A Child Bride and A Wedding
Without Prejudice
We were married in the end at a Presbyterian Chuch in Campbelltown. We had 36 guests, just enough. I was 17 and it was the 4th of July 1970. Always ironic I thought as it was American Independence day. I shook walking down the aisle and I felt like the little page boy, Andrew was tugging me backwards as well he might. He was so very little and so very sweet. My younger Sister was my Flower girl and Jackie, my older Sister, one of the Bridesmaids. Pauline, Bob's sister was the other Bridesmaid and they wore red velver dresses.
I wore my Sisters Wedding dress as it had only been worn once and was still lovely. I covered up my pregnant tummy with flowers of red carnations. I was 4 months pregnant and had to have special permission to marry. Bob's mum and some of his Aunties, uncles and friends came up from Melbourne. Tiny my Father In Law didn't come ha had to stay back and do the milking, he said. But I knew he was very angry at me marrying Bob, who he called that "Bastard".
Bob was late getting to the church as there was only one bathroom at the house he was getting dressed at. I was stood there waiting and praying that the rain would hold off and he would turn up. Eventually he did and the sun did come out after all. It wasn't warm, and as we drove off to the reception, Bob's Mum put her head in the car window and said,
"Let me be the first to call you, Mrs Hancock !"
I felt very grown up all of a sudden and wondered what married life would be like with my new husband. Bob had always wanted to marry Bob's Mum told me and have kids and now we were doing both. It all seemed a little surreal. We had only had 6 weeks to plan it and everything had gone by in a blur. My parents would not let me marry in Korumburra as we had originally planned so Cambelltown it was and we all had a good time at the Reception, which was lovely.
We danced and cut the cake and did all the things that were expected. Bob had even taken dancing lessons with me so he knew how to waltz.>
We were married in the end at a Presbyterian Chuch in Campbelltown. We had 36 guests, just enough. I was 17 and it was the 4th of July 1970. Always ironic I thought as it was American Independence day. I shook walking down the aisle and I felt like the little page boy, Andrew was tugging me backwards as well he might. He was so very little and so very sweet. My younger Sister was my Flower girl and Jackie, my older Sister, one of the Bridesmaids. Pauline, Bob's sister was the other Bridesmaid and they wore red velver dresses.
I wore my Sisters Wedding dress as it had only been worn once and was still lovely. I covered up my pregnant tummy with flowers of red carnations. I was 4 months pregnant and had to have special permission to marry. Bob's mum and some of his Aunties, uncles and friends came up from Melbourne. Tiny my Father In Law didn't come ha had to stay back and do the milking, he said. But I knew he was very angry at me marrying Bob, who he called that "Bastard".
Bob was late getting to the church as there was only one bathroom at the house he was getting dressed at. I was stood there waiting and praying that the rain would hold off and he would turn up. Eventually he did and the sun did come out after all. It wasn't warm, and as we drove off to the reception, Bob's Mum put her head in the car window and said,
"Let me be the first to call you, Mrs Hancock !"
I felt very grown up all of a sudden and wondered what married life would be like with my new husband. Bob had always wanted to marry Bob's Mum told me and have kids and now we were doing both. It all seemed a little surreal. We had only had 6 weeks to plan it and everything had gone by in a blur. My parents would not let me marry in Korumburra as we had originally planned so Cambelltown it was and we all had a good time at the Reception, which was lovely.
We danced and cut the cake and did all the things that were expected. Bob had even taken dancing lessons with me so he knew how to waltz.>
