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Back in March 2003 I found myself working in Carlisle, I got talking to one of my colleagues, Ian Walker, who hails from just up the M6 (and over 'The Border') in Lockerbie, Scotland, and I mentioned this website. Amazingly, it turned out that a relative of his had married at All Hallows church in Harthill - almost 90 years previously! Moreover, Ian is the family genealogist and has an extensive collection of newspaper cuttings and family photos. These included the material below; a fascinating glimpse into an Edwardian social event in the J31 area at a time when World War 1 was raging in France.
A postscript to their life - 2003
All Hallows' Church, Harthill, was the scene of a pretty and
interesting, wedding on Monday afternoon, the
contracting parties being Mr. Harold H Smith, fourth and youngest
son of the late Mrs. Cass. Smith, and the
late Mr Cass Smith, Glebe Hall farm, Harthill, and Miss Janet
Hunter only child of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel
Hunter, Harthill.
Brought to church and given away by her father, the bride was much
admired in her gown of cream satin.
She wore a wreath of white heather and orange blossom and bridal
veil, lent by Mrs. Shepherd (Sheffield).
Her jewels were "a diamond ring (the gift of the bridegroom) and a
rope of pearls. She also carried a sheaf
of lilies and lilac. The bridesmaids were Miss M. Drabble and Miss
J. Brady. who wore pink silk dresses and
tulle veils, with wreaths of violets, and carried bouquets composed
of pink carnations, hyacinth, and lilac,
and two little girls; Misses Mary . Glossop and Kathleen Trickett,
who wore frocks and hats of shadow lace
over silk, and carried crooks ornamented with pink ribbon. The best
man was Mr. Cass Smith, Durham Light
Infantry (brother of the bridegroom). The bridegroom who was
attested some time ago, wore his khaki
armlet. The ceremony was performed by the Rector (the Rev. B.
Darley), and the church was crowded.
Pending the arrival of the bridal party, Mr. Arthur Harvey, the
organist, played appropriate music, and after
the ceremony, as the happy pair were, leaving the church, the
Wedding March. The bride's late scholars
lined up, outside the church porch to give her and her husband
their best wishes.
Both the bride and bridegroom are well known in the district: The
bride is the highly respected Headmistress
of the Infants Department, Council Schools, and Superintendent of
All Hallows' Sunday. School Infants. The
bridegroom is a chorister of All Hallows Church, Hon. Secretary and
Chairman of Committee of Harthill
Cricket Club, and holds a responsible position on the office staff
at the Kiveton Park Colliery. After, the
ceremony a reception for a few relatives was held at the bride's
home, and subsequently a large reception
was held at Glebe Farm.
Later in the day the bride and bridegroom left for their honeymoon/
which is being spent at Matlock. In the
evening merry peals, were rung in honour of the event.
Amongst the guests were Miss Smith (North House), Ada Smith, Mr.
and Mrs G Smith, Dr. Clark
(Anston),Lieut. Malcolm Clark, Dr. M. R. Clark, Mr. Wm. and Misses
Wilkinson (Manor Farm), Mr. and Mrs.
Thos Chitson (Kiveton Park), Rev. B. Darley, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur,
Harvey, Mr. and Mrs. S. Wainscoat, Miss.
A. Brady, Mr and Mrs P Glossop, Mr W E Glossop, Miss Glossop, Mr.
Trickett and family,Miss Hancox, Miss
Turner, Miss Powell, Mr. and Mrs. H Turner (Kiveton), Miss
Innocent, Mr and Mrs G. Walker (Wales), Mrs J
L Smith, Masters W B and J Telfer (Barnby Moor), Miss Smith
(Harley), Miss Smith (Retford), Mr. and Mrs.
Shepherd (Sheffield), Miss Porter (Worksop), Corpl. Fred Ward
(Sherwood Forester).
The following is a list of presents:
Bride to Bridegroom, hold ring;
bridegroom to bride, diamond ring;
bride's parents, traveling rug;
mother of bridegroom, cheque;
Mr, and Mrs. G. C. Smith, music cabinet;
Mr W H Smith, eiderdown;
Mr C W Smith, easy chair;
Mr and Mrs Hunter (Duchrae), case of silver butter knives;
Mrs Archer and Miss Innocent, silver cake basket;
Miss Attewell, tray cloth;
Miss Barker, serviettes;
Miss J and A brady, silver egg cruet;
Mr and Mrs Beattie, cheque;
Mr and Mrs Booth, butter dish and toast rack;
Mr and Mrs C Covell, silver bon-bon dish;
Dr M R Clarke, silver tea pot;
Dr and Mrs Clarke (Anston), cheque;
Mr and Mrs Thos Chitson (Kiveton), silver fish servers;
Cricket Club, clock;
Rev B Darley, silver tea pot;
Mr and Mrs F Drabble, tea cosy;
Miss Drabble, case of afternoon tea spoons and tongs;
Mr and Mrs Evans (Liverpool), cut glass and silver butter
dish;
Mr W Field, silver flower vases;
Mrs R Glossop, cheque;
Mr W E Glossop, meerschaum pipe;
Miss Glossop, picture;
Mr and Mrs P Glossop, silver egg cruet;
Mrs Mary Glossop, hair pin box;
Mr and Mrs J Highfield (Sheffield), 1 doz tea knives;
Mr and Mrs Henderson, bath towels;
Miss Hancox, silver sugar basin and sifter;
Mr E B Hall, (Kiveton), case of pipes;
Miss Headworth, silver sugar shuttle;
Mrs Thos Headworth, pillow case;
Mr and Mrs A Harvey, silver serviette rings;
Mrs Hepworth, travelling clock;
Mr C J W and C L Harrison, table cloth;
Mr and Mrs W Ibberson, set of jugs;
Mrs Ibbotson, butter dish and scent sachet;
Mrs Kirkby (Station Hotel, Kiveton), serviette;
Mrs Mosely, glass dish and jugs;
Miss Midleton, silver toast rack and butter dish;
Mrs Macdonald, inlaid oak tray;
Mrs Morton and Miss Powell, afternoon tea cloth and silver butter
dish;
Miss Peat, duchesse set and sideboard cover;
Miss Porter (Worksop), cut glass and silver vases;
Miss Reynolds (Anston), clock;
Mr and Mrs Shepherd (Sheffield), copper kettle;
Mr and Mrs J L Smith, dinner service and cigar cutter;
Mr and Mrs E Soar (Kiveton), silver cake basket;
Master Ashley Snowden, glass dish;
Mr Smith (Glenbuck), cut glass and silver salt cellars and
illustrated scotch songs;
Messrs Smith and Hebron (North House), cheque;
Miss Smith (North House), cheque;
Miss A Smith (Bradford), copper crumb brush and tray;
Miss A Smith (Retford), sideboard cloth and table centre.
Melancholy postscript: Unsuprisingly, given that Harold and Janet
were born in 1885, they are now dead. They are buried in Harthill
graveyard. They had no children, so I guess their story ended in this quiet corner of an English village cemetary.