Weddings

1800s

1888
​ J Law married C Ranger

1889
Agnes Jackson married John C Crosbie

1889
Mary McNicol married Hugh Stewart

1898
Nettie McIlquham married Edward Woods

Edward Woods and Nettie McIlquham June 28th, 1898

1900s

1901
Esther McKay married John Mitchell

1904
​Edith Amelia James married John E Moulton

1910s

1911
Eva May Fair married James Alexander Brown

1912
Jane Baird married James Howard Anderson

1912
Joanna Law married James Alexander McQuestion

1917
Agnes Elizabeth Smith married Ross Albert White

1920s

 1925
Margaret H Somerville married ​Lionel John C Barr

1925
Jessie Elma Mitchell married James Robert Smith

1930s

1933
Pauline Esther Ledingham ​married A Leonard McKay

1940s

1941
Grace Eloise Caldwell married John Kenneth Bowes

1950s

1952
Lilias Anne Rodger married Harold Stead

Lilias Rodger and Harold Stead 1952

1955
Jean Elsie Craig married John Keith Willows

1957
Maxine Ann Foster married Ronald James McCurdy

James McCurdy and Maxine Foster November 15th, 1957

James and Maxine McCurdy cutting the cake at their reception

1960s

Seamstresses

When a bride-to-be started planning her wedding, she would secure the services of a seamstress. Some brides were fortunate to have a member of the family who could design and create a wedding dress. Other options for acquiring a dress included enlisting a community member with sewing skills or a seamstress with a shop usually within their own home. It was also common for seamstresses to stay with a family while making the wedding dress and accompanying trousseau items for a bride-to-be. This makes practical sense for more remote areas as it would make it possible to do successive fittings. 

Margaret Pretty
1860-1910

Margaret 'Maggie' Pretty was born in Hopetown, Lanark Township. She lived all her life on the farm where she was born. She was listed in the Census as a seamstress. Her family recounted stories of Maggie's artistic talent and sewing abilities. She would have earned money through her sewing to contribute to her family's finances. 

Maggie Pretty (left) and a young member of her family

Agnes Park and Robert Pretty on their wedding day. Agnes' dress is believed to have been made by her sister-in-law, seamstress, Maggie Pretty

Alice Knapton Aitken
1853-1904

Alice Knapton Aitken was born in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland and moved as a child with her family to Rosetta in Lanark Township. Before she was married in 1879, Alice and her close friend and neighbour, Margaret McFarlane (1855-1897) travelled to the nearby community of Almonte to be formally trained as seamstresses. Alice's oldest daughter, Mary Ann Aitken learned sewing skills from her mother and continued to sew throughout her life. 

Alice Knapton Aitken

Mary Ann Aitken Thompson

Kate A Hogg
1868-1958

Kate Hogg lived in Galbraith in Lanark Township and earned money as a seamstress and a millner to contribute to her family's welfare.  Kate and her older sister, Jane, were listed in the 1891 census as dressmakers and 'wage earners'. Their Great Aunt, Elizabeth Hogg, was a dressmaker in Perth and Elizabeth's daughter, Nellie, was a millner who had a shop on Gore Street so the skills may have been passed down through the family. Kate taught sewing skills to a group of local young ladies. 

​Agnes Peacock
1862-1932
and
Catherine 'Kate' Peacock
1863-1956​

Agnes and Kate Peacock were born near Middleville in Lanark Township. Their mother died when they were 10 and 9 years of age respectively. As young women, they moved to Lanark Village and were employed by Delong's Tailor Shop in the village. 

Marion Umpherson Prentice
1850-1918

Marion Umpherson Prentice, a local seamstress and milliner

Marion Umpherson Prentice in front of her home on the main street of Lanark Village where she conducted her sewing and milliner businesses