Charles Cary-Elwes and Edythe Roper Parkington November 1897

At St. James’s Church, Spanish Place. W., on Tuesday morning, the marriage took place of MR. CHARLES EDWARD CARY-ELWES, third son of Captain Windsor Cary-Elwes (late Scots Guards), of Blackmore, Worcestershire, and MISS EDYTHE ISABEL PARKINGTON, second daughter of Major Roper Parkington, 6, Devonshire Place, W. The Bishop of Emmaus officiated, assisted by the Rev. Mgr. Barry, V.G., and the Rev. Dudley Cary-Elwes, cousin of the bridegroom. The bride’s father gave her away, and Mr. Guy Chetwynd, cousin of the bridegroom, was best man. There were four bridesmaids—Miss Irene Cary Parkington (sister of the bride), Miss Edith Cary-Elwes (sister of the bridegroom), Lady Mary Pepys (cousin of the bridegroom), and Miss Maria de Frietas Branco. Miss Dagmar Bennett, Miss Eileen Bennett were train-bearers, and Master Brian Hunt acted as page. The bride wore a dress of ivory white satin, the bodice being trimmed with pearl lace and small sprays of orange blossom, a full Court train of brocade of handsome floral design hanging from both shoulders. Her embroidered tulle veil covered orange sprays, and was fastened with a diamond star, the gift of the bridegroom. A reception was given by Mrs. J. Roper Parkington at 6, Devonshire-place, after the ceremony, and was largely attended.

The above text was found on p.28, 27th November 1897 in “The Tablet: The International Catholic News Weekly.” Reproduced with kind permission of the Publisher. The Tablet can be found at http://www.thetablet.co.uk .

The cousin thing is Charles and Guy (later Sir Guy Chetwynd, [1874–1935] ) and Lady Mary are all third cousins. They share a great, great, grandfather in Henry Paget (1744 – 1812) the 1st Earl of Uxbridge, and the father of the first Marquess of Anglesey.

Also quite amusingly, Charles and Edythe’s eldest daughter Lilian (1902 -2000) married Maj. Hon. Arthur Michael Cosmo Bertie ( 1886 – 1957). on  7 May 1949  as her second husband. She was the widow of Lt Cdr Frank Dayrell Montague Crackanthorpe RN. It was a second marriage for both. His sister was Winston Churchill’s sister in law, though by the time of their marriage both Jack Churchill, and Lady Gwendoline were dead.

Lady Gwendoline Theresa Mary Bertie (1885–1941). married John Churchill (1880-1947), in 1908. He was the son of  Lord Randolph Churchill and  Jennie Jerome, and younger brother of Winston Churchill. She was the mother of Clarissa Churchill (b. 1920), who married Anthony Eden. Arthur Bertie’s son, and Lilian’s step-son became the 14th Earl of Lindsey and 9th Earl of Abingdon in 1963; and their nephew  Fra’ Andrew William Ninian Bertie,(b. 15 May 1929; d. 7 Feb 2008)  was elected in 1988 His Most Eminent Highness,  the 78th Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Prior to his election, he had taught modern languages at Worth in Sussex.

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