大象传媒

This contribution to People鈥檚 War was received by the Action Desk at 大象传媒 Radio Cleveland and submitted to the website by Jane Tombling, with the permission and on behalf of Hilda Morley.

When my boyfriend came home from Italy in January 1944, he took me to Yorkshire to meet his parents. He was 22 and I was 18. The parents thought we were too young to marry so agreed to us getting engaged. On the way back to the South of England (my home being in Kent) we decided we wanted to marry, as Lawrence (my boyfriend) feared he would be sent abroad again for the invasion of France.

It was suggested we went to see the local Vicar about getting a Special Licence. This we did, Rev Evan Hopkins of St James Church Tunbridge Wells was very helpful, but as I was under age we needed to see the Registrar of All England in London. The Registrar just happened to be Rev Hopkins鈥� brother-in-law, so he rang his office in Westminster and on 9th February 1944 we travelled up to 1, The Sanctuary, Westminster in London to see the Registrar.

The day before we had rallied round a few friends and found a lovely white wedding outfit, complete with shoes, stockings etc. A bouquet was made for me from pink tulips (all we could find at that time of year). We had to find a best man and someone to give me away. Lawrence had a friend who was a captain in the Royal Engineers, stationed in Sevenoaks, about ten miles away, so we went there and he agreed to do the honours. While we were there we bought the ring (Utility 29/9d). My boss at work (The Board of Trade) offered to give me away. All settled and we arrived back in Tunbridge Wells, complete with licence for the service at 2pm.

All went well, until I started to walk up the aisle and my stockings started to slip down. I whispered to Mr Merchant (my boss) 鈥淭hey鈥檙e coming down鈥�. He thought I meant my panties and said 鈥淣ever mind I鈥檒l put them in my pocket鈥�. It didn鈥檛 happen and the service over and a little reception, then off to Portsmouth for our honeymoon. 鈥淭hey tried to say we were too young鈥濃��.. But the marriage lasted 54 years.

The sequel was, my Grand-daughter Samantha, went to Newcastle University and met another Samantha who had a Grandfather names Mr Merchant, who used to tell people of the day he gave one of his young ladies from work away at her wedding and her panties fell down. It was one of his 鈥減arty jokes鈥�. Unfortunately he had died before I found this out but I鈥檓 sure he would have been delighted to know that the marriage had lasted so long.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.