PERSONAL NOTES FROM HOME.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18380, 13 May 1925, Page 2

PERSONAL NOTES FROM HOME.

GOSSIP ABOUT NEW

ZEALANDERS.

(from; oub own correspondent.)

LONDON, April 7.

Miss V. Oppenheim (late of Queen Mary's Hospital, Hanmer Springs) is at present. attached to the private nursing staff of .the; Queen "Victoria Memorial Hospital at Nice. She intends returning to London in May. Mrs A. D. Houston (Christchurch) has left London on a visit to Somerset.

Mrs Eleanor Hughes (formerly of Christchurch) has recently sold a .water colour drawing to the Corporation Gallery at Oldham, entitled "Sauveterre-de-Bearfi." Mrs Hughes,' who is still •living in Cornwall, is hoping to visit the Pyrenees again this spring. Miss E. Eydings (Christchurch) arrived in England by the Moldavia at the beginning of March and is making her headquarters at .Oldham. Miss Ryclings came up to London this week for a short visit, and she was present at the House of Commons at an interesting debate. On Friday night shea guest at the Primrose League banquet, at which there were some notable speakers, including the Earl of Birkenhead and Sir W. Joynson-Hicks. Miss Rydings intends to be back in New Zealand in time for the spring. She. will travel via Canada.

The New Zealand friends of Lady Dorothy Wood will regretto bear that she has been laid up with German measles. Fortunately, however, the attack proved to be quite slight, and she hopes to leave London shortly to recuperate at Garrowby,- her home in Yorkshire. Referring to the Hon. E. F. L. Wood and Lady Dorothy, the "Evening Standard' remarks: "Mr Edward Wood, who is the member for Ripon, is one of the most popular men in the whole of Yorkshire. . A little while ago' he dropped the title 'Honourable,' to which he is, entitled ,■ as Lord Halifax's eldest son, and it was even rumoured that Lady Dorothy had expressed a desire to be known simply as 'Mrs Edward Wood.' I never heard., the wish,- if it was ever expressed, being respected. In any case, she is so well knowa to an extraordinarily large circle of friends and admirers as. Lady Dorothy, -that Mrs Wood could r.ever become a familiar appellation." A marriage will take place on April 22nd. at Rrompton Parish Church, be-' tween Peter Webster Adams, son of 1 Mr and Mrs H. Percy Adams? of 7 "Knightsbridge, and The Old Rectory, Felpham, Bognor,. and Florence Guendolen Wright," daughter of the late John Wright, of Dunedin, and Mrs Lawrence Pepys Cockerell. Relative to the' approaching retirement head, mistress of Wycombe Abbey, the "Evening, News'\ has the following appreciatory comment to make regarding* Miss Wliitelaw: "There is regret all round at Wycombe Abbey School. I am told, at t»»e propspect of Miss Whitelaw's retirement after the summer term. Tins New Zealand woman has been headmistress there for 15; years, and' the warm admiration you hear of her spoken by 'old girls' sticks in tie memory. Hie is immensely 'popular, because everything that goes cm in the school really interests her, • and she is a woman o"f unusual vitality. Many scholastic distinctions have been . gaineoL in. the school in her time. Wycombe Abbey, like several of the present-day girls' schools in the first flight,. is as near in spirit to the big public schools as one could wish. A victory for one's house at lawn tennis, cricket, hockey, or lacrosse is as much prized as at' Eton or Harrow, and' inter-school. matches are great .events'. Otherv lse, the' old manor house of -Loake's Manor which used -to belong to the Marquess of Lincolnshire' is not Tery like a school in appearance, standing .as it does in a beautiful park in the Chiltern Hills country. Pitt, the younger, slept at,"Wycombe • Abbey in ,1806 as tbe . guest of i Lord Shelburne, and Disraeli and Gladstone enjoyed its hospitality when Lord Carrington had it. So it.is a house with a history."

MARRIAGE. St. Mary's (Mcrivalc) Parish Magazine for May has the following:— It is quite natural that the friends of the bride and bridegroom should be given opportunity to join in the service, and that there should be a function afterwards. We arc all members one of another, and it is naturat to have our special friends and to have them', around us when we get married. Two at least there must be to act as witnesses.

Bui there's danger in the "big" marriage (we are not thinking of any particular wedding); the danger of the social side looming too large. A wedding should not be a lugubrious affair. It has an element of sadness for the parents, but the note of joy should be dominant.' And yet the solemnity of the occasion must not be lost sight of. "Marriage is an honourable estate . . . and signifies the mystical union betwixt Christ and His Church." It is not, therefore, by any to be entered into "unadvisedly, lightly or. wantonly, but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly and in the fear of God." Christian marriage is a sacramental rite, not merely a legal contract. When two people come to church to be married, they are told that they arc "made one." (Many refuse to believe that even death has any power to break that unity.) "Thoscwhom God hath joined together, let no man put asunder." So marriage is a very solemn thing, though joyous. It is natural enough to decorate the church and to drink the health of the happy couple, but "marriage is a holy estate" and God's presence must not be forgotten or ignored. Communion is more important than confetti.

During the last twelve months we have had 22 weddings at St. Mary's.

WEDDINGS.

VIVIAN—WILKIE,

A pretty wedding was solemnised recently at St. Saviour's Church, Sydenham, when Albert, fourth son of Mr and Mrs J. Vivian, Eiccarton, was marTied to Jessie, eldest daughter of Mrs and the la to Mr Alexander Wilkie. The officiating minister was the Eev. Canon Mutter, and Mr Hoskin prsided at the organ. The bride, who entered the church on the arm .of Mr W. Hobbs, of Templeton, by whom she was given away, wore a charming gown of ivory marocain caught on the side with a silver ornament, and trimmings of pearls, and long Her embroidered veil fell in graceful fold's to the hem of her frock from a coronet of orange blossoms, and she carried a beautiful bouquet of white.and pink flowers. Miss Marjorie and Miss Eveline Wilkie, sisters of the bride, attended as bridesmaids, the former wearing an attractive frock of mauve figured marocain, . with georgette sleeves, and touches of silver, a veil to match of mauve tulle held with a beaded band. She carried a dainty bouquet. Miss Eveline Wilkie wore a frock of apricot figured marocain with georgette sleeves and silver ornaments, and 'an apricot tulle veil held wtih a spray of. silver leaves. She carried a bouquet to tone with her frock. Two small flower-girls, Edna Wilkie, youngest sister of the bride, and Thelma Hobbs, of Templeton, were also in attendance. The former wore a quaint little frock of powderblue satin, 'with ah overdress of radium net, with pink and blue rosebud trimmings and streamers, and Thelma Hobbs wore shell-pink'satin with overdress of radium net and rosebud' trimmings. Both little girls, wore pink and,blue hair bands, and carried baskets, beautifully decorated, with coloured flowers and Ipng.Btreamers. • The bridegroom was attended by his cousin, Mr George Dawkins, as best man, and Mr Keith Wilkie, brother of the bride, as grooms- 1 man.

After the ceremony a reception was held in the Oriental Tea Booms, Manchester street, where the tables were decorated, with autumn flowers. Mrs Wilkie, mother of the bride, wore a nig-ger-brown braided costume," marabout stole, and brown hat, and carried a bouquet of apricot flowers. Later the bride and bridegroom left by motor on their wedding tour, the bride wearing a navy tailored costume and a smart little hat.of nigger-brown, with fur and Oriental trimmings. An enjoyable evening was spent later at the residence of the bride's mother, Mowbray street, Waltham.

GOLDEN WADDING. Mr and Mrs T. B. Coburn, old and highly respected residents of Christchurch, celebrated their golden wedding in Hibernian Hall recently,, when members and old friends of the family came to offer their hearty congratulations and good wishes. The guests sat down to a sumptuous wedding breakfast, the bride and bridegroom of fifty years ago occupying the seats of honour. A wedding cake' beautifully decorated in white and gold was cut by the bride, and the" toast of the bride and bridegroom proposed by a very old friend, Mr A. McConchie, was most enthusiastically drunk. The bridegroom suitably responded. Other toasts were honoured, all of which were heartily received. A-. large gold wedding bell was suspended over the bride and bridegroom. v After' the breakfast the guests ad-, journed to the hall, which was decorated in gohWfor the occasion. Bettle's band supplied excellent music for the dancing. ' i . Mr and' Mrs Coburn were married on April 14th, 1875, by the Rev. T. Buddie, in the Wesleyen, Church, Hardy street, Nelson. They have four daughters and seven' sons, and eigh-. teen grandchildren. Mr and Mrs Coburn have lived in-the Dominion for. over forty-six years. Their present address is 449 Tuam street, Lmwood._ Mrs Coburn received her guests wearing a black silk .marocairi dress, trimmed with gold, and she carried a' beautiful bouquet of yellow roses and maidenhair fern.

Miss L. Ren nick danced to the bagpipes played by Mr A. Morris. A lucky spot waltz was won by Mrs MBurmester and Mr L. Scott. Those Mr and Mrs H. Stringer and family, Mr and Mrs~A. Hitchings and family,' Mr and Mrs F. Foulds, Mrs H. Bredis, Mr A. C. Coburn and family, Mr and Mrs A. B. Coburn, Mr and Mrs A.. F. Coburn, Mr H. Coburn, Mr R. Coburn, Mr F. Co*'>urn (Auckland), Mrs J. Neal (Nelson), Mrs- R. Campbell, Mr and Mrs T. Turner, Mrs M. Burmester,-. Mrs S/.Hassard, Mrs A. Thomas, Mrs R. Myers, Mr and Mrs A. McConchie and family, Mr. and Mrs A. H. Turner, Mr and Mrs A. Turner, Mr and Mrs P. Pearce, Mr and Mrs L. Scott, Mr and Mrs A. Roberts, Mr and Mrs A. E. Hitchings, Mr and Mrs J. McDonald, Mr and t Mrs W. iWilliams, Misses P. McConchie, N. Turner, P. Stringer, G. Stringer, 0. Emms (Nelson), L. Sharp, L. Tapling, T. Thomas,.L. Thomas. B. Thomas, L. Rennick, Messrs G. McConchie, T. Stringer, McDonald, A. Horhiblow, R. Turner, .A.-Morris, B. Sharp,. S. Turner, R. Turner. Owing-to the epidemic only a few grandchildren were "able to attend. Mr and' Mrs Coburn received a sheaf of congratulatory telegrams from near and far. ! %' '. ============== ,V""7'