Tuesday 9th April

“A Victorian Wedding Revisited”, talk by Rachel Midgley,  Curator and Jane Hellebrand, Assistant Curator.

The Friends had an informative and interesting talk about the wedding dress of  bride: Sarah Ann Fletcher (1820-1904), daughter of Richard Fletcher, butcher of Bury and groom: James William Kenyon (1819-1910), linen draper in Bury.  His father was an Innkeeper.

Sarah and James married at Bury Parish Church on 27th March 1844; they were married for almost sixty years and had four daughters.  

Last year the Textiles Collection put the wedding items on display in Bury Parish Church 

Rachel telling everyone about the wedding dress and the waistcoat worn by the groom.

James wore his wedding waistcoat again on his 80th birthday.  We only know about this as his obituary, in the Bury Guardian, mentions him wearing the waistcoat to dance the Lancers with his wife - a pretty energetic dance for an 80 year old and his 79 year old wife.

The waistcoat can be seen behind with the brides hat on a stand.  

The items being examined.  

The dress and its cape in the background - a chocolate coloured fabric with toning braids.  

They look very well made items.  

Their great great grandson, Mike, came to hear the talk about his ancestors.