Wedding congratulations to Agnes Stephenson

2 March 1877

Agnes' wedding seems to have been a sudden affair, by special licence and probably when she discovered she was pregnant. It has been estimated that at this period about 40% of brides in England were pregnant at the time of their marriage, and her son Howard was born on 21 September. Her husband Henry Hingston may well have viewed settled domesticity with reluctance, and although Agnes never moved far from the area where she was born and brought up Henry was constantly wanting to take her and the children to a new life abroad where he could 'make his fortune'.

The two letters are from Maria E Stephenson in Brixton and Mary E Stephenson in Scotland.


from Maria E Stephenson

76 Genoa Road

Brixton

March 2nd 1877

My dear dear Dot

Although it is out of our power to send you a wedding present as we should have liked, yet dear Girl we can and do send you every wish for your future happiness.

May God bless you and your Husband with every good and perfect Gift. Your dear Mother will miss you no doubt at first, but the knowledge that you are the Wife (or will be in a few hours) of a good man will comfort and console her for your loss.

My time is so taken up with different things that I have never been able to answer your last kind letter therefore do forgive me. I hope Herbert has been successful in getting a situation.

Your Cousin John, and the boys, with myself, send you & the beloved fond love & kisses and again wishing you every happiness.

Believe me dear Dot,

Your loving Cousin

Maria E Stephenson

John's and my love to your Maria[?] Nellie & Herbert


from Mary E Stephenson

10 Gilmour Place

March 2nd /77

My dear Dot

A loving greeting from Aunt & cousins Scotch to an English Dot on her wedding morning. You will be much in our minds and in our prayers too on the morrow.

Mr Newnam was very much pleased when I told him the new & sends you his kind regards and very best wishes.

Your present is sent through kindness & a very great deal of love from all of us.

Give our united love and sympathy to dear Aunt, for this must be a trying time for her.

With much love & many good wishes.

Believe me dear Dot

Your affectionate & loving cousin

Mary E Stephenson