Stratford Historical Society and Museum

News from the Stratford Historical Society and Museum, in Stratford, Gippsland, Victoria. We are open Tuesdays from 10am to 3pm, and the fourth Sunday of the month from 2pm to 4pm. Our postal address is P.O. Box 145, Stratford, 3862.

My Photo
Name:
Location: Victoria, Australia

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Unknown Briagolong Wedding

Today a number of us went to the inaugural meeting of the re-formed Wellington Shire Heritage Network. It was wonderful to meet up with others involved in similar activities - both those we have not seen for a while, and those we have not met before.

The meeting was at the wonderful and historic Briagolong Mechanics' Institute. Where this photo was on display, as they were asking for help. When reframing some of their collection of historic photos, this was found as a backing board.

Unknown Briagolong wedding

The largest size is HERE.

We would really appreciate any suggestions as to the date the photograph was taken. We suspect the bride and the attendant on the right are sisters - and possibly of European heritage. Two families from Briagolong who fit that profile are the Wuillimins and the Estoppeys - both from Switzerland.

But it would make it easier if we could date the photo. How does just after World War I fit?

(Did you spot the groom has a top hat, and the the "flower girl" has a kewpie doll? These dolls were produced from 1913 onwards)

6 Comments:

Blogger JayBee said...

A possibility could be Delta Rose Wuillemin and Richard Herbert Bennett who were married in Briagolong in 1904. Delta Rose was the only child of Louis Wuillemin and his wife.

11:45 AM  
Blogger Linda said...

Hi Janne,

Good thought - I was going along those lines, apart from the kewpie doll, supposedly from 1913 onwards. Do you have any photos of Richard Herbert Bennett around that time you can compare? Could we be out on the doll date?

Linda

4:27 PM  
Blogger Chris Blair Athol said...

Hello all. Delta Rose and Richard Herbert Bennett were my maternal great-grandparents. I will forward the photographs to my mother and uncles for a second opinion as to the identities of persons depicted in the photograph. My grandmother Rebecca Thomas was Richard and Delta's eldest daughter. The bride strongly resembles my great-grandmother. Delta's older sister Catherine and mother Elizabeth drowned in Freestone Creek in January 1889.

7:12 AM  
Blogger Linda said...

Hi Chris,

Thank you for your reply - although I am still having problems with how the youngest attendant could be holding a doll first produced in 1913 at a 1904 wedding. Unless for some reason they never had wedding photographs taken, and had them done much later. Is it possible the two young attendants are their children????

9:53 AM  
Blogger Jennifer Mouritz said...

Message for Chris Blair Athol,
I am a direct descendant of John Joseph MOURITZ 1853-1931 who was the older brother of Delta Rose BENNETT nee WUILLEMIN'S mother Elizabeth Shaw WUILLEMIN nee MOURITZ. I have a photo of Delta as a young woman and I don't think this is her wedding photo. Actually Delta has the following siblings; Elizabeth Kate 1877-1889 (drowned with her mother January 1889) John Hector Louis aka Jack 1880-1957 Michael Stanley 1883-1896 (died some time of injuries after falling off a horse) & Goldie Arthur James 1888- 1956. Both 'Jack' & Delta died in WA and had some occasional contact with my family.
Would love to hear from other descendants as I have quite a bit of info and always looking for more.
Regards
Philip MOURITZ
phil.mouritz@hotmail.com

9:22 PM  
Blogger JayBee said...

Hi Chris, Janne Blacker [ nee Bennett here] I thought the photo resembled my aunty Delta too. My parents, Thomas Baxter and Kitty were friends of your grandparents and I remember them living at Blair Athol which had been the home of my grandparents George Oliver and Margaret Bennett. I went to school with the Thomas children.

12:12 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home