Story: Religion and society

Anglican wedding, 1909

Anglican wedding, 1909

Well-dressed guests cluster outside Whanganui's Christ Church at the wedding of Eric Riddiford and Phyllis Barnicoat on 23 February 1909. Anglicans were less likely than Catholics or low-church Protestants to attend church regularly. Anglican churches were, however, important sites for ceremonies such as weddings and funerals. This wedding was a highly respectable occasion, bringing together the daughter of a Whanganui solicitor and the son of a prominent Wairarapa runholder. The local newspaper reported that the bride was 'becomingly attired in a beautiful empire dress of liberty satin with tunic of old Limerick satin', and that she was attended by five bridesmaids.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, F. J. Denton Collection
Reference: 1/1-016299-G

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

John Stenhouse, 'Religion and society - Church adherence and attendance, 1840–1920', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/28391/anglican-wedding-1909 (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by John Stenhouse, published 5 May 2011, reviewed & revised 4 Apr 2018