Anyone recognise these hats?

[AngelaR]

Hi folks

After my mother died, i came across a few (unlabelled  ) photos that I think were my gran's. My mother had kept them separately from other photos and I'd never seen them before. Consequently I was never able to ask her who they were 

The one below is on a postcard addressed to my Gran, thanking her for the presents (presumably wedding). It's signed 'Alf and Nell'

I've not come across any possibilities in my tree for an Alf and Nell, so am puzzled as to who they could be. If anyone could give me an idea as to the date of the photo, I could perhaps wade through the BMD references for likely people.... The card has 'North Perrott' written across the top, but I don't know if the couple were married there or were living there or what! North Perrott does feature heavily in my gran's ancestry, although she never lived there.

Long rambly explanation BUT I was hoping that the distinctive hat style would  give a clue. I've had a look on some historical sites but am not doing too well so far.

Any help will be much appreciated 

Angela

[AngelaR]

Whoops - a bit big...

I'll try to reduce it....

[old rowley]

Hi AngelaR,

Nice family grouping. I would hazard a guess and say that it was taken sometime between 1915 and 1930. The elderly women at the front and one standing (back, 1st left)
appeared to be dressed in the long skirts that were fashionable between 1910 to about 1920 whereas the bride appears to be dressed for the period of the mid twenties. The hats of (some) of the women standing at the back also appear to be from the twenties. Although there are different styles of head wear to pick from I would concentrate on the "younger" women seen in this group as the oldies seemed to hang on to past fashion rather than the younger ones who would have wanted to be "with it".............mind you I don't think much has changed now either .

old rowley

[AngelaR]

Hi Old Rowley

Thanks very much for your contribution - it's good to have another mind on the job 

 I was puzzled by the bride's dress looking a bit 20's and also I thought the young woman standing on the left might have been wearing a fairly straight dress that I would associate with the 20's - not that I know anything about fashion.

I did think that the cluster of hats at the back mught be readily dateable since everyone seemed to have the same - although I suppose if it's a family they might have put in a bulk order.....

I'm completely hopeless at dating things and all men's suits look the same to me. Perhaps there were fashions in wedding bouquets as well? This one is either an odd design or got a bit wilted 

Angela

[old rowley]

Angela,

I cannot work out if the flowers are wilting, been bashed about abit, or have fallen out of the Bouquet form that they were in as some seem to be either trailing down or have already started their descent to the floor.

The four women at the back all seem, as you have already pointed out, to have bought their hats in a bulk order but 5-1 that they were the bridesmaids or maids of honour (mind you the bouquets that they are holding give it away abit). Also have you noticed that the brides father is absent, if that is her mother sitting next to the bride that is?

old rowley

[Gadget]

Hi
I recognise a lot of the clothing in this photo. It reminds me of my Mum & Dad's wedding which was in 1931.
I won't try posting a picture of it at the moment. I'd have to reduce it and then work out how to insert without making a pig's ear of it all
Merched

[Little Nell]

I'd go for late 20s.  My grandmother got married in 1926 and her younger sisters were bridesmaids - they wore hats a bit like those the younger ladies are wearing.  Pulled right down so that they almost couldn't see.

Nell

[Lesanne]

   Bouquet flowers for the bride are Carnations with long trails of Asparagus fern. It was the "in thing" through '20 & '30. Mainly because they were the best flowers for nuseries to grow. Very good for wiring into buttonholes.

Earlier ones were kept long, so the flowers "bounced" on the long stems. Later they were shorter and more compact. The flower stems had become weaker through breeding and crossing of varieties.

The bridesmaids, I can't pick out to much but it looks like the "Constance Spry" style, which was created to use material as natural as possible.

    Over the past 10+ years, customers have bought me wedding photo's of their parents in order to copy the bouquets as a tribute at the other end of their lives. At first this may seem sad, but I always think I'm doing the happiest bit. 

[Gadget]

Below, I hope, is my Mum & Dad's 1931 Wedding for a comparison

Merched