The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1874-08-11 00:00:00

WEST STAFFORD.

M kRIIII6F. OF LIEUTENANT W. W. MMUUOI7 SMITH.—
On Wednesday Kenufonl, near Exeter, woo decked in
holiday attire in honour of the marriage of Miss Alice
hey, daughter if the late Mr. J. H. Ley, and sister of the
present Squire of TrehilL The young lady is one of a
family who seem to have won the affect to regard of
all in the neighbourhood, and therefore on learning the
! date fixed for her marriage the inhabitanta of Kenn
! determined to do their utmost to show their esteem for
the family in general. and Miss Alice in particular.
! Accordingly Wednesday found the houses decorated with
evergreens, the windows and other places graced with
flag!, and the roads bridged over with triumphal arches.
The gentleman to whom Miss Ley gave her hand and
heart was Mr. W. W. M. Smith, son of the Rector of
West Stafford, Dorchester, and a Lieutenant in a battery
of Royal Artillery that was stationed in Exeter about
twelve months since- Unfortunately the gaiety was
somewhat marred hy an unpleasant drizzle though the
rain was not sufficient to prevent many of the bridal
party driving to chur,h in iipen carriage. At eleven
o'clock a large number if the Trehill tenantry and others
were occupeitg seats in the church. and soon afterwards
the first of the bridal party amen-ed. Whilst the fair sex
were still admiring the pink dresses of these two y ig
ladies, the bridegroom's father and mother (Rev. and Mrs.
Reginald Smith) arrived, and were quickly followed by
their wet his " best man," Mr. Barr.. l'hipps, It. A., and
Mr. Chita, I 'ohliani (lhier Park). Mrs. hey, the Squire's
wife, entered the chunli about the same time, drusel
a light-blue silk, :dulled with ilark•blue velvet stripes,
edged with white lat-e. Au,,,, the others we noticed in
the church were Mrs. Ley (WoislMnils), mother of the
bride. Miss Mary Ley, Miss Florence Ley (cousins of the
bride), Mr. awl Mrs. Alymer Porter, Mr, and Mrs. L.
Porter, Mrs. C. Itiissell, Misses Russell, Mr. and Mrs.
Tirana.. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Smith, !ter. Plantagenet
Somerset, Colonel Tod Brown, C. 8., and Mrs. Tod Brown,
Miss Wyatt Edgell, Captain Deeds, de. The guests were
misdeed and escorted to their places by the Rector (Rev.
IL Porter), the Curate (Rev. E. Osborne), Mr. Church-
warden Strong, and Mr. J. Standford, acting warden. At
half-past elei en the bride arrived, leaning on the arm of
her brother, and dressed in a rich white satin dress,
trimmed with lioniton point lace she also wore a tulle
veil, awl in her hair were orange blossoms. Nine brides- !
maids followed—Miss Ley, Miss Henrietta Lee, Miss
Mildred hey, Mi. Smith, Mi. Eva Smith, Miss Blanche
SmitlL Miss Mary Porter, awl Mi. Ley and Miss Bertha
T 1101113,1, two little nieces of the bible. The bridesmaids
were &easel in pale-blue muslin., trimmed with
Valenciennes lace; ala, blue Isinnets with wild nem
The chancel was orafuiely decorated with flowers. On
the bride entering the church Elvey's " Welding March"
was played on the organ. Arrived at the old rood screen
at the entiunce to the chancel the wetting party were
met by the Rector, who proceeded with the service. At
the commencement the hymn beginning with the follow-
ing verse was sung
. . .

"Tin, . that breathed o'er Eden,
That mrliest isssidieg
• The primal marriage blessing,
It bath it passed away.
Baying pro ~,,,, need the happy pair to be man and wife
; the rector led them up close to the Communion Table,
leaving the bridesmaids and others still outside, and then
be conebuled the service. Am the bridal party left the
church Mentlelaeihn's " Wedding March " was played, and
between the porch anal the church the dozen fair, curly.
hairs"t little daughters of the farmer,, lrewied in white
awl blue, strewed flowers in the path as the bride and
bridegroom miproacheil, and all wished thou long life and
happiness. They at once, amid the ringing of hells and
W
firing of cannon, drove back to oodlands, the residence
of the bride's mother, where they were welcomed by the
friends and the servants, and anion... the latter were those
who hail had the care of both bride and bridegroom in
their earliest pears The remainder of the party apeedily
arrived, anal sat down to breakfast, The wedding cake
warn supplied by Mr. A. Gunn, of South-street, Exeter.
The present. were very numerous and handsome a the
n ttttt her SM. something over Ill). The tenantry of Trehill
had the night before, through the hands of Mr. Strougand
Mr. Sandford. presented the bride with a handsome tea.
pot and • gold pen (with which all the party signed the
register), accompanied by the ("Hawing beeutifully
illuminated address, the work of Mr. F. f. White, of
Exeter:—" Wu, the lersigniel tenantry and others of
the Trultill Estate beg to offer you our oringratuletions on
your marriage. We itannot allow you to leave it, without
some token ba chew the interest we all fool In your
happiness and future welfare. We have therefore joined
together to procure a silver teapot and gold pen which we
trust you will he kind enough to accept, and we sincerely
wish you health, happiness, and prosperity." The West
Stafford +servants presented a fish aline and fork, the school
children of Kenn it glove came and han•lkemhief hog, and
the school children of West Stafford a handsome Bible.
Mrs. lay, mother of the held°, presentssi a set of turipoise
mid pearl onminenta for the neck, Mrs. Itegituslil
the bridegroom s mother, gave a tattle full of handsome
11114.111 i MA ornamental article., Mr. :eel Mrs. Ley (Trehill)
a coil bracelet, and three sisters of the bride a pearl and
diamond ring, Mr. Smith (brother) and Mrs. 11. Smith net
of dessert knives and forks. Iguly Frances Ley a travelling
clerk. Miss Smith (bridegroom's sister) travelling bag, Mies
Ley gall watch, Lady Caroline, Mr. (leorge, and Mr. and
Mrs. Cecil Russell, gold locket set with rubies and peach,
Mrs. Stiehl B/ston) geld locket worn at the wedding by
the bride, Lady Smith antique aimons and stager tongs,
Mr. Barr Phipp4 .10111.1,;-headol tuniuoiwa and coral snake
ring, Mrs. Kekewich a gob! locket, Mr. Chan. Utennarck
dispatch box, and among the other names we noticed Mrs.
Ily. Porter, Mrs. A. Porter, Mr. and 31rs. Itoeworth Smith,
Mrs. Utermarek, Sir P. 4. Raker, Rev. B. Ludlow, Dr.
Ilawkina, du% The jewellery presents were net otiton one
table, the silver articles on another, and the taimeellaneous
gifts imrupied three other tables. During the afternoon
the newly married imir left for Clifton rn 'mar to Buxton.
The wedding party was photographed by Mr. Keeping of
Exeter.— 'reef New,

WOODSFORD.
1/10CESAN iNSPECTION. parish school was on
Tuesday. August 4th, inspected by the Rev. S. Hobbs,
Diocesan Inspector. who has made the following report :
" There has been a great iinpniveinentgluring the last year
in the average attendance at this school, and a very great
advance in the knowledge of the eel... Mete propooed for
examination. The result, in the highest division. au
satisfactory, both in knowledge and in repetition : that in
the lower division more so in knowledge, than in repet-
tint'. which is tttttt Anal. and indicating much successful
efforts on the part of the teachers. The youngest infants,
who were not prtinente.l for examination sit all, have made
a good beginniim : all who were not too timid, could
repeat the Lord's Prayer. though their average age was
probably under four years."