For the descendents of Richard Dearie and his son John Russell

Index to people at George and Madeleine’s wedding. 11 September 1909

1. Gertrude Fox, aged 45, Aunt to the bride. 2. Charles Fox, grandfather of bride aged 71. 3 Annie Fox nee Dearie, grandmother of bride aged 67, married to Charles. Her father was Richard Dearie, who is also the groom’s grandfather. 4. Unknown 5. Unknown 6. ?Bessie Mc Castline nee Dearie, sister to Annie and Mary. 7. Nellie Fox, nee Smart, married to Robert, (No 16). 8. Mary Cluff nee Dearie, sister to Annie Fox. 9. Hilda Mossop, sister to bride and shortly to marry Phillip the brother of the bridegroom. 10. Unknown might be Ernest Oxer, son of Nell. 11. Unknown might be George Oxer married to Nell Webster. 12. Possibly Nell Oxer nee Webster, the bridegroom’s Aunt, aged 50. 13. George Dearie Russell the bridegroom. 14. Theo Mossop, youngest sister of the bride. 15. Madeleine Dearie Mossop, the bride. 16. Robert Fox, uncle to the bride, aged 40. 17. Mary Mossop, the bride's Aunt, sister to Henry, her father. 18. Donald Russell, brother to the bridegroom. 19. Probably another Mossop male.20. Unknown 21. Freda Mossop sister to Bride. 22. Unknown 23. May Mossop nee Fox, mother of bride and married to Henry aged 42. 24. Henry Mossop, father of bride. 25. Unknown 26. Unknown 27. Unknown 28. Elizabeth Mossop nee Cross, Henry Mossop’s mother. 29.Unknown 30. Unknown Mossop wife? 31.Could be Archie Rough. 32. Unknown. 33. Walter Mossop, Henry Mossop's brother. 34. Unknown.

Missing from the celebrations: George’s father Jack Russell, who had refused to come because the Roughs were initially not invited. Also missing George’s other 3 brothers Phil, Bob and Archie who were probably in Malaya. The witness, a Captain Graham might be number 34?

A fashion expert's view of the photograph. "This is clearly a very fashionable wedding. All those present were middle class and comfortably well off. A really upper class wedding would have had men wearing top hats.(1) The womens' large hats, (with the huge crowns and heavily decorated brims) were influenced by the premiere of the 'Merry Widow' in 1906. They became all the rage and meant that you had to have big hair, ( often padded out) so that you could stick the pins in it to keep the hats on. The woman standing next to George ( who may be Nell Oxer, his mother sister,) is equally fashionable, although she seems to be wearing her hat more at the back of her head, and doesn't have a stole or huge collar. Women of this class would all be wearing gloves or holding them. Most are wearing stoles or enormous collars. There is no sense, as in some wedding photos, that one side of family is a different class from the other. The costume which is really old fashioned is that of Henry Mossop's mother who is dressed like Queen Victoria, with a veil, and not wearing a big hat. This would be 30 years behind the times. She is wearing the mourning crepe that widows wore. Annie Dearie is also slightly Victorian but more modern in appearance. The young women are all very up to date. By 1907 there would be partings in womens' hair . It was typical for there to be lots of flowers, more than just the bride and her attendants . Big bouquets were very fashionable. This was the early days of the wedding group. It's not outside the church and the bench for just two people at the back is a bit makeshift. Seating is by seniority. The men are dressed either in tail coats like the Mossops which is more formal or in lounge suits, ( single breasted with flap pockets) like Charles Fox. Don's suit appears to be double breasted. ( He bought this is America and it caused some amusement when he wore it in the UK.) The women's dresses are waisted by 1909 , up to 1908 they were baggy. Some of the the men are wearing high collars but turned down rounded ones are the most fashionable. Moustaches are a bit old fashioned but more formal. Army people might possibly have moustaches. It is more modern to be clean shaven and only older men have beards. The bride is wearing a veil."

Notes.

(1) Close inspection of the snap below from May Mossop's album shows a top hat on the left at the back. The lower picture was found in Gertrude Fox's bible.