Our Wedding – from Sandie’s Dad’s book ....
‘Happiness at the End of the Day’ – Chapter 6 – ‘Celebrations’

1971 was especially busy. Sandra completed her wedding arrangements. At the time, she was teaching in Sunderland - therefore the holidays were devoted to dress, invitations, service and reception. The wedding was a happy time, simple in format in comparison to modern celebrations but was achieved with dignity among friends. Pam’s mother and Max stayed with us, my mother and father were unable to attend because father was no longer able to travel nor could he be left. Vivian and Maureen came on the day and returned to their friends in Birmingham. Ken, Sylvia and Richard stayed at the Olde Belle - and Ted and Penny travelled from Bristol on the day. Ken (the bridegroom) stopped with the Aplins for the previous night - and his family stayed in a hotel for the Friday night. Flowers for the church were grown by mother and brought by Ken and Sylvia, arriving mid-afternoon, when they were taken to church for the ladies to arrange. Pam left for her hair appointment in the afternoon leaving Sandra and me in charge of the tea - to which a never-ending number of people sat and I hope, enjoyed. Pam had left a mound of food, which was carried to the living room where we always found another two serving plates empty. Sandra had hoped to sit and entertain her guests, but found herself fully employed, until Pam returned as the party was breaking up. Rev Billington took the service, which was sound recorded and the reception was held in the South Leverton Institute. Mrs Coxon organised the day but Pam provided much of the food including the cake, which Mrs Headland decorated in her normal excellent manner. Mr Harrison took care of the drinks and Cecil Hill proposed the toast to Bride and Groom. Ken and Sandra arranged to leave by train late afternoon therefore the guests had time to get back to the Newcastle area, and Ted and Penny to Bristol. Others returned to what was then our new house, where we enjoyed a good evening talking over old times.

Our Wedding Day was a Saturday – Saturday 31st July in 1971. The Church was St. Martin’s Church in North Leverton. Sandie’s mum and dad lived in North Leverton.

The full name of the village was North Leverton with Habblesthorpe - the longest name of a village in England and the second longest in Europe. A rural community with a working windmill which was built in 1813. The village also has a local Primary School with a highly regarded reputation, a doctor’s surgery, a parish church, a chapel, a play park, a small village store and post office, and a pub; The Royal Oak.

Sandie’s dad was headteacher at North Leverton Primary, and was very involved in the life of the village. He knew everybody – and he, in turn, was known by all .

Up to the point of going to college in Sunderland – Sandie’s home had been (with her mum and dad) at Porth, 2 St. Martin’s Close in North Leverton.

On the day before our wedding, the house was a very busy place – with many people coming to call. Wedding gifts were received with thanks, and then displayed. Sandie, I think, was kept busy welcoming callers and offering drinks and refreshments etc.

Come the evening, I was sent off to stay with Mr & Mrs Aplin overnight – in the farmhouse at Habblesthorpe. I seem to think that, on the way, we did spend a little time with friends and family in The Royal Oak. David remembers that his role was as interpreter. He had brought with him a small book called ‘Larn Yersel Geordie’ – which proved very useful- and caused much merriment ! I guess that this was all part of the tradition that the groom should not see the bride - until she walks down the aisle in the church – on the wedding day.

I think I must have slept well, that night before the wedding, but I was rudely awakened at 6.00am by a ship’s bell rattling and ringing outside my bedroom window. Mr Aplin had at one time been a seaman and thought it a great joke to rouse me early by ringing the ship’s bell! I was kept occupied during the morning – presumably to keep my mind off the wedding to take place that afternoon. Tom Aplin, at this time, was a painter and decorator – employed at Rampton high security psychiatric hospital – located about 4 miles from North Leverton. As an employee, Tom had access to most areas within this secure hospital – and he gave me a guided tour around the hospital. Slightly un-nerving – in that he had a very large bunch of keys, and each door had to be unlocked, and then locked behind us. I think it was an interesting visit. I was shown the padded rooms for the treatment of disturbed patients - and was pleased that we were allowed to leave by lunchtime.

The rest of the day is a bit of a haze. I was on time – and in position – at the church. It was nice to see friends and family there to help us celebrate. After the service, some time was taken up by the official photographer getting various groups together. I seem to remember it was rather windy, and that Sandie’s veil and flowing wedding dress did not behave quite as expected !

We were then whisked off to South Leverton Village Institute for our reception. Sandie’s dad was a born organiser – it was a bit like being on a conveyor belt ! The socialising – the welcome – the meal - the speeches – everything just happened. I can’t remember giving a speech, and can only just remember being taken back to North Leverton to get changed and collect suitcases – before returning to the reception to thank people and say goodbye before going off on our honeymoon.

Some of our guests accompanied us to Retford Railway Station – our plan was to spend a night in Manchester at The Railway Hotel (there’s a song about that !) and then continue to Levens Bridge the next day – where we had booked self-catering accommodation in a converted medieval barn for a week. Sandie and I boarded the last coach of the small train at Retford. As it pulled away we were aware of a lot of laughing and waving from friends on the platform – and the sound of the rattling of tin cans, which had been tied onto the bumpers of the coach we were on ! We also left a trail of confetti wherever we went – some of which had been put down the back of my trousers – and some that had been put in our umbrella – of course, that did not appear until we needed to open the umbrella !

For me the memories start before the day. We had finished the schoolyear the week before, so we could concentrate on getting ready for the wedding. I travelled down to North Leverton and helped Mum and Dad with the preparations down there. I found it all very overwhelming. Leverton was a very small village, and everybody knew everybody like one big family. So, when one of their own got married, everybody pitched in to lend a hand.

The church was a prime example. So many of the ladies helped to decorate the church with beautiful flower arrangements. My Gran sent flowers from her garden up from Cornwall with Uncle Ken. She was so bitterly disappointed not to be able to come, but my Grandad was very poorly and could not be left.
For the couple of days before the wedding people would knock on the door to bring gifts for us, which were all laid out in the spare bedroom and I showed them to people as they came.

Then on the Friday, members of our family started to arrive from Cornwall, Plymouth, Somerset and Bristol. We spent time preparing vast quantities of food. The house was given over to them; and Mum, Dad and myself slept in the caravan. It was quite a night, with thunder storms and howling gales.
I went into Retford to have my hair done on the Saturday morning and then spent the rest of the morning helping to provide food for our guests. When it came time to get ready for the wedding, no sign of any bridesmaids to help me get ready. It was me who did the helping! Bit by bit the house emptied as our guests made their way to the church, until only Dad and myself remained.

We had hired a car to take us down to the Church, and I was surprised to see hoards of local people on the pavement by the path leading up to church, there to wish me well. It was a very touching moment. I remember feeling very nervous as we entered the church, but it was good to see Ken waiting for me up at the front.
The service passed in a flash. I walked down the aisle to the music used in the Sound of Music when Maria is married. I just liked it, and Mrs Hill, choir mistress and organist, bless her, learned it specially. We had a full choir to lead the singing, and Dad had composed new words to the tune of Crimond. He regarded the traditional words as unsuitable for a wedding! We managed our vows with no bother and before I knew it, we were walking up the aisle and into the vestry, where for so many years I had, along with other choir members, dressed for the services, and rang the bells, calling people to church.

Photos were taken, in black and white for the official album, and some coloured photos were taken by family members. The weather stayed dry for us, but was very windy. Then we were driven down to South Leverton, to the village institute for our reception. It was, compared to many others, a very simple reception. Trestle tables were set up down the middle of the hall, with chairs around the outside. Mum and Mrs Coxon, the school cook, had between them, prepared a vast buffet, but I don’t think that either Ken or myself felt very hungry. There were the usual speeches. I just felt embarrassed. I wasn’t used to being the centre of attention so just had to put up with it. That was it, no music or dancing, just a welcome, and food and speeches followed by a toast.

My friend Lynne, drove us back to North Leverton to change and collect our luggage, then, after saying goodbye to family and friends at the reception, we were driven into Retford to catch the train, first to Worksop where we caught another train to Manchester where we spent our first night. One of the guests had tied a pair of boots and tins onto the back of the train. Another had stuffed a handful of confetti down Ken’s trousers which trickled out as he walked around.

I never gave a thought to what happened after we left. I believe that family members may have met back at Mum and Dad’s for one of the usual family reminisce occasions. Friends, I believe, spent the evening down at the Royal Oak, the pub in the village. We were just very happy to be by ourselves, at the start of our married life.

Wedding Day Letter - part 2