Wedding: Edgar Hewett and Miss Harrington

The wedding of Lieutenant Edgar Alfred Robert Hewett, only son of Mr and Mrs Alfred Hewett, of Woodlands, Swanley, and Miss Ethel May Harrington, eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs Samuel Harrington, of Hextable, Swanley, took place very quietly at Hanover Square W., on Wednesday 5th, inst. The bride was married in her going-away costume of navy blue with black velvet hat, and shortly after the conclusion of the ceremony the bride and bridegroom left for Brighton, where the honeymoon is being spent. Mr Edgar Hewett saw war service for…

Wedding of Mason & Lovely

Mr T.G. Mason and Miss Valerie Lovely Mr Thomas George Mason, only son of Mr and Mrs J.T. Mason, of 321 Warminster Road, Sheffiled, was married on Saturday at Shortlands Parish Church to Miss Valerie Lovely, second daughter of Mr and Mrs P.T. Lovely, of Kingsleigh, Westmoreland Road, BRomley. The ceremony was performed by the Vicar, the Rev. J.F. Thornhill, M.A., Lieutenant Anthony Joyce was the best man.  The bride, who was given away by her father, wore a gown of ivory satin brocade with coronet of orange blossom.  She…

Wedding of Dr. Doobie & Miss Schooling

Dr David N. Dobbie and Miss H.E.M. Schooling Interest was aroused in Bromley on Saturday by the Wedding at St Mary’s Church, College Road, of Dr. David Noble Dobbie, of this town (now Captain, R.A.M.C.), son of Mr and Mrs David Dobbie, of Edinburgh, to Miss Hazel Eva Margaret Schooling, daughter of Councillor and Mrs Lionel Schooling, of Rosewood, Bromley, and granddaughter of the later Mr and Mrs F. Schooling of Holly Dene, Beckenham Lane. The bride’s parents are among the best known residents of Bromley, and she herself is…

Rifleman Robert Leo Rockall: Wedding

Mr R.L. Rockall and Miss Elsie L. Williams The wedding took place on Saturday at St Mary’s Church, Plaistow, of a well-known local sportsman, Mr. Robert Leo Rockall (now Rifleman, Royal Ulster Rifles), third son of Mr and MRs B. Rockall, of 20 Gilbert Road, Bromley, to Miss Elsie Lilian Williams, youngest daughter of Mrs T.H. Williams, for many years resident at 8 Florence Road, Bromley, now of 20 Arundel Drive, South Harrow, Middlesex. The Rev. W.R. Crichton officiated, and Mr Leslie Ellis, the organist, played Mendelssohn’s Wedding March, with…

Leading Aircraftman Harold Lidster: Wedding

L/A/C Lidster and Miss M. Fitch The wedding took place at St Luke’s Church on Saturday,  August 30, of L/A/C Harold Lidster, R.A.F., eldest son of Mr and Mrs Lidster. of Rugby, and Miss Margaret Fitch eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs Fitch of 13 Clarence Rad, Bickley. Canon Hassard Short, Vicar, officiate. The bride, who was given away by her father, wore a dress of ivory ninon with a long veil held in place by a pearl head-dress.  Her bouquet was of pale pink roses and white heather.  The…

Gunner Sydney Bax: Wedding

A member of an old Bromley family was married at St John’s, Eden Park, on Saturday, when the bridegroom was Mr Sidney Bax (now Gunner, R.A.), eldest son of Mr and Mrs S. Bax, of The Cottage, 11 Upper Park Road, Bromley, and the bride , Miss Gwendoline Prior, second eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs W. Prior, of 338 Upper Elmers End Road, Beckenham.  The Rev. W. J. Berry, M.A., officiated, and appropriate music was played before and after the ceremony, the hymn, “O Perfect Love,” being sung during…

Mooney & Cooney

The Canadian soldiers and airmen were very popular with the girls of the area . I don’t know whether the girls are ‘snapping up’ the boys or the boys are ‘snapping up ‘ the girls. There were a lot of such marriages during the war years. Captain John Hodgson Mooney was born in 1914.  He was later Lieutenant-Colonel, E.D.,C.D. of Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery & Canadian Army Intelligence Corps.  He died in 2000. Mollie (sometimes spelt Molly) Eileen Cooney was born on the 4th December 1920.  After their marriage…

Henry Euler and Miss Jane Bowl

It is such a wonderful moment in family history research when you stumble upon an article, such as a marriage or obituary, where it can either help fill in a missing puzzle piece in a family tree, or provide further information about the family and help lead you down another avenue of research. Whilst creating my Military Ancestors database, I also recorded all the weddings that appeared.  One such wedding was of a Lieutenant Henry Leonard Euler, who was in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve to Miss Jane Elizabeth Bowl…

Refugee Wedding: Pittock-Buss to Gross

Geoffrey Pittock-Buss was born in Croydon in 1919, the son of civil servant James John Adam Pittock-Buss (1885–1962) and Marion May Battishall (1881–1961), who was a professional singer. He attended Whitgift School in South Croydon between 1931-35, before starting a career in journalism and publishing. He set up the New Vision Publishing Company and in 1944 published Vera Brittain’s “Seeds of Chaos: What Mass Bombing Really Means” for the Bombing Restriction Committee. He edited or worked on local newspapers in Kent and south London as well as The Illustrated London…

The Wedding of Rodney Russell and Nancy Tapper

The second world war saw a sudden increase in weddings, mostly likely due to the uncertainty of what lay ahead and for those anxious to formalise their relationship. There was also, no doubt, a need for hope and joy, so these men and women overcame a variety of obstacles including bombs and rationing with ingenuity to make their way to the altar. The marriage of Sub-Lieutenant Russel and Miss Tapper took place in March 1941, and was described as a quiet wedding “befitting war-time.” More examples of wonderful War Time…