Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-17
FAMOUS FOR WEDDINGS
THE RoMANCES OF OLD ST.
GEORGES, LONDON.
of Prominent Persons or
Registers - Stories Gathered
From the Records.

From the London Daily Mail.
Many romantic stories center around past
ceremonies in the famous parish church of
ST. Georges. Hanover Square.
The first wedding in the registers at st.
Georges is recorded simply In brown ink,
now barely decipherable: April 80, 1928.
David Williams and Sarah Thomas, both
of this parish Commoners led the way
for peers and embryo presidents, for Mr..
Roosevelt went there to be married the
second time in 1885, There, true enough, Is
his tilted, rough looking signature, "Theo-
dore Roosevelt and below that of his
wife, Edith Kermit Carow. He is described
as a ranchman of Browns Hotel and
widower. In all the many thousand en-
tries it is the only one with the description
''ranchman."
Back a century in the registers there is
the record, on September @, 1891, of the
marriage of Sir William Hamilton to the
well known Emma Lady Hamilton"
when later Nelson loved SO truly and
Romney painted beautifully in hundred
poses. Disrael married there the lady who
proved such practical helpmate. On
April 49, 1889. is the marriage of the Mar
quis of Douro, son of the Duke of yelling
ton. The witnesses are the duke and his
two brothers. on March g, 1869, appears
the written evidence in her own hand of
the bigamy of the Duchess of Kingston.
Her husband was alive when she signed
TIE register at d. 1SOISS dis ii SplHStcI
Seven years after she was convicted.
Marriage of George Eliot"
On May 6, 1885, George Eliot" the
novelist, came to her wedding with John
Walter Cross THE plainest BRIDE says
Mr.. Massey, who has seen 1900 married
during his twenty-nine years at the church,
Il ever saw" The signature of Mr.. Glad
stone is very frequent. The most memora-
H.
Mr.. Asquith and Miss Tenant when Lord
Rosebery and Mr.. Balfour signed too.
The names of three premiers and one po-
tential premier in space half an inch
high,
This wedding was the grandest from the
point of view of decoration of the church
that the oldest parshoner remembers. 1t
was only approached by that OF Miss Eve
Ign Willard the favorite actress, who
walked up the aisle beneath a continuous
blers. The most popular wedding was the
one this month of Lady Mary Hamilton,
when thousands of eager would-be guests
took possession of the street while within
everything was in perfect order, and the
service was listened to with hushed atten-
ton. King Edward was there and signed
the register The clerk treasures the pen
he used. 1t is to be an heirloom. Last
year Lord Graham's opponent, Mr.. H. NJ.
Pearson, stood at the same altar with
Lady Beryl Spencer Churchill
1t must not be forgotten in this list of the
famous and notable that Signor Marconi,
the inventor of wireless telegraphy, and
Lady Sarah Wilson, who was shut up in
Mafeking. were both married at st.
Georges. While the only time that Princess
Ena of Battenberg, now Queen of Spain,
signed the register was on December z,
1905, at the marriage of Viscount Lewisham
and Lady Ruperta Darlington.
The atmosphere of the st. Georges YES
try is brimful of romantic and good stories
/ q BILE to tell q few. but for
reasons that Will be readily appreciated,
the names must be omitted. 1t was at St.
Georges on April 30, 1904, that a lady of
title married her coachman. After the
wedding in the afternoon the verger went
to the house with the marriage certificate.
He asked for the bridegroom. You'll ma
him round at the back" was the reply The
mystifed messenger went to the news
groom, in livery as usual, getting all ready
to drive his bride out to make some after
noon calls.
No Bride for Him.
Many men labor under an impression that
certain ladies of their choice will choose
them and be willing, but they do not go TO
the lengths that one went about fourteen
years ago. His choice was Lady D, the
church, ST. Georges. He called. duly pro-
vided with a license, and everything was
made ready. On the day he stood at the
time, too. But the lady did not arrive
Again, few days later, the same solemn
farce was enacted. third time the wish
full bridegroom wanted it to be gone
through, but now the church officers were
rightly suspicious, and he did not succeed.
Ills license, no doubt, lapsed. There is
quite a collection of "misfits'-lapsed IL
censes. and banns completed that never
made a marriage Last Friday license
lapsed which bears the name of we'll
known peers son.
There are many Confidential weddings"
as they are called when the ceremony is
kept unusually quiet. But sometimes they
are too confidential to please the relatives
OF the parties. The coercion OF prospectives
brides under such circumstances Is a pro-
ceeding we'll authenticated in fact and fic-
ton. A kidnapped bridegroom. however, Is
unusual. though he happened at St.
Georges not long ago. He was gentle
man OF position, and he wished to marry a
lady who had nursed him through an ILL
ness. There was no cause or Just impedi-
ment save social rank The gentleman was
determined, and the lady seconded his plans
admirably, But the day and the details
bridegroom's male relatives deployed strate-
gically through Maddox street and sur
round the church. He drove up in a ham
som cab With his eyes fixed on the ex-
pectant bride he prepared to alight An
athletic uncle and a brother sprang for
ward. thrust him back with a "Glad to
meet you. old fellow" manner that de-
ceived the cabman, who obeyed the quick
direction he heard, and drove the three
away. The lady, with tears in her eyes.
went into the vestry. There will be no
wedding" she said They've run away
with him." And that was the last st.
Georges heard Of them.