Reference
Z186/1-211
Title
Letters to Mrs Cochrane Forster from her daughter and family in India
Date free text
1907-1918
Production date
From: 1907 To: 1918
Admin/biog history
Extract from Bedfordshire Mercury, Friday, 9 August 1907:
MARRIAGE OF CAPTAIN CHALDECOTT AND MISS EDWARDS.
St. Paul’s Church, Bedford, was yesterday week, in the afternoon, occupied by a large and fashionable congregation , consequent upon the marriage of Miss Evelyn Beatrice Edwards, daughter of the late Mr. George Arthur Edwards, of Waratab, Queensland, and Harrow- on-the Hill, Middlesex, and of Mrs. Cochrane Forster, 29 St. Andrew’s Road, to Captain William Henry Chaldecott, Royal Engineers, son of the late Lieutenant Colonel M. Algernon Chaldecott, Royal Artillery, and of Mts. Chaldecott, 10, Merton – Road. The Reverend Robert Lang, vicar of Woodham Walter, Essex, and the Reverend A.E. Sasse, curate-in-charge of St. Andrew’s Church, Bedford, were the clergy officiating at the fully choral service, which included three hymns – “O Father, all creating ,” “O Perfect Love,” “Now thank we all our God” – to organ music by Doctor Harding.
The bride was given away by her step father, Major Cochrane Forster. She was dressed in an Empire gown of Japanese crepe-de-chine silk embroidered with butterflies, with transparent yoke of old Italian point lace, and full puff sleeves of tucked chiffon. The Court train of rich cream satin was draped with crepe-de-chine and bows of satin; and the dress and train were trimmed with orange blossom. Her wreath was composed of orange blossom, myrtle and white heather; and she wore an amethyst and diamond pendant, the gift and Colonel and Mrs Frank Shuttleworth. The four bridesmaids were Miss Eleanor Edwards, Miss Hilda Chaldecott, Miss Dorothy Forster and Miss Iris Chaldecott. Their dresses were of cream Oriental satin, with yokes and sleeves of acru net and lace; and their crteam Leghorn hats were decked with plumes of Cassowary feathers. Miss Phyllis Stride, who acted as train-bearer, wore a long Empire dress draped with a soft white fichu with longs ends falling to the hem, also a cap of white ribbon lattice work. Gold and turquoise curb bracelets were the bridgegroom’s gifts to the bridesmaids. Captain Moore, D.S.O. Royal Artillery, acted as best man; whilst the groomsmen were Mr. A. Cochrane Forster, 5th Northumberland Fusiliers, and Mr. R. O. Sutherland, 14th Bengal Lancers. The bridegroom, his best man and the groomsmen wore full uniform. The bride carried a bouquet of roses, lilies-of-the-valley, myrtle and white heather. The bridesmaids’ bouquets were of cream roses with brown foliage.
Mr Hutchins, clerk to the Harpur Trust
Scope and Content
The letters are mostly written to Mrs. Cochrane Forster of 29, Kimbolton Road, Bedford, by her daughter, Evelyn Beatrice Chaldecott (nee Edwards), who married Captain William Chaldecott in 1907 and accompanied her husband on two tours of duty in India. Some of the letters were written on their honeymoon in Ireland, but in the main, the remainder were written during the second tour of duty, from 1915 – 1919. Their first child, a son, Gilbert, was born during their first tour in India, their second, a daughter, named Heather, was born at Simla in 1916.
All letters are addressed to Mrs. Cochrane Forster, 29, Kimbolton Road, Bedford, unless otherwise stated.
Archival history
These letters were found in the basement of a house bought by Mr. Hutchins.
Level of description
sub-fonds