A wedding in Cheltenham early in the 20th century certainly was a large and festive occasion. It also garnered an enormous number of the household items needed by newlyweds in the new century. When our Sarah Judd married Jesse Scott in Cheltenham in 1902, the local paper described the event as follows…

In the holy bonds of matrimony were married on Wednesday June 22, Miss Sarah Ellen Judd, daughter of Mr. Richard Judd (Richard Langridge) of Cheltenham and Mr. Jesse Scott, son of Mrs. L Scott of South Brighton. The esteem in which the bride’s father is held by the residents of Moorabbin, his long residence in the district and his connection with the public as an electoral officer augmented the unusual interest aroused in what unquestionably turned out to be a picturesque wedding. The Church of Christ, Cheltenham, in which the service was celebrated was most tastefully decorated – wedding bells, lilies, ageratums and festoons of white ribbon contrasting with orange, lemon and citron nesting in the glossy green foliage. Two dandy arches under which the happy pair passed gave a crowning touch of stateliness to the whole. The brides personal attractions were added to in a wonderfully conceived and prettily trimmed white lustre wedding dress with usual veil and wreath while she carried a choice floral bouquet, a gift of the bridegroom. The bridesmaids – Misses Bertha Judd (sister of the bride), Inez Judd (cousin of the bride) and Emma Scott (niece of the bridegroom) – wore cream dresses and each held a crook, ornamented with red camellias and foliage with ribbon trimmings to match. The groomsmen were – Messers Cyril Judd, Harold Judd and Reuben Penny. The Rev. Pond of the South Richmond Church Of Christ solemnised the marriage, the church being crowded with relatives, guests and onlookers. Subsequently the bride held a reception in the Mechanics Hall, Cheltenham when some 160 guests proposed their solicitations and, afterwards, sat down to a recherché nuptial feast. The toasts of the “Bride and Bridegroom”, the “Bridesmaids”, “The Parents” of the newly married couple and “The Officiating Minister” were duly observed each with musical prompts. After a brief interlude, the less serious and not less enjoyable business of the evening commenced and continued until the wee small hours when music, songs, recitations, dance and tunes lent their aid in quick succession to make the time fly by less quickly for the merry-makers. Mr. Clarence Judd achieving more than usual praise as master of ceremonies.

The incredible list of presents received by the bride was also published and has been invaluable in identifying a large number of the friends and family of the Judd family in Cheltenham at the turn of the century.

• Brides parents; handsome A.N.A. sewing machine

• The bridegrooms mother, quilts, cushions, d’Oyleys and —
• Mr. and Mrs. A.R. Judd , dinner set (Arthur Richard- son of Richard Langridge)
• Mr. and Mrs. F.M. Judd, forks and teaspoons (Frederick Morton– son of Richard Langridge)
• Mr. W.R. Judd, vases and tea tray (William Robert – son of Richard Langridge)
• Miss Georgina Judd, glass dish (10 year old daughter of Arthur and his first wife, Willamina, who died giving birth to their second daughter)
• Mr. Finger and Miss. G. Judd, cruet (Grace Evelyn, daughter of James Judd – later married Alfred Finger )
• Mr. H. E. Judd, —water jug and tumblers (Harry Edgar– son of Richard Langridge)
• Mr. W. S. Judd, alarm clock (Walter Stanley– son of Richard Langridge)
• Miss Mina Judd, ma— tidy (5 year old second daughter of Arthur and his first wife, Willamina)
• Mr. J. Judd, lamp (James  – brother of Richard Langridge)
• Mr. S. Judd, afternoon tea set (Samuel  – brother of Richard Langridge)
• Mr. C.E. Judd, water jug and —  (Cyril Egbert – nephew of Richard Langridge)
• Miss Ida Judd, hand painting (niece of Richard Langridge)
• Miss Inez Judd, biscuit barrell (niece of Richard Langridge)
• Miss L. Judd, celery bowl (Letitia – niece of Richard Langridge)
• Masters Osmund and Orlando Judd, cheese dish (nephews of Richard Langridge)
• Mr. and Mrs. W. Judd, lamp (William – brother of Richard Langridge and his wife Esther)
• Mr. and Mrs. C.S. Judd, —— (Clarence Samuel – nephew of Richard Langridge)
• Miss. Millie Judd, pair vases (Millicent – niece of Richard Langridge)
• Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Ward, white board, hand brush, box iron and fire shovel
• Mr. A. C. Penny, large vases (a local JP and councillor – boasted of missing only 4 of 300 meetings in his first 12 years as Councillor)
• Mr. R. Penny and —, set of pictures
• Mr. L. Penny and Miss M. Davie, tea set (Maggie Davie – later married Lytton Penny)
• Mr. and Mrs. L. Penny, lamp
• Miss Hilda Penny, two jam dishes
• Mr. and Mrs. W. Scott (Kensington), marble clock (bridegroom’s parents William and Lucy)
• Mr. and Mrs. N. Scott, set of —
• Miss F. Scott, preserving pan
• Mr. and Mrs. Joe Scott (Richmond), fork and spoons (bridegroom’s brother and wife)
• Miss E. Scott (Richmond), fruit dish
• The masters Scott (Richmond), photo and frame
• Mr. and Mrs. Davie, jam cake dishes (George Davie – originally from Aberdeen and his wife Jane Bain)
• Mr. R. Davie, set of jugs (Robert – brother of Mary Jane Davie)
• Mr. and Mrs. —, doz tea knives
• Mr. and Miss. Mills, jardiniere
• Mr. and Mrs. G. Stayner Jun., large cruet
• Mr. L. Clayton, cake dishes
• Mrs. Plumridge, table centre
• Mr. and Mrs. R.W. Tuck, table cloth (he – ‘secretary’ of the local Church of Christ committee; she – organist at the local Church of Christ)
• Mrs. F. Tuck, tray cloth
• Mr. and Mrs. C.A. George, table
• Mr. and Mrs. —— jardiniere?
• Mrs. W. Woff and family, solver teapot
• Miss R. and B. Bruton, cake dishes
• Mr. and Mrs. S. Clayton, fruit dish
• Mr. and Mrs. H. Foreman, silver butter dish and knife
• Miss A. Keir, fruit dish
• Masters Jamie and Willie Ward, ornament and vases
• Mr. and Mrs. F.C. —, pastry board, rolling pin, potato masher, towel roller
• Mrs. Manders, sugar jug and cream jar
• Miss Elsie —, — barrel
• Miss M. — — vases
• Mr. and Mrs. G. — set of saucepans, wash —, wash board, clothes line and pegs
• Mr. and Mrs. Thompson, set of jugs
• Mr. and Mrs. S. Chandler, lamp
• Mr. and Mrs. and Miss Bodley, fruit dish
• Mr. and Mrs. D— and family, tea kettle, —, crumb brush —
• Mr. S and Miss — and Lizzie Clayton, coal brush
• Mr. and Mrs. W. Miller, salt cellar and tea spoons
• Mr. and Mrs. LePage, two pair vases (Francis? – church and community leader)
• Mr. and Mrs. T. Brough, (Ballarat), toilet set (relatives of Richard Langridge’s wife, Margaret Brough)
• Mr. and Mrs. H. Brough, (Ballarat), table cloth
• Miss Rose Brough, (Ballarat), table centre
• Mr. F. Fisher (Cheltenham), — and fancy boots
• Mrs. F. Fisher (Cheltenham), — tray and tumblers
• Mr. J. Fisher (Cheltenham), half dozen tea knives, half dozen dinner knives
• Mr. and Mrs. H. Fisher (Franklinford), cheque (Florence, bridegroom’s sister – living in Rochester)
• Miss and Master Fisher (Franklinford), sugar basin and butter dish
• Mr. and Mrs. Hutton, silver teapot
• Miss K. —, tray cloths
• Miss McCallam, butter knife
• Mr. and Mrs. W. Organ, spoons
• Mr. and Mrs. Butler, pictures
• Mr. and Mrs. Fairlam, table spoons and forks
• Miss Elsie Randall, fancy shoes and — jar
• Mr. and Mrs. E.J. Barnett and family, pair vases, water jug, tumblers, soap saucer and shaving mug
• Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Barnett, fruit dish
• Mr. and Mrs. Pond, biscuit barrel
• Mr. and Mrs. Bosher, hand panel painting
• Eris and Winnie Bosher, hand painting
• Mr. and Mrs. McDonald, silver spoons and sugar tongs

• Mr. and Mrs. Jinkin, table cloth serviettes

Cheltenham Wedding. (1904, July 2). Brighton Southern Cross (Vic. : 1896 – 1918), p. 3.

Many of the guests above were either local council and /or local church members.

A major present to the bride was an ANA (All Native Australian) sewing machine.

ANA Sewing Machine, early 1900s

Sewing machines in the early 20th century were becoming popular household items in Australia. They were promoted as saving money and time and having the ability to create unique, individual items. Both machine and cabinet were made to be attractive and therefore appealing to the lady of the house. Decals of the map of Australia, showing states and capital cities, and of the company’s coat of arms with the kangaroo and the miner, the wheat sheaves and the Victorian emblem, gave the impression of a very patriotic company, particularly after the Federation of Australia in 1901.  A.N.A. however is the registered trademark of manufacturers Biesolt & Locke from Meissen, Germany.

Ward Bros. imported A.N.A. sewing machines from the early 1900’s. At the Melbourne Exhibition of 1902 the Ward Bros. exhibition, a combined effort from George and Samuel Ward of North Melbourne, and David Ward from Collingwood, was awarded a prize for its display of A.N.A. sewing machines, making them very popular. (http://victoriancollections.net.au/items/5216073119403a17c4ba14f5)

Apparently the spelling of ‘doilys’ as ‘d’Oyleys‘ (above) is not a spelling error; it was common usage at the time. The word is derived from the name of Robery D’Oyley, one of the followers of William the Norman.  He received a grant of valuable lands on the condition of a yearly tender of tablecloths of the value of three shillings on the feast of St Michael.  Agreeably to the fashions of the time the ladies of the D’Oyley household were accustom to embroidery and ornament the quit-rent tablecloths; hence these cloths becoming curiosities and accumulating in the course of years, were at length brought into use as napkins at the royal table and called ‘doyleys’.