The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-03-28 00:00:00

FASHIONABLE MARRIAGE IN WEST-

MINSTER ABBEY.

V) marriage of Sir Edward B. Malet, K.C.8., her
Majesty's Ambassador at the Court of Berlin, second
son of Sir Alexander Malet, K.C.8., with Lady
Ermyntrude Russell, younger daughter of the Duke
of Bedford has been solemnised in Westminster
Abbey. There was a large congregation. The bride-
groom, accompanied by Mr. Graham of Netherby, his
best man; and the bridesmaids, Lady Egidia Hastings,
the Ladies Edeline and Mary Sackville, Miss Flora
Russell and Miss Cecily Sackville West (cousins of
the bride) and Miss Ella St. Lo Malet (cousin of the
bridegroom) arrived early. The bridesmaids awaited
the arrival of the bride in the Jerusalem Chamber.
The bridesmaids were dressed alike in very pretty
dresses of ivory white satin Francais, over petticoats
of white striped frise velvet, the tunics being caught
on one side with long sashes of white watered riband,
and in Henry IN. hats of white plush, trimmed with
ostrich feathers. Each wore a gold brooch set in
pearls, with the monogram of the bride and bride-
groom in the centre in diamonds, the gift of the
latter, and carried a bouquet of white azaleas and
lilies of the valley. The Dean of Westminster and
the Bishop of Winchester, preceded by the choristers
and the Rev. S. Flood Jones, the precentor, took
their seats at the communion table a few minutes
after four o'clock, the choristers lining the way
from the east end of the choir to the steps of the
sacrarium.

The bride, who was accompanied by her mother,
was met at the Abbey doors by her father, who con-
ducted her to the altar, and gave her away. His
Grace wore the Star of the Order of the Garter. The
Duchess of Bedford wore a magnificent dress of green
velvet, trimmed with gold braid. The bride was
attired in a superb costume; the train and bodice
were of rich brocaded velvet, embossed with roses of
fine silver wire and picked out with exquisite pearls.
The petticoat was of white duchesse satin richly
trimmed with point d'Alencon and dotted over with
small Sprays of orange blossoms. The veil was also
point d'Alencon, and was fastened to the hair by a
spray of diamonds, and surmounted by a wreath of
orange blossoms.

Among those present were the Grand Duchess of
Mecklenberg-Strelitz, attended by Lady Carol lit
Cust and Major-General Greville, the Prime llclinister
and Mrs. and Miss Gladstone, Lord and Lady Salis-
bury and Lady G. Cecil, the German Ambassador, the
Italian Ambassador, the French Ambassador and
Madame Waddington, the Russian Ambassador and
Madame de Staal, the Netherlands Ministers and
Countess de Bylandt, the Spanish Ministers, the
Belgian Minister, the Swedish Minister, the Danish
Minister and Madame de Falbe, Blum Pasha, Baron
Haan, Count and Countess de Florian, the Lord
Chancellor and Lady Sophia Palmer, the Duke and
Duchess of Norfolk, Lord and Lady Tavistock, Lord
and Lady Sligo, the Dowager Lady Lansdowne, Lord
and Lady Derby and Lady Margaret Cecil, Lord and
Lady Delawarr, Lord Sydney, Lord and Lady 'Jersey,
Lady Wharncliffe, Lord and Lady Sefton, Lord
and Lady Cork and Lady Isabel Boyle, Lord
and Lady Galloway, Lord and Lady Beauchamp,
Lord and Lady Mar, Elizabeth Lady Harrington,
Lady Russell and Lady Agatha Russell, Lord Arran
and Ladies Gore, Lord Stanhope, Lady Waldegrave,
Lady Strangford, Lord and Lady Hood and Hon.
Miss Hood, Lord and Lady Bury and Hon. Misses
Keppel, Lord and Lady Arthur Russell, Lord Charles
Russell, Lord Saekville, Lord Donington, Lord Gerard,
Lord and Lady William Compton, Lord and Lady
Sudeley, Lord and Lady Auckland, Lady Fanny
Marjoribanks and Lady Sarah Spencer Churchill,
Lady Georgiana Peel, Lady Jane Dundas, Lady
Henry Somerset, Lady Elizabeth Biddulph and Misses
Adeane, Lady Burdett Coutts and Mr. Burdett
Coutts, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lady Brett
Hon. F. Hanbury Tracy, M.P., the Master of Napier,
General Sir Henry and Lady Ponsonby, Sir Charles
Dilke, Lady Emma Baring, Sir John Eardley Wilmot,
Sir Alexander and Lady Malet, Sir Rivers Wilson,
Sir J. Pauncefote, Mr. and Mrs. Cavendish Bentinck
and Miss C. Bentinck, Sir Arthur Sullivan, the Vie-.
Chancellor of the University of Oxford, Sir Thomas
and Lady Brassey, General Sir Francis and Lady
INymour, Colonel and Mrs. Malet, Colonel Harold
iitalet, Colonel C. St. Lo Malet, Mrs. George Malet
and Miss Malet, Mr. and Mrs. Warre Malet and
Miss Warre Malet, Mr. George Russell, M.P., Mr.
Augustus Hare, Dr. and Mrs. Russell, and Mr. Mit-
ford.

The grouping of the gaily and in some instances
gorgeously-attired figures produced a remarkably
picturesque effect in proximity to the altar where six
hundred and one years ago the Princesses Joan and
Margaret were married, and where two hundred years
later Henry and Elizabeth were wedded. The Royal
personages present occupied seats near the spot where
Abbot Weston in a panoply of steel celebrated mass
when Sir Thomas Wyatt was marching on London;
so that the place where the bride and bridegroom
plighted their troth was full of curious associations
contrasting strangely with the recent ceremonial per-
formed by the Bishop of Winchester in conjunction
with the Doan of Westminster.
Truth gives some account of the presents: "The
Duke and Duchess have literally loaded their daughter
with gifts; among them a magnificent coronet made
of enormous diamonds, and an effulgent necklace
composed of still larger brilliants, with solitaire ear-
rings to matck, There are also endless bracelets,
rings, and earrings. Most of the
.jewellery was
bought of Collingwood, as well as the beautiful little
breakfast service of gold plate presented by the duke's
servants, with whom Lady Ermyntrude is a great
favourite. She has always been very good and kind
to them. The duchess gives a lovely tray to supple-
ment this service, and Collingwood presented a gold
butter-dish, which makes the whole very complete.
The duchess also gives an exquisite dressing-case
of ebony and gold, which contains materials for
writing and sewing, in addition to the usual
contents. The gold-topped bottles, &c., have each
a garland of torquoise, surrounding a triple mono-
gram which forms the name Ermyntrude.' A
lovely poetic set of aqua-marines, set in brilliants and
gold, are also given by the duke and duchess, the
stones being of very large size and exquisite in their
pale green tint, like placid water under-a sunset sky.
The Queen gives the usual Indian shawl and a pair of
handsome china vases, dark blue and gold. The
Khedive's present is a wonderful study of colour. It
is a double necklet, earrings, bracelet, and brooch, of
Egyptian work. The first row of the necklace is a
design of beetles, and the second is composed of
Egyptian figures alternating with more beetles and
gold open work. The colours are grey, greyish-green,
and gold, and they make even sapphires and emeralds
look loud and gaudy. The brooch is an enormous
beetle, and the earrings are two smaller ones. Mr.
Milligan's present of real old Apostle spoons would
ontrival all the rest with antiquarians. There are
endless paper-cutters of enormous size, also many
fans, pin-cushions of velvet set in a silver frame, about
a dozen date cards, also framed in silver, gold-backed
bair-brushes, and long scent-bottles that look more
like weapons of offence than ministers to the sense of
smell. Of all the presents, the one that seized most
strongly on my imagination was a picture given by
Lady Ampthil, representing. a tree-shaded pool, in
which the darkening yellow line of the sunset was re-
flected from the horizon. Two or three wild duck
were on the wing, disturbed by a sportsman, and the
reeds and grasses by the side of the pool increased
the weird effect of loneliness. I was sorry the man
with his death-dealing gun was in the picture so
perfect was the sentiment of repose and silence con-
veyed by all the rest."