| ID: GWG_YTS_003 / 22 November 1941
| Title | Wedding of Joan Yates and Dr John Hopkyns at Great Wigborough - Joan's Recollections |
| Abstract | Joan Yates married Dr John Hopkyns at St Stephen's Great Wigborough 22 November 1941. Joan was the daughter of Revd. Frederick Yates, Rector of Great and Little Wigborough.
Joan's Recollections
My bridesmaid, Mary Robinson, spent the night at the Rectory on November 21, 1941. We both worked together in the Women's Royal Naval Service, and she had been granted 2 days leave. Clothes were on coupons and our gardener Wenlock, had given me seven, and my parents had taken me to London. I bought my white dress which was lace and net which required no coupons, but the long gown underneath took my seven. Mary rummaged through our clothes closets and found one of my evening gowns which was suitable and fitted her, thank goodness.
The service was at 1.30 pm and we did not know how to spend the morning. I was told that John had arrived! He brrowed his mother's small car and drove from Stowmarket arriving in good time. I was told it was unlucky to see the groom before the ceremony, but I peeped out of the bedroom window anyway! My father gave me away and we walked from the Rectory across the drive and up the church path. It was a damp chilly day but I didn't feel the cold. As we walked u the aisle I was surprised to see so many people in the pews - friends, relatives and parishoners.
Dr John Longly was Best Man, a friend of John's who was later to become a missionary in Africa. Fred Barff was asked to marry use. His text was taken from St Luke 24:15, where Jesus walks with two disciples on the road to Emmaus: "Jesus himself drew near and went with them". This text has been very meaningful to us through the years.
The reception was held at the Rectory and the tables were loaded with food. People had spared us their food coupons. Eggs were unrationed so they were well used. Our wedding cake was dark fruit, 4 tiers, as was the custom then, we kept the top tier for the first Baptism. My mother stored it in a cool place for over a year.
We did not linger very long, but got in the car, well pelted with confetti and rove off to Ipswich where we were to get the train to London. After we had driven a few miles, John stopped on the side of the road and produced a hand brush, and proceeded to sweep out every vestige of the confetti!! Finally he was satisfied and on we went to the station. He left his mother's car there, and we went up to London. I pulled off my gloves and John made frantic signs for me to replace them. My wedding ring looked so shiny and new. I guess other passengers in our carriage were amused! We finally reached our hotel and each had to sign the register. Guess what? I signed my maiden name! I think John was ready to have a stroke. Having corrected this, I opened my suitcase and blew a cloud of confetti put there by the bridesmaid. I did my best to recover it all! But I guess the hotel staff had long since pegged us as newlyweds!
Read More
An Aunt's diary of her trip to the Wedding
|
| Author | 22 November 1941 |
| Source | Mersea Museum
|
| ID | GWG_YTS_003
|
| Related Images: |
|
 |
| ImageID: | YTS_015_015 | | Title: | Interesting Wedding at Great Wigborough
Dr J.C.W. Hopkyns and Miss Joan Yates
A pretty wedding was solemnised in St. stephens Church, Great Wigborough, on Saturday Nov. 22, the contracting parties being Miss Joan Edith Yates, only daughter of the Rev. and Mrs. Frederick Yates of the Rectory, and Dr John C.W. Hopkyns, of Meadlands, Stowmarket, Suffolk. The Rev. F.J. Barff, vicar of Buntingford, Herts, friend of the bridegroom, took the service, which was choral with Mrs J.H. Pickering, of Birch, at the organ. The church had been tastefully decorated by members of the Parochial Church Council.
The bride, who was given away by her father, the Rev. F. Yates, was charmingly attired in a picture dress of while net and lace, with family veil of Brussels lace on the headress of pearls and orange blosso, and carried a charming bouquet and also wore a gold wristlet watch, gift of the bridegroom. The bridesmaid, Miss Mary Robinson, friend of the bride, wore a dress of blue net over cyclamen silk and carried a bouquet. She also wore a very beautiful silve and diamante brooch, gift of the bridegroom. The best man was Dr J.A.B. Longley.
A reception was afterwards held at the Rectory, where about 80 guests assembled. The wedding cake was kindly made by Mrs Joan Collier. There was a large number of useful presents, including one from the parish of Great Wigborough and one from Little wigborough, and many cheques. The bride's going away dress was a smart woollen ensemble of light blue and old gold, with brown flared coat, hat, shoes and gloves to match.
Owing to shortness of leave the honeymoon is being spent in London, after which the bride is returning to duties with the WRNS and the bridegroom to Chatham, when he is shortly joining the Royal Navy.
Births
Hopkyns - on Nov. 30 1942 at Colchester to Joan (née Yaths), wife of surg. Lieut. J.C.W. Hopkyns, RNVR - a son.
Hopkyns - On Oct, 3, 1944 at Colchester Maternity Home, to Joan (née Yates), wife of Surg. Lt. J.C.W. Hopkyns, RNVY, a second son.
| | Date: | 22 November 1941 | | Source: | Mersea Museum / Yates Family |
|
![Wedding of Joan Yates and Dr J.C.W. Hopkyns at St Stephen's, Great Wigborough.
</p><p>Wedding photo of my parents taken in the front garden of Great Wigborough Rectory, Essex, England [J. Ivor Hopkyns, Oct. 1997]
</p><p>Left to Right
1. John Wykeham Hopkyns, Age 64, father of groom
2. Maud Annie Louise Hopkyns, Age 65, mother of groom
3. John Longley, Best Man, Anaesthetist, class mate of groom at Middlesex Hospital
4. John Creasey Hopkyns, Age 26, groom
5. Joan Edith Hopkyns (née Yates), Age 20, bride
6. Edith Yates, mother of the bride, age 60
7. Paul Yates, brother of the bride
8. Fred Yates, father of the bride, Age 57 [Rector of Great and Little Wigborough]
9. Mary Robinson, bridesmaid, fellow WREN at Sheerness, Kent, Age 19. YTS_015_027](MMThumbnails33/YTS_015_027.jpg) |
| ImageID: | YTS_015_027 | | Title: | Wedding of Joan Yates and Dr J.C.W. Hopkyns at St Stephen's, Great Wigborough.
Wedding photo of my parents taken in the front garden of Great Wigborough Rectory, Essex, England [J. Ivor Hopkyns, Oct. 1997]
Left to Right
1. John Wykeham Hopkyns, Age 64, father of groom
2. Maud Annie Louise Hopkyns, Age 65, mother of groom
3. John Longley, Best Man, Anaesthetist, class mate of groom at Middlesex Hospital
4. John Creasey Hopkyns, Age 26, groom
5. Joan Edith Hopkyns (née Yates), Age 20, bride
6. Edith Yates, mother of the bride, age 60
7. Paul Yates, brother of the bride
8. Fred Yates, father of the bride, Age 57 [Rector of Great and Little Wigborough]
9. Mary Robinson, bridesmaid, fellow WREN at Sheerness, Kent, Age 19. | | Date: | 22 November 1941 | | Source: | Mersea Museum / Yates Family |
|
 |
| ImageID: | YTS_015_041 | | Title: | Fred Yates and his daughter Joan, in the grounds of Great Wigborough Rectory. | | Date: | c1942 | | Source: | Mersea Museum / Yates Family |
|
 |
| ImageID: | YTS_015_045 | | Title: | Great Wigborough Rectory
Joan Hopkyns, Edith Yates, John Hopkyns, Ivor (18 months) | | Date: | 1943 | | Source: | Mersea Museum / Yates Family |
| |
