So did Nigel and I.
On Saturday, Nick and Jenny’s lovely daughter Annwyn married
Andrew whom she also met there.
The wedding took place amid the red brick and wooden
panelling that is Girton, in such fine weather that the bluebells were
beginning to bloom in the College grounds.
There was one person there who has been witness to all our love
stories. On the wall of the Great Hall, watching
over dons and students, there hangs a portrait.
It is Emily Davies, a great feminist and suffragist and the founder of Girton, which was originally a women's college.
I’m sure that our various romances will have drawn only a
wry smile from her, but hopefully Saturday’s wedding will have delighted her
with its feminist improvements on the wedding traditions:
Emily Davies |
The ceremony in Girton Chapel was presided over by Beth and
Alison, two female clergy who are (like Nigel and I) godparents to Annwyn.
The bride and groom walked down the aisle together rather
than having the patriarchal “giving away” of the bride.
The formal speeches were given even-handedly by men and
women - by the groom’s father and the bride’s mother, by the best man and the
chief bridesmaid and by the bride and the groom.
It was in fact Andrew in his speech who asked whether Emily
Davies would have approved. We all agreed
with him that she most certainly would.
A green dress by Annabel was another innovation. |
Annwyn's parents met here too. And look pretty much exactly as they did then. |