THE NEW BISHOP.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1189, 14 December 1894, Page 13

THE NEW BISHOP.

PARTICULARS OF HIS WEDDING. A BRILLIANT CEREMONY. From Our Special Correspondent. v London, November 3. The marriage of the Rev F. Wallis, the Bishop - elect of Wellington, to Miss Williams, of Brideliead, was, as I announced would be the case, a very smart affair, and duly took place on Tuesday week. Like yourselves I have not seen the new Bishop yet, but his portrait represents a well set-up and seemingly broadshouldered young man, with a full and rather chubby face, a firm mouth and chin, and a pleasant expression. Head-and-shoulders cartes-de-visite are, however, so misleading that I should not care to answer for any of the above attributes. At present Mr Wallis naturally looks more the chaplain than the Bishop, I am told, but time will cure this, and his Lordship should soon furnish out into an Impressive ensample of the robust episcopal evangelist.

Mrs Wallis is a slim, refined-looking lady of perhaps five-and-twenty, with (I am told) a charming manner. Her father is one of the magnates of the county which Thomas Hardy has depicted for us so graphically in his Wessex novels, and no folks are better beloved in the Bridport district than Colonel and Mrs Williams, of Bridehead, and their daughters. They have always been staunch church workers in the diocese of Salisbury, and it was of course at the Palace Miss Margaret Emily Jane Williams (known to all her friends as "Daisy ”) met her future husband. - Miss “Daisy” and her two sisters have from earliest childhood been immense favourites with the Wessex folk, and as the wedding took place at St. Michael’s and All Angels, Bridehead, they were able to show their regard for the bride in (amongst other things) triumphal arches, no fewer than four of which marked the short drive from Colonel Williams’ lodge gates to the church. These bore such inscriptions as “ Welcome,” “ God bless them both,” “ Blessed be their going out,” “ Blessed be their coming in,” “ God bless the union ” and “ Mizpah.” The steps and path through the churchyard were laid with crimson cloth, and the church itself was smothered in rare blossoms. The chancel presented a specially effective appearance, the east window being banked with white lilies, and bedded with moss,

in the midst of which a beautiful cross of dahlias and chrysanthemums was arranged. The other windows likewise overflowed with white flowering plants. THE CEREMONY. The time fixed for the ceremony was 11.30, but long before that hour the church and churchyard were filled to overflowing. The bridegroom, wearing ordinary clerical attire, and not, as ignorant sightseers fondly hoped, the episcopal apron and gaiters (which will first be donned in his diocese), arrived punctually. He was accompanied by Mr C. E. Broughton, as best man, and the smart company gazed -benevolently on the Bishop-elect. The officiating clergymen next put in an appearance, and they were numerous, for- a bishop cannot be (excuse my vulgarity) “ turned off ” like a mere workaday man. First came Canon Gildea (Vicar of Netherbury and uncle of the bride), then Archdeacon Sowter (carrying the pastoral staff), and finally your coming visitor the LordBishop of Salisbury, and Mr Wallis’ old college chief, the Dean of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge (the Rev A. Knight). The congregation rose to receive them, and a few moments were spent in silent prayer. :v In the meantime, the people outside the church thickly lined each side of the path awaiting the. coming of the bride, and when she appeared on the arm of her father, Colonel Williams, who gave her away, the sight was one long to be remembered. Her dress was of rich ivory satin duchesse; the bodice, of full satin, was trimmed with Honiton lace, given by Sir John and Lady Kennaway, and a chemisette of mousselihe chiffon ; large satin sleeves to the elbow with ruffles of the same lace. The- full long train skirt was draped in front with Honiton lace, worn by Lady Emily Williams at her marriage, one corner being fastened on the right side of the bodice and falling to tho hem of the skirt, where it finished with a spray of orange blossoms, another spray fastening it on the left side. Her veil of Honiton lace was the 'same as worn by the bride’s mother at her wedding. Tbe bride’s little brother, Master Philip Williams, dressed in a velvet suit, acted as page and carried her train. She was also accompanied by ten bridesmaids—Misses Mary, Rachel and Rhoda Williams (sisters of the bride), Miss- Edith Wallis (sister of the bridegroom), Miss Edwards, Miss Marion Gildea (cousins of -the bride), Miss Kennaway, Miss Mary Abbott, Miss Rachel Bond, and Miss Prances Stewart, who were dressed in cream silk, trimmed with heather velvet and cream lace, light tan straw hats trimmed with tulle afid heather, pale tan shoes, stockings, and gloves. They wore pearl bangles, and bouquets,. the gift of the bridegroom. As the bride entered the church the choir and congregation sang the hymn: “Now thank we all our God.” The Bishop and clergy received- the party at the chancel, and as all knelt, this bevy of fair ladies, reaching far up the aisle, presented a picture which many an, artist would have doted upon. Such an array of costly dress, of exactly the same tints and patterns, is seldom seen. The Bishop took the first and the Rev Canon Gildea the latter part of the service. The responses of both bride and bridegroom were clearly audible to all present. The Psalm “ Blessed are all they that fear the Lord” was chanted by the choir.

The Bishop, at the conclusion of the service, gave a short, touching address. The hymn “ Thine for Ever ! God of Love ” was then sung, and the service was concluded by His Lordship pronouncing the blessing upon them as follows:—“The Lord bless and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto ym, the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you and give you peace, now and for evermore.” . .... ; v

The wedding breakfast was served in the good old fashion in the dining-room at Bridehead, 80 guests being present, and at the same time about '2OO of the tenantry and villagers sat down to a big dinner in a tent erected in the grounds. Here, of course, there was enthusiastic toastdrinking. Mr Birkinshaw/ (agent to Colonel Williams) proposed the “Bride and Bridegroom ” and “ Colonel and Mrs Williams and family.” Mr Wallis replied briefly, and the Colonel contented himself and his guests with a hearty “ Thank you.” During the afternoon there was a reception to enable the county folk to the number of several hundreds to pay their respects to the Bishop-elect and Mrs Wallis. Fortunately the afternoon was fine and the grounds were thronged. At last came the hour of departure, and concerning this I must really allow the reporter of the Bridport News (who spread himself out nobly over, five columns) to give you an example of his felicitous style : —“ Quite a galaxy of beauty thronged the halls, and the bride went through the trying ordeal of affectionate ‘ good-byes ’ most bravely. The Lord Bishop of the diocese seemed remarkably . active, for his venerable broad-brimmed hat could be seen moving about in the thickest of the throng, and, if hats have any relationship, we should say its first cousin, that of the genial Archdeacon, was also recognised here, there and everywhere. There were introductions, farewells and mutual greetings, and hours seemed suddenly pushed into moments. The lovely plants and flowers in the entrance hall must have been somewhat crushed by the numbers who crowded hither and thither. The hand-shakings and parting farewells lasted some time, and it can readily be under- 1 stood that when the final ‘ good-bj e ’ came with those so near and dear to each other the affections of the heart found vent in silent tears. However, all felt the future to be a bright and happy one, and as the bride, who wore as her going-away dress a French grey cloth trimmed with white moirk, and a grey felt hat with velvet to match and into the

they were greeted with showers of rice. A cheer went up, and as the noble horses Swept along the carriage drive the band played the lively air '* Daisy Bell/ This was certainly a happy idea, as the bride’s pet name is ‘Daisy’ and the air is a favourite one with her. She was evidently touched, for she stood up in the carriage and waved her handkerchief to the band in recognition. A pair of old shoes were tied behind the carriage as an omen of good lixck.” Omitting the anti-climax of the “pair of old shoes tied behind the carriage” (a

joke the humour of which was not improbably obscure to Mr and Mrs Wallis), the Bridport gentleman of the press is to be congratulated on the whole passage. Mr and Mrs Wallis drove first into Dorchester (Hardy’s “Casterbridge ”), and then proceeded to Wells. They sail, as you know, by the Ormuz, and will join her, accompanied by the Bishop of Salisbury, at Naples on the 26th. Colonel and Mrs Williams accompany the party to Naples to see them off. They are due in New Zealand early in January. WEDDING PRESENTS.

The wedding presents number about 500, and it will cost a pretty penny to convey thorn to New'Zealand. The master and fellows of Gonville and Caius presented Mr Wallis with a silver dessert service, and the Dorchester Young Men’s Christian Association gave him a smartly fitted dressing bag, the College servants sent a silver toast raelc, and ton Cambridge friends a silver inkstand. The inhabitants of Winterbourne Abbas for warded Mrs Wallis a set of carvers, the inhabitants of Littlebredy a silver inkstand and rack, Lady Emily Williams’ servants a silver inkstand, and the Bridehead tenants and servants silver photo frames and salt cellars. From the nature of the prodigious list, I should say the presents represented more love and regard and less conventional courtesy than is usually the case. One of the gifts the bridegroom will not improbably value very greatly is a paperknife made from the wood of Milton’s mulberry tree and presented to him by Constables Mason and Kirby, of Christ’s College, Cambridge.