Weddings
“Marie’s Wedding” by the Clancy Brothers
The Clancy brothers were a big part of my childhood and “Marie’s wedding” was a favorite with our kids. When they were little we would put in on and dance a Highland Fling to burn off some energy.
The earliest wedding record I have in my tree is from 1605, before Scotland was even part of the United Kingdom. The Union happened in 1607. Mary Queen of Scots was still alive then. She married the Dauphin of France in 1558 but I doubt the fashions had changed much.
Mary Queen of Scots
1558
James Dicksoune and Isobel Bell
1605
Prestongrange Parish Church (earliest building 1596)
William Gibb and Margaret Laing
1721
Paisley Abbey
Banns for William Gibb 1698 and Margaret Laing c 1701
Banns (notice of intent to marry) had to be read at church three times before the couple married, to give time for any objections to be raised. If a couple were from different towns banns would be read at both places.
White Heather
Traditions for Luck:
Right foot forward as the bride leaves her home to go to the church
A sixpence in the bride's shoe
A sprig of white heather hidden in the bride's bouquet
The ‘wedding scramble’ - the bride’s father throws a handful of coins for the neighborhood kids
James Robertson and Jane Haig
1848
Example of a legible entry from St Cuthbert’s in Edinburgh. This gives the name, occupation, and location of the bride’s father which is unusual and very helpful.
George Gordon Smith Munro and Janet Chapman
1864
Logie Easter Parish Church, Ross and Cromarty
Philip Greenan and Mary Smith
1874
Philip and Mary, from Ireland, were illiterate so “made their mark” with an X
St Mary’s Star of the Sea Roman Catholic, Leith
George Brodrick Robertson and Matilda Workman
1901
St James Episcopal, Leith
John McInnes Moffat and Lizzie Clark Millar
1922
St Barnabas Episcopal, Paisley
Charles James Neil Jamieson Robertson
Georgina Munro McCabe Greenan
1930
St Ninian’s Roman Catholic Church, Leith
Charlie and “Jean” on their 50th Anniversary
Golden Wedding 1980
George Brodrick Robertson and Catherine Marshall 1934
George’s first wife Matilda died in 1932. In 1934 he married his girlfriend Catherine Marshall, mother of five of his thirteen children. They used different names on the marriage certificate: George is listed as George Marshall, and Catherine as Catherine Robertson.
George, Catherine and 2 youngest daughters Margaret and Jean c 1934
James Fairlie Moffat
Janet Chapman Munro Greenan Robertson
1953
(L-R) Jack (?), Maureen McKay, Jim, Janet, “Milda” Matilda Robertson Sowersby
Dean Parish Church, Edinburgh (closed in 2016)
Gillian Margaret Moffat and J Scott Pidcock
1986
Scott’s sister Karen Pidcock Lester officiated.
Bridesmaids (L to R): Judy Pidcock (Scott’s sister); Marina Clapp (my sister-in-law); Lesley Jenkins (school friend); Dottie Price (friend from Florida)
Scott Walker piped us in.
First Presbyterian Church of Allentown
Pennsylvania, USA
David John Moffat and Marina Clapp
1986
David, Marina, Gillian, and Scott
St. Mary’s, Whittlebury, Northamptonshire, England
David and Marina got married three months after us. I had just found out I was pregnant and my bridesmaid dress was a wee bit tight!
This is Marina’s home church in the village where she grew up. Parts of the church date back to 1200. When Marina was a child archeologists found Roman ruins under their cottage and they lived in a “dig” for several months.
Holly Moffat and Liam Barnard
2016
Holly is my niece, daughter of David and Marina.
Holly’s grandmother, Pat Clapp, did all the flowers and decorated the church.
St Oswald’s, Newton Under Roseberry, N Yorkshire, England
“A woman can make an average man great and a great man average”