CROWDS RUSH CHURCH

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 418, 28 July 1928, Page 10

CROWDS RUSH CHURCH

FOUR SISTERS MARRIED AT SAME TIME CEREMONY HELD IN BABEL London held no prouder mother than Mrs. Burder, who owns a trait store at Hackney, when her four daughters were together married to four young men at Shoreditch Parish Church amid scenes which for enthusiasm put fashionable weddings in the West End in the shade. The couples were:— Miss Nora and Mr. Arthur Wood. Miss Annie and Mr. Charlie Philpott. Miss Emmie anti Mr. Alfred Mancliie. Miss Marie and Mr. Robert Chandler. Thousands of spectators assembled long before the arrival of the bridal parties.

They blocked the road, pavement and churchyard. Men. boys and girls climbed the railings and hung from perilous positions, while mothers with tiny babies and young children in their arms pushed and struggled. As the bridal cars, decorated with huge horseshoes of white and pink flowers, drew up it was with difficulty that a strong cordon of police could clear a way for the brides. But the moment the police withdrew a rush was made by the crowd, and melt, women and children were lifted off their feet and swept into the church.

Two constables were swept along one was pushed into a window in the door. He put his arm through it, bruising himself badly. Ceremony in a Babel The people who succeeded in entering the church ran down tlie aisles, climbed on to the altar rails in a side chapel, stood on the pews, climbed on the font, and rushed up to the organ lofts where the organist was doing his utmost to drown the pandemonium. Babies screamed, and people shouted, laughed, and waved to each other from end to end of the church. When the vicar, the Rev. F. E. Birch, entered, he stood amazed. He tried

, to speak, but his voice could not heard, so, going round to the » j chapel, he ordered the people to dir* down, and insisted on order before fc* would consent to proceed with ttservice. But silence only neigned for » minute, and the ceremony took p» i in a babel. It was nearly an hour after the wedding before the couples left church, preceded by police, and to U 1 music of a peal of church bells. Tb* drove to a hall, where a reception** 4 given. A picture of the four brides wr: their respective husbands was pt> ! lished in The Sun recently.