Lilliputian Weddings    I first began wondering what a Lilliputian wedding was when Paul Curran gave us some envelopes of negatives from the Milford News.  One said "Lilliputian wedding, 1949."  The pictures were of a wedding on the Community House steps.  About a week later, I came across a guest book for the wedding in a file cabinet at the library.  Below is what I found in it.                                  Hopedale Woman's Club Entertains With Lilliputian Wedding    The bridal group of the Lilliputian wedding sponsored by Hopedale Woman's Club in the Community House in which nearly 50 youngsters, representing personages in Hopedale, took part.  Helene Draper, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. B. H. Bristow Draper, Jr., was bride, and the groom was portrayed by Robert LaFountain, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert LaFountain. Picture caption, Milford Daily News    See picture     From a guest book, dated February 13, 1940: Wedding party: Bride - Helene Draper Groom - Robert LaFountain Best Man - Daniel Steincipher Maid of Honor - Priscilla West Flower Girl - Lynda Kate Sadler Ring Bearer - Gerald Hazard Bridesmaids - Barbara Clark, Janet Moon, Rosalind Thayer, Ellen Brown, Cynthia Clark, Frances Ammen Signatures in the guest book:   Sylvia Stare                        Gladys D. Grant Doris Bell                           Grace M. Steincipher Isobel Callahan                    Helen MacLeod Helene Creamer                   Helen E. Peavey Betty Mathewson                 Robert Bruce Smethurst Robert LaFountain               Cynthia L. Clark Frances Webster                 Dorothy Young Rosamond Thayer               William T. Coy Joan Thatcher                    James Peavey Priscilla Sadler                    Frances Ammen Danny Steincipher               Janet Lapworth Beverly Markham                Garfield Moon Donald Webster                  Edith Barrows Robert Noyes                      Jane Bridgham Harland Scribner                 Nancy Gibson Richard Draper                   Susan Dewar Colton Bridges                    Barbara Harriet Thayer                    Claude Snider Mary Louise Stare              Gladys Grant Jean Newhall                      Dorothy Murray Olive Day Bramhall             Priscilla Scribner Gladys Sanborn                  Jeanette Andrews Shirley Webster                  Nancy Calhoun Barbara Bell                        Judith Ripley Jane Newell                        Elinor FitzGerald Carolyn Henderson              Virginia Steeves Joanne Kearsley                  Beverly Sparhawk Yvonne Scanlon                  Pauline Shanahan Richard Callahan                 Mrs. Eugene S. Newhall Shirley Mathewson             Hilda Chegwidden    Shortly sending out the story above by email, I received the following: from my classmate, Phil Roberts: Dan,    Okay, I confess.  I was illegally married to my cousin, Cynthia, as a  child.  The wedding was endorsed by my parents.  The entire expense was borne by the "Hopedale Woman's Club." I think my mother might have been club president at the time. I remember being dressed in a tuxedo and carrying a  cigar (that my dad made by wrapping masking tape around a pencil, and  painting it brown). The question I can't answer is, "Why?"  I dunno' if it  was a fundraising venture, or was done just for fun.  My memory ain't that  good!!!   Cheers,      Phil  A few days later, I heard from Phil again. He had looked through old family photos and found one of the "wedding." Here's a bit of what he had to say about it.  "I'm wearing a bowtie that's bigger than my head, a tuxedo with striped lapels, and I'm carrying a top-hat.  I look like a circus barker. The picture's dated March 12, 1949--it was taken by James S. Peavey!" See the picture.     Now it appears that there were at least three of these weddings. It turned out that the guest book contains not only names and pictures from one in 1940, but also names of one held in 1949.) They were put on by the Community House Women's Club.  The names for the 1949 wedding party are:  Bride - Patricia Perry Groom - Billy Ohlson Bride's father - William H. Thayer Soloist - Donald Seastrom Bridesmaids - Sally Lawrence, Lorna Smethurst, Patty Draper, Judy Nelson, Glenis Bishop, and Joanne Lemon Ushers - Russell Goff, Tommy Draper, David Miles, Robert Iacovelli, Albert Carl Gray and Roger Robbins                Newspaper article and photo of the 1949 wedding            Wedding photos            HOME