My aunt, Mary Gertrude Veronica Anne Butterfield, was born on 21st January 1905 in Tyne and Wear, Durham. She died on 20th October 1991 in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
Miss Veronica Butterfield and Mr. Donald Brittan Evans
All Hong Kong was at Veronica Butterfield’s wedding. One trembles to think what happened to Hong Kong business yesterday afternoon! Certainly little could have been done between tiffin and the wedding and, having sampled the amazing display of fascinating edibles at the reception it would have been a brave man who would afterwards have faced his office desk! Never since Sir Robert and Lady Ho Tung celebrated their golden wedding has such a “wedding breakfast’ been prepared and the guests, though, at first they protested they “couldn’t eat anything,” reconsidered their decision after a glass of champagne and even the decorative platters of lobsters were broached and enjoyed.
The Bride and Bridegroom
But though a wedding is traditionally an excuse for a feast, especially in China we must linger no longer to introduce the bride.
Miss Veronica Butterfield, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs W.A. Butterfield of 501 The Peak, is known to nearly all of us. Some of us have the privilege of personal acquaintance, others have only made friends with her over the footlights when she has acted with the A.D.C., but may we say that we all find her charming.
She looked very lovely yesterday in her bridal gown of ivory satin with a court train lined with georgette, and silver embroidered white tulle veil. She carried a bouquet of white gladioli.
The bride was attended by her two sisters, Hilda and Kita, who had decorative frocks of hyacinth blue taffetas with panne velvet sashes and head dresses, and carried bouquets of shaded blue larkspur.
Mrs Butterfield wore a gown of beige lace made as were the bride’s and bridesmaids’ dresses by Madame Lebon of Kayamally Building.
The bridegroom, Mr. Donald Brittan Evans, is well-known locally as a solicitor. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs Brittan Evans, of Clifton, England, and is with the firm of Messrs. Johnson, Stokes and Master.
The wedding ceremony was conducted at St. Joseph’s Church, Garden Road, by the Reverend Father Riganti, the bride being given away by her father. The office of best man was taken by Mr. E.C. Marton, and the ushers at the Church were Messrs. Allen Gordon, H. Harbord, G.P. Ferguson, G. Nigel and H.S.U. Mossop. The church was prettily decorated with white gladioli and Larkspur.
The Reception
The reception was held in the Roof Garden of the Hong Kong Hotel, where the bride and groom received their guests standing under a bell of arum lilies. The fine three tier wedding cake was made by Lane, Crawford’s, Ltd., the rest of the catering being on the hands of the Hotel Company.
The Hon. Mr. W.H. Bell proposed the health of the bride and groom. He said: It is a great pleasure and privilege to have been asked to propose this toast. The privilege, I believe, developed upon me because I am one the oldest friends in the Colony of the Butterfield family. I first knew them about twenty-one years ago. At that time the bride was very much smaller than she is now but a very important person nonetheless. She was important as being the eldest of a large and growing family, a position which is an excellent training for future life. I lost sight of her when she went home to be educated but I heard of her occasionally. Among other things I heard a rumour that she was very good at elocution. We know that rumour did not lie in view of the fine performances she has given with the A.D.C. and we hope that we shall see her often on the local stage.
So much for the better half, the other half I don’t know so well, but both his taipans say that he is hard working and a fine fellow. The bride is lucky as she has most of her family wither today, the groom is not as lucky but know that his family are with us in their thoughts. They are probably wondering that they will not be disappointed when they see her.
The bridegroom made a graceful speech of thanks in which he referred to the marvellous presents that he and his wife had received.
The bride’s going away dress was of ochre crepe. A French model by Lebon.
The honeymoon is being spent in Japan.
(Beatrice Claire Potter - My Mother was Hilda Hodgkinson Butterfield, the bride's sister)
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My aunt's dates
My aunt, Mary Gertrude Veronica Anne Butterfield, was born on 21st January 1905 in Tyne and Wear, Durham. She died on 20th October 1991 in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
Veronica's wedding to Donald Brittan Evans
Hong Kong Daily Express
Wednesday, April 26, 1933
Local Wedding
Miss Veronica Butterfield and Mr. Donald Brittan Evans
All Hong Kong was at Veronica Butterfield’s wedding. One trembles to think what happened to Hong Kong business yesterday afternoon! Certainly little could have been done between tiffin and the wedding and, having sampled the amazing display of fascinating edibles at the reception it would have been a brave man who would afterwards have faced his office desk! Never since Sir Robert and Lady Ho Tung celebrated their golden wedding has such a “wedding breakfast’ been prepared and the guests, though, at first they protested they “couldn’t eat anything,” reconsidered their decision after a glass of champagne and even the decorative platters of lobsters were broached and enjoyed.
The Bride and Bridegroom
But though a wedding is traditionally an excuse for a feast, especially in China we must linger no longer to introduce the bride.
Miss Veronica Butterfield, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs W.A. Butterfield of 501 The Peak, is known to nearly all of us. Some of us have the privilege of personal acquaintance, others have only made friends with her over the footlights when she has acted with the A.D.C., but may we say that we all find her charming.
She looked very lovely yesterday in her bridal gown of ivory satin with a court train lined with georgette, and silver embroidered white tulle veil. She carried a bouquet of white gladioli.
The bride was attended by her two sisters, Hilda and Kita, who had decorative frocks of hyacinth blue taffetas with panne velvet sashes and head dresses, and carried bouquets of shaded blue larkspur.
Mrs Butterfield wore a gown of beige lace made as were the bride’s and bridesmaids’ dresses by Madame Lebon of Kayamally Building.
The bridegroom, Mr. Donald Brittan Evans, is well-known locally as a solicitor. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs Brittan Evans, of Clifton, England, and is with the firm of Messrs. Johnson, Stokes and Master.
The wedding ceremony was conducted at St. Joseph’s Church, Garden Road, by the Reverend Father Riganti, the bride being given away by her father. The office of best man was taken by Mr. E.C. Marton, and the ushers at the Church were Messrs. Allen Gordon, H. Harbord, G.P. Ferguson, G. Nigel and H.S.U. Mossop. The church was prettily decorated with white gladioli and Larkspur.
The Reception
The reception was held in the Roof Garden of the Hong Kong Hotel, where the bride and groom received their guests standing under a bell of arum lilies. The fine three tier wedding cake was made by Lane, Crawford’s, Ltd., the rest of the catering being on the hands of the Hotel Company.
The Hon. Mr. W.H. Bell proposed the health of the bride and groom. He said: It is a great pleasure and privilege to have been asked to propose this toast. The privilege, I believe, developed upon me because I am one the oldest friends in the Colony of the Butterfield family. I first knew them about twenty-one years ago. At that time the bride was very much smaller than she is now but a very important person nonetheless. She was important as being the eldest of a large and growing family, a position which is an excellent training for future life. I lost sight of her when she went home to be educated but I heard of her occasionally. Among other things I heard a rumour that she was very good at elocution. We know that rumour did not lie in view of the fine performances she has given with the A.D.C. and we hope that we shall see her often on the local stage.
So much for the better half, the other half I don’t know so well, but both his taipans say that he is hard working and a fine fellow. The bride is lucky as she has most of her family wither today, the groom is not as lucky but know that his family are with us in their thoughts. They are probably wondering that they will not be disappointed when they see her.
The bridegroom made a graceful speech of thanks in which he referred to the marvellous presents that he and his wife had received.
The bride’s going away dress was of ochre crepe. A French model by Lebon.
The honeymoon is being spent in Japan.
(Beatrice Claire Potter - My Mother was Hilda Hodgkinson Butterfield, the bride's sister)