Wartime Marriage

(My Mother, Clarice Sampson, wrote the following story of her wartime marriage and requested it should be submitted to the WW2 web-site):

My approaching Golden Wedding Anniversary made me think of my Wedding-Day, also the W.I. thought it highly amusing when I told them about it.

On 1st September, 1939 I had gone to Okehampton by train to do some shopping where I found everybody buzzing with the news that Germany had invaded Poland. We all knew that now war between Britain and Germany was inevitable. When I arrived back on our farm, Lydcott, my Father was working near the road in a field he called the "seed-field", so I stopped to tell him. We all felt strongly a sense of impending doom. That evening Laurence, my fiance - from Wildridge, North Tawton - to whom I had been engaged since the previous October, came over and said that we must get married as soon as possible as he might be "called up". It is difficult to understand the feeling of "the end being imminent" which prevailed at that time.

The next few days were a buzz of activity for there was much to be done. The first thing to do was to see the Rector of our Parish Church in Sampford Courtenay. He said that we must to to Exeter to see the Diocesan Registrar, Mr Michelmore, in order to obtain a Special Licence, price £2.2s. With a certain amount of difficulty we managed to do this. Our next objective was to buy a ring, 22 carat gold - another two guineas. Armed with these two things we returned to the Rector and he said that he would marry us in the early afternoon on the following Tuesday, September 5th.

I had recently bought a new dark brown suit edged with braid, but I would need accessories to wear with it. The next day, Saturday, I went to Exeter by train and got a flowery silk blouse with a heart-shaped necklace, a brown boater-shaped hat with a veil, also some brown suede and leather court shoes for £12.11s.

On Sunday morning we all listened to the Prime Minister's speech declaring that Britain was now at war with Germany.

Tuesday, September 5th dawned a fine, clear, sunny, summer day - or should it be Autumn - perfect for harvesting! In the morning Laurence cut a field of corn for a local farmer Mr Dennis and I went to Okehampton by train to get some cakes from Maddaford's, the bakers. Although they were great friends I did not mention that it was my wedding day! They told me afterwards that, had they known, they would have given me a lovely iced cake.

Early after lunch both families assembled in Sampford Courtenay church and Mr Burnaby, our Rector, duly married us. We all went back to Lydcott, where my mother had prepared a dainty tea. There were anchovy sandwiches, I remember and of course, cakes. Laurence's people could not stay very long as his brother Herbert and sister in law Rene had to get back to their shop; also my father was anxious to return to the harvest field! Such was my wedding-day! My only regret was that no one thought of bringing a camera!

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