LADY ANNE WELLESLEY'S WEDDING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21951, 12 May 1933, Page 15

LADY ANNE WELLESLEY'S WEDDING

Women took sandwiches and bottles of lemonade to St. George's, Hanover square, W.—the famous wedding church of Edwardian days—and had luncheon on the steps of the portico while they waited for the arrival of Lady Anne Wellesley, grand-daughter of the Duke of Wellington, for her marriage there to Lord Dynevor's son, the Hon. David Rhys. The Duke of Wellington, who is 84, was a guest at the wedding (says a social writer in the Daily Mail). The crowds began to assemble about noon, and by 1 o'clock the pavement opposite the church was lined three and four deep for 100 yards by sightseers,, and men and women stood shoulder to shoulder in a dense mass ou the church steps and under the portico. Traffic from Regent street and the direction of Bond street was delayed, and mounted police patrolled the road in front of the church for two hours to keep a clear course for cars and pedestrians. The greatest difficulty arose after the wedding when, all the guests having left for the reception, women and girls rushed to the church doors in the hope of being allowed to see the exquisite floral decorations.

Fortunately, the church caretakers were prepared for this, and after a score of people had pushed their way in the doors were closed.

Women pleaded for admission, rapped on the panels, and did everything they could to attract attention and force those inside to open the doors. Police were quickly summoned and took'charge of the situation, preventing the rush on the entrance which was being planned. Altogether 40 policemen were on duty, and, the front of the church cleaned, they (iiiickly dispersed the crowds in the roadway.

Lady Anne bad a violet wedding. A petite figure in her beautiful satin gown, her dark hair curling round her face, and a happy smile on her lips, she carried a posy of white violets grown at Strathfieldsaye, her parents' home in Berkshire. Violets were embroidered on her wedding gown, and her train was carried by a baby bridesmaid in a Parma violet velvet frock, with a bunch of violets in her chubby little hands. A procession of bridesmaids in similar frocks followed her up the aisle, aud at the chance] steps was a carpet of sweetsmelling English violets, their heads nodding on their slender stalks as they swayed in their bed of moss. Sightseers were almost hysterical when Lady Anne left the church with her husband. Cheer after cheer was raised, there were shouting and waving of handkei-chiefs, and some minutes elapsed before the wedded pair were able to enter their car and drive away.