Maria and the Bellasis Family 19

I can’t wait to write about the wedding I went to in Torquay. If I write it down I won’t forget any of the details to share with Sister Francis.

I went down on the train and was met by my brother Lewin. I stayed with him and Kattie and their huge family at their beautiful home, Lavrockbere, quite near Torquay.

The wedding was between Fredrick Tristran Welman and Mary Ray. They know Lewin’s family through the church, and also Tristran is the star player (wicket keeper) on the Marylebone Cricket club with which Lewin is also involved. He is 34, and his bride, who is a good friend of their eldest daughter Mary Lucy, is 23.

The service was at the Church of the Assumption. The sanctuary was decorated in exotic plants, and the altar with roses. The floor was carpeted throughout with crimson cloth. In front of the altar rail were two prie dieu’s decorated in white satin for the couple to kneel on during the service.

Kattie led her pretty little sons Francis and Wilfred decked out in red cassocksand white surpluses. They sat to one side in the sanctuary.

Then came the bridesmaid’s in two pairs – the groom’s sisters and then Mary's best
friends.

Blanche and Annette Welman wore cream silk dresses with Marie Antoinette hats made out of
ruby velvet.

Miss Talbot and our Mary Lucy wore pale blue silk draped with coffee coloured lace and
Henry II hats trimmed with pale blue velvet and coffee coloured plumes. All the bridesmaids had been given jewelled crosses which they were wearing. Mary Lucy is the daughter of Lewin’s first wife, Mary Talbot but she considers Kattie as her real mother.

The bride wore rich cream satin with a bodice of velvet. Bunches of orange blossom were
tied to her skirt. She had a veil of tulle and wore beauful diamonds, a present from her husband to be.

The celebrants were Rev. Father Bede and Rev Father Charles. There were 8 acolytes,
including Charles, Edward, Philip, and Vincent Bowring – our nephews.

The wedding march by Mendelssohn was played.

The porch and steps were strewn with flowers by girls from the adjoining school.

After the service 40 of the guests were taken to Astwell for a sit down breakfast. It didn’t include me, or my sister Edith, or Mrs. Bellasis senior, or Miss Clare Bellasis – Kattie’s unmarried sister. And in factit didn’t include Kattie, although Lewin and Mary Lucy were invited.

They told us later that a telegram was read out from the Pope Pius IX himself. With his papal blessing to both Tristan and Mary. I hadn’t realised but Kattie told me that Tristan had served as a Papal Zouaves in 1868-69. That is sort of like a papal guard at the Vatican City. They were of
use during a struggle with the agents who were trying to establish Italian Unification.

Mary's going away dress was of gold cashmere with matching velvet ribbons. They had
left by early afternoon for their honeymoon.

The paper made a listing of all their presents but I will only mention those from
family members.

Lewin gave them a large silver breakfast serving tray. Mrs. Bellais gave them a group
of figurines with a floral theme. Kattie gave them a silver collerette and brooch of Indian workmanship. And a silver bracelet from me, with matching earrings from my sister Edith. We had to
laugh to hear about a silver spider brooch given by Baby Ignatius Bowring.

It was so lovely to meet up with some my family and the Bellasis family and get to know
Mother Francis’s sister and mother who enjoyed me telling them allI could about her.