St. Mary’s Church had been most beautifully decorated with Harrisii lilies, cream roses, golden chrysanthemums, blue larkspur, palms and fern, special attention being paid to the screen, font, pulpit and lectern.

The Rev. Travers Stoney (Rector) conducted the service with the assistance of the Rev. John Rowell (curate of St Mary’s) and the full choir was in attendance to lead the singing of “Lead us Heavenly Father,” Psalm 67 and “O Perfect Love.” The organist, Mr Alfred Clarke, A.R.C.O., Hon. R.A.M., chose favourite compositions and included the Bridal March from “Lohengrin” and Mendelssohn’s Wedding March. Before the bride’s arrival he played “Canzonetta” (D’Ambrosia), “Evensong, ( Easthope Martin), “Andantino in D Flat” (Lemare) and “The Rosary” (Nevin).

The bride’s lovely dress was in medieval style, of ivory satin and gold lame, with orange blossom and gold halo and an ivory veil threaded with gold. She carried Harrisii lilies and red roses, and was wearing the gift she had received from the bridegroom – a diamond watch.

In attendance as bridesmaids were Miss Jacqueline White, the bride’s sister, Miss Lily Skeeles, her cousin, Miss Mollie Wilson, of Kettering, the bridegroom’s cousin, Miss Kathleen Ellis, of Leicester, fiancée of the best man, Miss Heather Hulett of Kettering, and Miss Barbara Bates of Wellingborough.

All six were dressed alike in hyacinth blue net and taffeta (including blue taffeta sashes) with blue and gold halo head-dresses and gold shoes. They wore blue mittens and carried bouquets of gold coloured roses. Their diamond dress clips were gifts from the bridegroom.

Bearing the train was dainty Ruth Jennifer Sanders, daughter of Mr and Mrs Leslie Sanders. She was dressed in ivory net, with blue and gold halo head-dress and had blue sash mittens.

Mr L. N. Loake of Kettering, the bridegroom’s cousin, was the best man and the ushers were Messrs. Peter Wilson (cousin of the bridegroom), L. C. H. Louis, Norman Hulett, Grahame Hulett, Clifford Hulett, Geoffrey Knight, Ray Putnam, Arthur Abington and Maurice Warren.

The bride’s mother was gowned in blue and silver brocade, with velvet hat trimmed with ostrich plume, and carried a bouquet of pale pink carnations.

The bridegroom’s mother had a brown silk dress and cape, with brown velvet hat trimmed with an ostrich feather, and wore a cluster of cream and pink roses.

Before the entry of the choir in procession with the bridal party the Rector addressed the congregation and referred to the ordinance of marriage as one of the most holy services of the Church. Later, in an address to the bride and bridegroom, he counselled them as to their opportunities and privileges in “a very peculiar and dangerous period in the world’s history.”

Among the guests for whom seats had been reserved were seen Mr Frank O. Salisbury, the distinguished artist who recently painted the bride’s portrait, and Mrs Salisbury, Col. Sir John Brown, K.C.B., and Lady Brown, Professor Richardson, A.R.A., and Mrs Richardson, Mr and Mrs Alan Timpson, Kettering, and Mr and Mrs V.P. Mobbs, Kettering. A congregation which packed the church included the whole of the management and office staff and a large number of employees of Messrs. John White Ltd., whose factories at Rushden and Higham Ferrers were all closed.

The bride and groom emerge from the church

As soon as the guests had left, people from the crowd outside poured into the church to see the floral decorations.

Mr and Mrs White afterwards entertained two hundred guests at “Ferrers Mere,” their residence in Kimbolton Road where the breakfast was served in a large marquee.

The guests were all received in the house before crossing to the Marquee which was decorated in green and gold, with large floral hanging baskets. They had hardly taken their places before a heavy fall of rain occurred.

Mr Geoffrey Knight wittily proposed the principal toast, making play on the “Jack and Jill” legend, and the bridegroom responded, the bride adding her own word of thanks. Mr J. C. Wilson proposed the health of the bride’s parents and Mr White in his reply declared that the occasion was the happiest one of his life. He also referred to the early struggles and sacrifices that he and Mrs White had faced together as being the foundations of the success they had enjoyed. Mr Peter Wilson proposed “The Bridesmaids” for whom the best man returned thanks.

A shoal of greeting telegrams was read by the best man.

Music was provided by Dick Brewster’s Band from the Northampton Salon de Danse.

Early in the afternoon Mr and Mrs J. L. Wilson drove away in their car for a destination which has not been disclosed, the bride wearing a powder blue dress and coat with brown fox furs – another gift from the bridegroom – and brown halo hat, shoes and bag.

They have been extremely fortunate in their presents which include, from the bride’s father, a large Elizabethan-style house built for them in The Hayway and already named “Higher Grange.”

The bride-to-bridegroom gift is a set of diamond and onyx dress studs.

The employees of Messrs. John White (Impregnable Boots) Ltd., have given a silver tea service and tray, the office staff a blue and gold Doulton china bowl, and the Rushden, Wellingborough and Kettering staffs of Mr J. L. Wilson a cut glass reading lamp.

All the employees of Messrs. John White Ltd received an invitation to inspect the presents at “Ferrers Mere” where the grounds have been open to them during the week.

The list of the remainder of the presents is as follows:

Messrs Wadsworth Bros of Rushden supplied cars for the wedding.

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