Wedding of Christine Cox to Ralph Shipway

WEDDING AT BISHOP’S CLEEVE – In the presence of a very large congregation, Mr. Ralph Shipway and Miss Christine Carmen Cox were wedded in the old parish church of Bishop’s Cleeve on Wednesday. The brdegroom [sic] is a son of Mr. Hemming Shipway, of Malvern View, Bishop’s Cleeve, and the bride, who is well-known in the Cheltenham district as a talented vocalist, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Cox [William Henry Cox (1865-1947) and Emily (Mathews) Cox], of Church View, in the same parish. Rev. R. Newman officiated, and the service was choral, Mr. L. V. Wheeler, organist of the Cheltenham Parish Church, and an old friend of the bride’s family, officiating at the organ. The bride, who was given away by her father, wore a dress with cream satin foundation, lace overslip, and pearl ornaments. She also wore an embroidered veil and wreath of orange blossoms, and carried a sheaf of lilies. Attending her were four bridesmaids, viz., Miss Clarice Cox (sister) [Clarice (Cox) (Norman) Meredith], Miss Ivy Mathews, of Thrift Hall, Waltham Abbey (cousin) [Winifred Ivy Mathews (1904-1990)]; Miss Annie Shipway (sister of the bridegroom); and Miss Doris Bosworth, of Ward End, Birmingham (cousin of the bride) [Dr Doris (Bosworth) Wall]. Their dresses were of pink silk with ninon sleeves and vests; and they wore gold chains and pendants of rubies and pearls, given by the bridegroom, as were their carnation bouquets. After the ceremony the parents of the bride held a reception in the Bishop’s Cleeve school. The honeymoon will be spent at Weston-super-Mare and Bristol, the bride’s going-away dress being in fawn tweed, with hat of biscuit straw to match, underlined with shell pink. The bride’s presents to the bride[groom] were a ring and bracelet, and that from the bridegroom to the bride a diamond ring. Congratulations and presents were received from Mr. and Mrs. Bert Cox (Arle), Mr. and Mrs. Wright (Birmingham) [Kate (Mathews) Bosworth and her second husband, William Wright (-1938)], Miss Bosworth (Birmingham), Mr. and Mrs. T. Mathews (London), Mrs. Horne (Cardiff), parents of bride, parents of bridegroom, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Shipway, Mrs. Adcock, Mrs. and Mrs. C. Adcock, Miss Shipway, Miss Vera Shipway, Mrs. and Mr. Hitchman, Miss N. Shapcott, Mrs. Hinks (Moor), Mrs. and Miss Roberts, Miss Warwick (Birmingham), scholars and teachers of Bishop’s Cleeve Council School, Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Matthews (Cheltenham), Miss Clarice Cox [Clarice (Cox) (Norman) Meredith], Miss Ivy Mathews, Mrs. Grover and Miss Bucknell, Mrs. Adamson (Alderton), Mrs. Foort, Mr. Foort, Mrs. and Misses Price, Mrs. Dobbons, Miss K. Short, Miss E. Morgan, Master J. Morgan, Mrs. Irons, Misses Oldacre, Mr. Fred Shpway, Miss Bradden, Miss Lane, Miss Jeynes, Mr. and Mrs. Kent and family, Rev. T. Jesson and family, Mrs. R. Beckingsale, Mr. and Mrs. Catt (London), Mr. and Mrs. F. Wheeler (London), etc. Peals were rung on the bells of Bishop’s Cleeve Parish Church during the afternoon and evening of the wedding day in honour of the happy event.

(Gloucestershire Echo, 14th August 1918)