"A Cycle Wedding at Wisbech"

    The following event took place in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire on 21st April 1897.

     [This report is from either the Isle of Ely Advertiser or the Wisbech Standard.]

        "St Augustine's Church, and it's vicinity, together with the Lynn Road, were crowded with people on 
        Wednesday afternoon last, the attraction being a "cycle wedding".  The bridegroom was Mr U.D. PALMER, 
        of the Borough Cycle Works, and the bride Miss F.M. Stevenson, third daughter of Mr C.F. Stevenson
        late of Tydd and now of Norfolk Street East. 
  
        The wedding is the first of it's kind in the district which accounted for the large attendance of spectators.  
        The ceremony was fixed for two o'clock, and shortly before that time, the bridegroom and best man rode upon 
        a Rudge Whitworth companion or sociable bicycle.  This machine is the first to be introduced into the 
        district and the announcement that the bride and bridegroom would ride together on the machine through the 
        town was the cause of the interest displayed by the public.
 
        Shortly after the bridegroom had reached the church, the bride and bridesmaids arrived on safety bicycles.  
        The bride wore a blue grey dress trimmed with white chiffon, a white tulle hat, trimmed with ostrich tips 
        and Moire ribbon, and carried a handsome bouquet of white flowers and maiden hair fern. She was led to the 
        altar by her father, and was attended by two bridesmaids (her sisters), Miss Stevenson and Miss Edith Stevenson, 
        who were attired in fawn satin cloth dresses trimmed with blue shot silk, and wore fawn hats to match.  
        Mr G.E. Gilbert, of Long Stratton, officiated as best man, and the bride was given away by her father.  
        The service was conducted by the Vicar, the Rev. C.H. Crossley. 
        At the conclusion of the ceremony, Mr Henry Boyden played the Wedding March.  
        On emerging from the church, Mr & Mrs PALMER were received with showers of confetti and rice. 


   

   
 The sociable bicycle was near at hand and the newly-married couple 
    at once mounted it and rode off in the direction of the bride's 
    father's home in Norfolk St East, followed by the best man and the 
    bridesmaids on bicycles.  Midway on the Lynn road, the band of the 
    Black Hawks Co. was stationed and played whilst the procession went 
    past.

    After the wedding Mr & Mrs Stevenson, the father and mother of the 
    bride, entertained a large number of guests at breakfast.  The usual 
    toasts were proposed, that of "Long life and happiness to the bride 
    and groom" being drunk with much enthusiasm.
    Among the guests present were Mr F. and Miss Pywell (Walsoken), 
    Miss M. Chappell (Tydd), Mr Middleton, Mr & Miss Morris (Docking), 
    Miss Lewis (Hunstanton); Sergt & Mrs Hazlett (Ely), Mr L.H. PALMER,
    Mrs E. Palmer; Mr H. Wright, Miss Maud Brightman, Mr J. Godfrey 
    and others.
    The presents were numerous and useful, and included a handsom tea 
    service from the commitee of the Wisbech Bicycle Club, of which the 
    bridegroom is a member.
   
......
   
  
   

   

   

   
**Click on the picture for a larger image** [260KB]  
      
        This "bicycle made for two" upon which the couple rode from church                 
        is a great novelty in itself.  There are only two wheels, similar 
        to an ordinary safety bicycle, and the riders sit side by side.  The 
        machine is automatically balanced, and is fitted with Palmer tyres.
        All the parts are of the machine are plated and it is enamelled in tan                   
        colour, lined out with gold.

        Although the riders sit side by side there is no inconvenience felt if one rider is heavier than the other, and a good rider could 
        take up a novice for a partner who had never ridden a bicycle before." 
          
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                                             
        Mr Younather [U.D.] PALMER was a younger brother of my Gt Grandfather, Louis Henry PALMER.  
                      
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
        My thanks to my 3rd cousin, Christine Adamson [Great Grand-daughter of Delphfenia Honor & Albert HAYLETT] who supplied
        a copy of the original newscutting;        
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
        Younather DeSilva PALMER
        Wisbech Palmers
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This page created  26 November 2001
and amended 13:29 09/10/2008