| 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!
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An Aunt's diary of her trip to the Wedding
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