Week 23: Weddings

What an exciting week on board the Buffalo! We read in Bingham Hutchinson’s diary on Thursday 28th July that three weddings took place on the same day. The ceremony was conducted by Mr W. Howard and was witnessed by the entire crew and all the passengers. Hutchinson’s diary entry gives us few details about the service, including the drinking of ‘wine on the quarter–deck, after which followed singing & dancing.’ With some understanding of English weddings in 1836, we can make assumptions about what other events may have occurred. For example, “To have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part”, are common marriage vows that have been recited at many English church weddings since 1552.

Front cover of Young Bingham Hutchinson’s journal aboard the Buffalo

This week we will build upon our own understandings and experiences to explore the concepts of marriage and weddings, from traditional English weddings in 1836, to the weddings from different cultures, ethnic groups, religion and countries in present times.

Inquiry Questions:

• Find information about traditional English church weddings in 1836. How are they the same / different to church weddings today?
• Hutchinson’s diary entry gives us some information about the wedding celebrations onboard. Use your knowledge of English weddings in 1836 and draw conclusions about what the passengers might have done to mark this significant occasion.
• Why have some wedding traditions changed over time and others have remained the same? 

Research Topics:

• In the mid 19th century, English women outnumbered men by 360,000 (9.14million and 8.78million) with 30% of women over 20 unmarried. How did society view and treat unmarried women during this time?
• The wedding industry is very big today, with weddings varying in size and cost. What needs to be considered when planning a wedding today?
• What was Hutchinson referring to in his passage, 'The first number of the ‘Buffalo Telegraph’ appeared?

Historical Skills:

Activity Suggestions:

1. Look at the structure and content of invitations from a variety of special events. Identify a special event that is coming up, a birthday, wedding, school open night, christening, class party, or parent / teacher interview. Use at least two pieces of technology to design and create an invitation to your event.
2. What do you consider to be the ‘essential elements’ required for a good wedding? Remember, a wedding can quickly become an expensive event. Identify the expenses involved in planning either a wedding, or an event you are holding. Use a variety of resources to cost your chosen event. Total the price of your event and make comparisons with others as to how much money you would need to hold the event. Can you reduce costs by eliminating some of the elements?
3. Cameras were in their infancy in 1836, and with no photographs taken onboard these vessels, we need to use our understandings to imagine the scenes onboard. Today however, most people own a camera of their own. At weddings, many couples employ professional photographers to take photographs of their special day. Have you heard the saying, “a picture speaks a thousand words?” What is meant by this? Have a look through images on the computer or in magazines to identify photographs that attract your attention. What features make particular photographs stand out from others? Use digital cameras to take photographs in your school environment. Be as creative as you can, remembering the elements of a good photograph. Select your favourite photograph to print and give it a title. Share your photography with others by creating an exhibition.
4. Identify the common elements in most weddings. Work with a partner to research a wedding from a particular culture / religion, aligning your research with the identified elements. Present your findings to the rest of the class. Identify the different perspectives and beliefs by comparing the weddings presented. 
5. Have you ever been to a wedding? How do you think it compares to the three held onboard the Buffalo? Ask others in your class to share their wedding experiences, identifying both the good and bad elements. Use your combined understandings and experiences to develop a wedding guide / checklist that could be given to engaged couples to help them plan for their special day.

What do you think?

During the 19th century the minimum age for marriage (with parental consent) was 12 for a girl and 14 for a boy. It was not until 1929, that the English Parliament, in the Ages of Marriage Act raised the marriage age to 16 for both sexes. This is still the minimum age today. Do you think teenagers at the age of 16 are old enough to commit to a lifetime of marriage?

In 1836, when a woman got married in England, all her money and possessions were given to her husband. Up until the How did the passing of the Married Property Act, 1882, even if a woman worked, her earnings would also belong to her husband. Do you think this was a fair and equitable law?

What if?

Divorce and separation was virtually unheard of in 1836. What if one of the passengers who married onboard the Buffalo later decided that they were not suited to marriage and wanted to leave their partner?

Stay Tuned:

In the past weeks we have learnt about animals seen during the voyage and those that were taken onboard to provide food in the new colony. Did you know that on some ships people kept a pet? Last week we learnt that keeping a cat onboard was considered to be good luck. Next week we will find out which ship had a cat on board and learn about the challenges faced by such an inquisitive animal.