The maids of honour were the Misses Carrena, Sasegbon, Moore and Shaw who were dressed in crepe Marocaine trimmed with beads of contrasting colours and wore hats made of crepe de chine. There were six little bridesmaids and four tiny bridesmaids. The former comprised Misses Titi Pearse (later Mrs Shodeinde, welfare officer to Nigerian women students), Kofo Moore (later Lady Ademola), Lilian Cole and S. Agbebi, Ada Moore and A. Amisa.
This narration was inspired by a commentary in the society pages of the Nigerian Pioneer of 19 January 1923. Titled “Unnecessary Waste of Money at Weddings,” it goes, inter alia:
It is pleasing indeed to know that the folly of extravagance at weddings is being generally recognised, although unfortunately, efforts to combat and subdue the situation are rather confined to a smallest number… We can allow for the illiterate section of the community giving way to such a folly, but it is unpardonable on the part of the educated class to launch themselves into avoidable difficulties and lay the foundation for a bad home.
This commentary was published in the “Rambling Notes and News” column and may or may not have been authored by Kitoyi Ajasa Esq – the conservative nationalist politician and owner of the newspaper – who sometimes signed off the column with “Ajax.”
This opinion indicated that Lagos had witnessed a series of grand and high society weddings. In October 1921, Olayimika Alakija Esq and Gertrude Olajumoke Edun, daughter of Adegboyega Edun, secretary to the Egba native Administration, got married at Holy Trinity Church, Tinubu Square. On the day, there was “a procession of cars from Broad Street to the Race Course led by the bridal car.” The bride’s dress was made of duchess satin lined with silk, with the bodice and skirt heavily embroidered with pearl beads, georgette and orange blossoms. She carried a bouquet of orange blossoms and lilies of the valley tied with a white satin ribbon. “The bridesmaids dressed in Saxe blue crystalline silk, trimmed with velvet ribbons and roses; each lady held a basket of flowers. Their hats trimmed with roses and shoes were in complete colour (harmony) with the dress.”
They formed a guard of honour in blue at the church door. Gertrude’s maids of honour were all dressed in salmon pink. Gifts received ranged from cash, jewellery, tea and dinner sets to silk fabric and Alari native cloth. The couple were parents to the early woman barrister, Olabisi Alakija.
The following year, Miss Ayo Pearse, daughter of S. H. Pearse (a high-ranking official in Abeokuta who later represented the town on the Legislative Council), got married to Reverend S. C. Phillips, son of the well-known church organist, T. K. E. Phillips. The wedding took place on Thursday, 19 January, at the Christ Church. “The church was crowded to the extent that by the time service began at 10.30am, there was hardly any standing room in the church yard, much less in the church.” This was put down to the status of the couple’s parents.
On the departure of the couple from church, Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” was played to suit the mood. Invited guests included the “Europeans of Lagos”, amongst who were His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor, Lt. Colonel Moorehouse, Mrs Cameron, The Right Rev, the Bishop of the Diocese and Mrs Melville Jones, Mr F.G. Osborne, Hon. Kitoyi and Mrs Ajasa, Barristers J.T. Nelson and Eric Moore, Dr and Mrs Obasa, Barrister and Mrs E.J. Alex Taylor.
The service opened with the popular hymn “The voice that breathed over Eden” to usher the bride, accompanied by her father, two maids of honour, three ladies-in-waiting and bridesmaids, down the aisle. The organist played Wagner’s “Bridal Chorus”, “Triumphal March” to the delight of everyone. “The bride’s dress was white silk, the bodice which was trimmed with real pearls, iridescent beads and silver, and richly embroidered on the skirt with the same materials. Her train about 12 feet long was carried by two maids of honour who wore Salmon silk dresses trimmed with rich lace, orange blossoms and pearl beads with hats, stockings and shoes to match.”
The three ladies-in-waiting were dressed in woven silk georgette dresses trimmed with pearl buttons and beads on the hems and sleeves, while the two page boys were in kilts. On the departure of the couple from church, Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” was played to suit the mood. Invited guests included the “Europeans of Lagos”, amongst who were His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor, Lt. Colonel Moorehouse, Mrs Cameron, The Right Rev, the Bishop of the Diocese and Mrs Melville Jones, Mr F.G. Osborne, Hon. Kitoyi and Mrs Ajasa, Barristers J.T. Nelson and Eric Moore, Dr and Mrs Obasa, Barrister and Mrs E.J. Alex Taylor. The reception was at Elephant House, the brides’ parents’ home. The Bishop of the Diocese proposed a toast and the couple cut their cake. The groom told the guests that he was taking his bride “who had been resident at Elephant House to a place where elephants roam about.” i. e. Ondo town. Wedding gifts included scent bottle, gold brooch, dinner and tea sets, garden vases, silver candlesticks, table covers, tin trunks and cheques.
Grand weddings did not cease, as expressed in the commentary. In May 1923, St Paul’s Breadfruit Church witnessed the wedding ceremony of 26-year old Oyinkan Ajasa and Moronfolu Abayomi of Akimosa House, Victoria Street, Lagos. It was officiated by Venerable T.A.J. Ogunbiyi, the Archdeacon of Lagos, assisted by M.S. Cole, M.A.J. Okuseinde, J.J. Ransome-Kuti, J. Pearse and S.A. Sobande. Oyinkan was described as follows: “The bride looked dignified and graceful, just as she always appears, but on this occasion somewhat shy. The great interest taken in her wedding by all from the lowest to the highest was a token of the high esteem the bride is held in Lagos and for her sweetness and goodness.” She was dressed in a silver embroidered dress with a train falling off her shoulders, a lace veil and head dress of silver with orange blossoms at each side. Rather than carry a bouquet of flowers, Oyinkan clutched a small prayer book, bound in ivory.
A few months later, in July, Miss Ellen Grace Bamijoko Vaughan and Mr Emmanuel Folarin Da Silva walked down the aisle. It was reported that “the street was “congested with the number of vehicles massed upon every side.” The hymns sang were “Rest in the Lord” and “O perfect Love”. It rained heavily, such that the ceremony was described as “a Baptist Wedding with so much water for an immersion in Divine blessing.”
The maids of honour were the Misses Carrena, Sasegbon, Moore and Shaw who were dressed in crepe Marocaine trimmed with beads of contrasting colours and wore hats made of crepe de chine. There were six little bridesmaids and four tiny bridesmaids. The former comprised Misses Titi Pearse (later Mrs Shodeinde, welfare officer to Nigerian women students), Kofo Moore (later Lady Ademola), Lilian Cole and S. Agbebi, Ada Moore and A. Amisa.
The bride’s mother, Mrs Lucretia Ajasa and her friends, Mrs S. H. Pearse, Mrs Henry Carr and Mrs Adegboyega Edun, dressed alike in jade green silk, embossed with hats made of georgette. The reception was held at Godstone House, Race Course, with guests numbering over 300, with names which read alphabetically from A – W. They included the Agbebis; Alakijas; the Alake of Abeokuta, Oba Ladapo Ademola 11, who gifted her with a cheque; the Adeniyi-Jones; the Dohertys; Davies’; Da Rochas; Eduns; to J. Tychus Williams. The master of ceremony was Dr Obasa and the toast was proposed by Chief Justice Sir Ralph Combe. The wedding presents to Oyinkan Abayomi included a rose bowl with a stand, silver tea set, native cloths, cheques, crockery, gold necklaces, a dressing table, an oak case fitted with cutlery, carved calabashes, flower stands, lace scarf, letter cases and so on.
A few months later, in July, Miss Ellen Grace Bamijoko Vaughan and Mr Emmanuel Folarin Da Silva walked down the aisle. It was reported that “the street was “congested with the number of vehicles massed upon every side.” The hymns sang were “Rest in the Lord” and “O perfect Love”. It rained heavily, such that the ceremony was described as “a Baptist Wedding with so much water for an immersion in Divine blessing.” A reception was held at St George’s Hall and guests included Chief Eletu, the Ajasas and Obasas, Chief Oluwa, Dr J.C. Vaughan. Like the Alakijas, the couple also had their honeymoon at the “Haven,” Ebute Metta.
Perhaps, the colour harmony and Aso-ebi syndromes at events in modern Lagos, commenced from this era.
Tayo Agunbiade is the author of Emerging From the Margins: Women’s Experiences in Colonial and Contemporary Nigerian History.
Lagos High Society Weddings Of The 1920s – Events – Nigeria (nairaland.com)