LONDON’S DUCAL LANDLORD TAKES ANOTHER BRIDE

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7201, 26 April 1930, Page 14

LONDON’S DUCAL LANDLORD TAKES ANOTHER BRIDE

TENANTS APPLAUD

.tn the board room of the offices of WestminstCfr Guardians on February 20 took place the wedding of Mias Loelia Ponsonby, the 28-year-old daughter of Sir Frederick Ponsonby, Treasurer to the King and Keeper of the Privy Purse to the Puke of Westminster. The usually austere room that day resembled a cosy study in fcho Duke's homo. A rich red pile carpot covered the floor, and in the big old-world grate blazed a log fire. In the centre of the room was a small table over which was a cloth of deepest red. A silver inkstand bearing the ducal coronet and the letter W had been placed on the table. The inkstand was presented to the guardians as a souvenir of the wedding. Beside it wore quill pens with which the register was signed. In exquisite lustre bowls of old gold anemones—the fragrant flowers of the disappearing winter —brought their brave colours to lend brightness to the scene. Thoro were two Jacobean armchairs for the Duke and his bride. They had Ted plush scats in harmony with the carpet. All the furniture came from the Duke’s town mansion.

Thore never was such a crowd for a wedding, says one of the London newspapers. Many of the people in it had waited since before daybreak to mako euro of seeing the bride. They had arrived in limousines, tarn-cabs, on bicycles, on foot. It was very cold. They did not care. There was a piercing wind. They did not care. They wanted to see the wedding—and they did. And after hours of patient waiting the bridal couple came. First came the Duke of Westminster. Ho drove up smiling and walked up the steps of the register office accompanied by his daughter, Lady Ursula Filmer-Sankey, and Mr Winston Churchill. He walked up the steps bareheaded amid the cheers of the crowd. Many of them were his own tenants—who had been forgiven a week's rent in celebration of the wedding. At five past eleven Miss Ponsonby and her father arrived in a large motor car. Miss Ponsonby, looking very tall and slender in a frock and coat of velvet, so finely checked in gold and black that it looked almost like a cloth of gold, stepped out of the car, and smiled & little nervously but very graciously at. the women pressing forward to see her. They pressed against the car, leaned on the window, and waved a tumultuous greeting.

Police Press Back Crowd. Very, very slowly the car nosed its way to the register office doors. A dozen police had to force pack the crowd until the door of the bride s car could be opened. Then, tall and dark *ith a slow smile, she walked with her father, Sir Frederick Ponson* ,v to where’ the Duke was waiting. A Duble row of costly pearls hung from er nwk. The cold air was an unwelmo contrast after the warmth of the ,• tt nd she pullod her coat of beige .J vet tightly round her. _ Pinned to this oat was a cluster of wino-coloured orchids. , . The room where the pair were married is one one which is used exclusive-

Football is growing rapidly in Germany, where about 24,000 teams last Season played half a million games. Public houses in London close at 10 p.m. except in Westminster and Hob born. These districts have an extra honr, as they are regarded, as the pleasare centres.

Juke, of Westminster Marries Again

ly for meetings of the Westminster Board of Guardians. The rojfistmr sat in the chairman’s seat, and the relatives of the bride and bridegroom wore at the guardians' table. After Miss Ponsonby entered the register room the women in the crowd broke their ranks and surged forward. The mounted polico pressed them back, but it was some timo before order was restored.

The ceremony occupied about ten minutes. In low, clear tones, Miss Ponsonby repeated after the registrar the formula of the ceremony. The Duko made his response in a strong voice. A Boar of Cheering. ■When the Duchess of Westminster and her husband reappeared at the door of tho register offico tho crowd broke into a simultaneous roar of cheering. Tho cheering continued for fivo minutes as thte car containing- the couple made its way through tho packed length of Prince’s Bow; thoro were cheers, too, in Buckingham Palace Load.

The Duke and Duchess drove to Sir Frederick Ponsonby's rooms at St. Janies’ Palace, whero a reception was held to which only a few intimate frionds wero invited. Few people were at tho palaco to see them arrive, and as the Duke helped his bride from the car he said, “Well, hero wo arc; that was soon over. ’’ The bride and bridegroom cut the throe-ticrcd wedding cake, which was decorated with red camellias.

The reception lasted for threequarters of an hour, and at noon the bride and bridegroom drove to Wcst- , minster Pier. A large crowd had assembled at tho pier, where a motor launch, t-ho Bluo Moon, was waiting to take tho Duko and Duchess down the river to Deptford, whore tho Duke’s steam yacht, Gutty Sark, was waiting for them. The Dowager Duchess _of Westminster, who was at the pier, kissed tho bride goodbye. Down the River at Pull Speed.

The Duko took his seat at the wheel of tho launch, and cautioned his bride to step warily in getting into tho boat. The mooring ropes were at once cast off, and, making a wide sweep, the Duke piloted tho launch down tho river at full speed. Tho Cutty Sark was moored in midThames. Throughout the _ morning steam was kept up. The dining cabin was decorated with a profusion of mauve-coloured tulips, and the tables wore laid in preparation for a meal. When the launch arrived at the Cutty Sark tho Duchess stopped out first and ran up the gangway two steps at a time to the deck. Tho yacht sailed next day for Bordeaux, where tho honeymoon was spent. The bride gave a pleasant surprise to the spinster friends whom she entertained on the eve of her wedding. After ■her guests had viewed her many presents she threw open the doors of her wardrobe and invited them to help themselves.- Many went away the richer by mono than one lovely frock.