WEEK 82: READY FOR THE WEDDING BREAKFAST

Monday 17 to Sunday 23 January 1916

For much of January, Mrs Armstrong and her three daughters had been making frantic preparations for the wedding of Aunt Zoo and Major Harold Welch, known to the Armstrong family as Uncle Jimmy. Their marriage took place on 20 January although the date remained unfixed until a few days before the event. There was nothing usual about such hastily arranged affairs during wartime. Soldiers’ weddings were entirely dependent on the availability of leave which could be granted or cancelled at a moment’s notice. This was also the reason for the decision to hold the wedding at Folkestone, one of the main harbours for arriving and departing soldiers, instead of the Maude family home in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh. In the days leading up to the big day, Clodagh House became the scene of many a happy reunion, with family and friends from long distances gathering under its welcoming roof. The only longed-for person missing from the cheery crowd was Pat Armstrong who was making his way from Gallipoli to Egypt.

Monday 17 January

Muz, Ione & Tom went over to Canterbury in the car, to look for servants for the wedding. I cleaned & tidied all day. Dorothy came round to say good-bye, as she goes back to Westgate today. The others didn’t get back till about seven. I worked hard at the cleaning all day.

Tuesday 18 January

Zooie, Dot & Mrs Pak arrived about lunch time. We cleaned & tidied hard all morning before they came. General Snow & Mr Sutton came for tea, but I only went in for a few minutes. We had dinner in the schoolroom, as we were getting the dining room ready for the wedding breakfast.

Wednesday 19 January

Dot & Tom went up to the station after lunch, to meet Christy & Ceely. Miss Brinkley is marrying Capt Boddam-Whetham, today, but we couldn’t go. Uncle Jimmy arrived from France, he & his family are staying at St Clements. Mrs Phillips & Kitty came for tea, & cousin Aubrey came in afterwards. Tom & Kitty went round to get Janet, & she came here to stay. Uncle Jimmy came for dinner, & we had it in the schoolroom, we were twelve for dinner, & Ceely & Christy were awfully funny. Muz got a wire from Pat from Suez.

Suez. The Gen & Percy went round the camp. Went & saw all C.O’s. Conference of C.O’s at 9.30. Went down the town to try & get a piano but couldn’t get one. Got back about 2.30. Watched Worcesters playing football at 3.30. Went for a run in the evening. Bayley came and dined with us.

Thursday 20 January

Zooie’s wedding. We were all up early as there were a good many things to do. The wedding was at 12-30, at St Paul’s Sandgate. Kate Baird & Ada Maude came down for the day. Christy gave her away, & Ceely was best man. There were no bridesmaids, but I had to go & take her bouquet. They all came back here afterwards, & a few other people came in for the breakfast, as there were only relations at the church. It was a sit down luncheon. Tom & Clement gave all the people in the church, little bouquets of violets. We had the band playing, & they didn’t leave till about four. They are going for their honeymoon in a car, & are going to Cantreyn for one day, & back here on night of 27th. A lot of people came for tea, & we danced & ragged about, then Mrs & Miss Welch, Mrs Layton, Mrs Robson & Aubrey Maude came to dine, & Miss Heppie stayed up all night, finishing the table & doing things. Steele came in afterwards & told fortunes. We didn’t go to bed till after twelve. The whole day was a huge success, everything went off awfully well, everybody said.

Suez. Glorious day. Had a good deal of writing to do & was in till about 12 o’c. Got orders to hand our tents to 86th Bde. Had large drafts in for Worc, Hants and Essex. Went down to the town in the afternoon with Percy. Went for a run before dinner. Cripps came and dined with us. Some rain about 8 o’c.

Friday 21 January

Christy, Ceely, Dot, Janet & the Welches went away. Ione went to the Tango tea with Mr Sutton & Mr Holbrook (V. C.) & they came to dine, & then we all went up to the Grand afterwards.

Saturday 22 January

Muz & I went to London for the day Tom went to tea with the Cunliffs, with cousin Aubrey. Mr Gendle came to stay for the week and Mr Montanion came for dinner, & then they went to the dance afterwards. Mrs Pak, Heppie & Tom went to the soldiers’ club, when we got back from London, we went up to the dance with Mrs Pak.

Sunday 23 January

Mrs Pak stayed in bed for breakfast & lunch. Ione, Tom & Mr Gendle went out on the Leas. After lunch Muz, Mrs Pak, Ione, Tom & Mr Gendle went in the car to Dover to see the landslip.¹

---

Footnotes

1. In mid-December 1915, part of a chalk cliff had fallen down at Warren Holt onto the Dover to Folkestone railway line, causing a train to derail ⇑

Cousin Aubrey, Miss Steele & Gladys Lucas came for tea, Mr Montanion came in afterwards. Muz, Mrs Pak, Tom & I went to the soldiers club.

Suez. Went to early service. Spent all morning making out the camp. Went down to Suez in the afternoon with Percy. The Gen & Percy dined at Div. Cudder [?] dined with me. Frew came round and talked to us for some time. Melody arrived about 6 o’c.

---

Footnotes

1. In mid-December 1915, part of a chalk cliff had fallen down at Warren Holt onto the Dover to Folkestone railway line, causing a train to derail ⇑