Rutherford Family Weddings

Not only are weddings significant family events, they are significant social events as well.  If we're lucky, newspaper accounts can bring to life family weddings long past, giving us a sense of the personalities, aesthetics and social circumstances in our family line.  Here are three generations of  newspaper reports of Rutherford family weddings in Montreal.

Generation 1:  William Rutherford Jr. and Ida Bulmer.
Montreal Gazette, May 17, 1894.  p.3.

"Rutherford-Bulmer.  At 5 o'clock last evening Mr. William Rutherford jr., of Cote St. Antoine, was joined in holy wedlock to Miss Ida Bulmer, daughter of Mr. John Bulmer, and niece to Mr. Henry Bulmer, chairman of the Harbour commissioners.  The ceremony took place in St. George's Church the Very Rev. Dean Carmichael tying the nuptial knot, and although invitations were extended only to the immediate relatives, so popular were the young couple that before 5 o'clock the church was crowded with their numerous friends. Miss Jane Bulmer, sister of the bride, acted as bridesmaid.  Mr. Sept. Fraser played the wedding march as the bridal procession left the church.  The newly married couple, before leaving for New York, were the recipients of many costly presents."  

Here are some images of St. George's Church in Montreal:

Engraving of interior of St. George's Church, Montreal, 1850-1885.  Courtesy of McCord Museum. 

Exterior of St. George's Church, Montreal, 1872.  Courtesy of McCord Museum. 

Modern interior shot of St. George's Church. 

Generation Two:  Their Children 

The first child of William and Ida to be married was their daughter Ida Jean.  Here is the description of her wedding, from the Montreal Gazette, September 18, 1924.

"The marriage took place quietly last evening at nine o'clock, at the residence of the bride's parents 61 Rosemount Avenue, Westmount, of Ida Jean, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Rutherford, to Mr. James Hargrave Drummond Ross, son of the late Dr. and Mrs. James Ross, of Dundas, Ontario.  The bride, who was given away by her father, was gowned in white georgette, with an overskirt of chantilly lace, with a georgette and lace scarf falling from one shoulder.  Her tulle veil was caught with orange blossoms and pearls, and she carried a shower bouquet of sunburst roses.  She was attended by her sister, Miss Marjorie Rutherford, as maid of honour, and by Miss Daintry Notman and Miss Kathleen Darling, as bridesmaids.  All three attendants were gowned alike, in orange shade georgette with petal skirts, and carried bouquets of nasturtiums. Dr. Graham Ross was his brother's best man.  The Rev. Dr. Clark, of St. Andrew's Church, performed the ceremony,  and Mr. E.W. Whitely played the wedding music.  The rooms were decorated with ferns, palms and autumn foliage, interspersed with pink and white hydrangeas and masses of gladioli and dahlias.  Mrs. Rutherford, the bride's mother, wore a gown of grey canton crepe combined with Spanish lace and a corsage bouquet of mauve orchids.  A reception followed the ceremony, and later Mr. and Mrs. Ross left for Lake Placid.  Going away the bride wore a russet brown suit with a tailored hat, suede cloth wrap, and an Isabella fox fur.  They will reside in Larchmount, N.Y.  The out of town guests included Miss Isabel Ross, sister of the groom, of Saranac Lake, and Miss Audrey Fitzgerald, of Winnipeg."

The wedding of John Bulmer Rutherford  to Norton Scott, daughter of Arthur H. Scott and Minnie Davis, is described in the Montreal Gazette on March 27, 1928, p. 8:

"At St. Mark's Chapel, Dorval, the Rev. W.P.R. Lewis officiating, the marriage took place quietly yesterday of Norton Scott, widow of Henry Stephenson Fry, late Lieutenant 42nd H.R.C., to Mr. John Bulmer Rutherford, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Rutherford, Cote St. Antoine Road.  Owing to the absence of her father, Mr. Arthur H. Scott, who is in Italy, the bride was given in marriage by her brother-in-law, Mr. John Fry, and was unattended.  She wore a French frock of pearl grey pussy willow with touches of rose needlepoint, a small rose transparent hat to match, and carried an arm bouquet of Ophelia roses.  Mr. Wilson Dunton acted as best man, and Mrs. Dunton played the wedding march.  The ushers were Mr. Jackson Rutherford, Mr. Andrew Rutherford and Mr. George McTaggart.  Following the ceremony Mr. and Mrs. Rutherford received informally at their residence, 351 Cote des Neiges Road.  Later, they left to spend two weeks in Bermuda and New York.  Among the out-of-town guests were Mrs. Ruggles George and Mrs. F.A. Rolph, both of Toronto." 

John Bulmer Rutherford and Norton Scott are my husband's grandparents.  Jackson and Andrew Rutherford were brothers of the groom, and Mrs. Ruggles George was Helen Elliot Scott, Norton's sister.  According to David Austin Roses, the Ophelia rose is a blush-pink hybrid tea rose with a strong fragrance.  Sounds lovely.  

St. Mark's Chapel, Dorval, date unknown.

1928 was a busy year for the Rutherford family.  William Jackson Rutherford, William and Ida's oldest child, married on October 6th of the same year.


The Montreal Gazette, October 6th, 1928, p. 8.
"The marriage of Katherine, daughter of Rev. Canon and Mrs. Roger Howard, to Mr. William Jackson Rutherford, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Rutherford, of Westmount, is taking place at four o'clock this afternoon at St. Martin's Church.  The ceremony will be performed by the bride's father, Rev. Canon Howard, rector of St. Martin's, and the service will be choral.  The church, which will be lighted by candles, will be decorated with pink lilies, hydrangea and smilax.  Pink lilies will be arranged on the altar, and the chancel rail will be festooned with smilax and banked with hydrangea, the pews reserved for guests being marked with bunches of hydrangea tied with white tulle.  The decoration is being done by members of the chancel guild of the church. The bride, who will be given away by her uncle, Rev. O.W. Howard, will wear a gown of white satin made with a long tight bodice finished by a V. neck, and the skirt, uneven in length, will have a hem of tulle outlined in pearls. Her train, falling from the shoulders, is of the satin lined in pale pink chiffon edged with a circular frill of tulle.  Her tulle veil, pleated in cap effect, will be held by a bandeau of orange blossoms, and her satin shoes matching her gown will have buckles of pleated tulle and orange blossoms.  She will carry a shower bouquet of sweetheart roses and lilies of the valley.  Miss Glynne Howard, sister of the bride, who will act as maid-of-honor, and Mrs. Herbert B. Norris and Miss Marjorie Houson, of Toronto, the bridesmaids, will be dressed alike in gowns of Nile green chiffon in Princess style, the skirts finished with circular flounces short in front, and forming a train at the back.  They will wear large felt hats of a deeper tone, satin shoes with brilliant buckles to match their hats, and will carry arm bouquets of pink butterfly roses.  Little Miss Cherry Riepert, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. O. Vernon Riepert,  will act as flower girl.  She will wear a frock of Nile green georgette, a poke bonnet of felt of a deeper tone, and will carry a tiny bouquet of pink roses.  Mr. Andrew Rutherford will act as best man for his brother, and the ushers will be Mr. J.B. Rutherford and Mr. Hugh Crombie.  During the signing of the register the choir will sing 'O Perfect Love', and Mr. O.W. Rodomar will sing 'Love's Coronation'.  Mrs. Howard, the bride's mother, will wear a gown of goblin blue ring velvet, with a small Reboux felt hat, and suede shoes to match.  Her corsage bouquet will be of pink orchids and maidenhair fern.  Mrs. Rutherford, mother of the bridegroom, will be gowned in black net and silver, with a small black velvet hat with a brilliant ornament, and will wear a corsage bouquet of red roses. 

The reception following the ceremony will be held at the residence of the bride's parents, St. Martin's rectory, where the decorations will be carried out in pink lilies, hydrangea and ferns.  Later, Mr. and Mrs. Rutherford will leave for a motor trip through the Adirondacks, the bride traveling in a French  frock of beige crepe and satin, a beige coat trimmed with wolf and a small brown felt hat.  She will carry a brown bag and wear shoes to match.  They will reside at 465 Cote des Neiges Road.        

Goblin blue, in case you're wondering, is a shade of blue-grey.

In 1929, William and Ida's daughter Elizabeth Marjorie married Reginald Wallace.  Here is a rather short announcement from the Montreal Gazette, September 21, 1929, p. 8.  I miss the descriptions of clothing and flowers.

"The marriage of Elizabeth Marjorie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Rutherford, to Mr. Reginald H. Wallace, of Shawinigan Falls, son of Mr. and Mrs. Reginald Ramsay Wallace, of Halifax, N.S., is taking place this afternoon at half-past four o'clock at St. Andrew's Church, Westmount, Rev. Dr. Clark officiating.  The bride will be attended by her sister, Mrs. Drummond Ross, of Larchmount, N.Y., as matron-of-honor, and by Miss Betty Gordon, as bridesmaid.  Mr. Ronald Irving will act as best man, and the ushers will be Mr. Arthur Wallace, of New York, brother of the bridegroom, Mr. Eric Jones, Mr. John A. Macdonnell and Mr. Andrew S. Rutherford, brother of the bride.  The reception following the ceremony will be held at the residence of the bride's parents, 109 Cote St. Antoine Road, Westmount."    

Generation Three:  Children of John Bulmer Rutherford and Norton Scott.

I could only find an account for one marriage out of the family's two daughters.  I think my mother- in-law has a clipping of an account of her wedding, which I'll ask her about the next time I see her.  I could not locate an account for Mary Fry's wedding either (Mary was the daughter of Norton Scott and Henry Fry, her first husband).

The Montreal Gazette, June 14, 1951, p. 19.

"Stauble-Rutherford.  The marriage of Jean Scott, daughter of the late J. Bulmer Rutherford and of Mrs. Rutherford, of Montreal, to Mr. William John Stauble, son of Mr. and Mrs. Victor J. Stauble, of Port of Spain, Trinidad, B.W.I., took place yesterday afternoon, at half-past four o'clock, in St. Andrew's Church, Westmount, the Rev. D.M. Grant officiating.  Mr. Phillips Motley played the wedding music and white gladioli, peonies and snapdragons were used to decorate. 

The bride, who was given away by her uncle, Mr. W. J. Jackson Rutherford, was in a gown of white lace, the fitted bodice worn with a lace jacket, fastened to the waist with tiny buttons, having a small collar and sleeves ending in points over her hands, and the full flared skirt fashioned with an overskirt of tulle.  Her veil of tulle illusion, extending to the hem of her train, was held by a coronet of orange blossoms and she carried a bouquet of lily of the valley and stephantois.

Miss Jocelyn Rutherford, as maid of honour for her sister, and Miss Rosina McCarthy and Miss Shirley McCall, as bridesmaids, were in frocks of mist green organdy, with bodices having bateau necklines and short sleeves, and very full skirts.  They wore bandeaux of multicolour sweetpeas to match those in their bouquets.  

Little Miss Susan Wang, niece of the bride,  as flower-girl, wore a Kate Greenaway frock of white dotted Swiss organdy with a bandeau of flowers in her hair and carried a tiny nosegay.

Dr. Philip Gofton acted as best man for Mr. Stauble and the ushers were Mr. Alfred Stauble, brother of the bridegroom, Mr. David Blair and Mr. Hugh Miller. 

Mrs. Rutherford, the bride's mother, was in a floor-length gown of French blue crepe with a side panel of matching lace and wore a hat of blue flowers and a corsage bouquet of pink feathered carnations.

Mrs. William Rutherford, grandmother of the bride, wore a gown of navy blue sheer with a hat of the same colour, trimmed with pink and a corsage bouquet of Sweetheart roses.

The reception was held at the Montreal Badminton and Squash club where the bride's table, centred with the wedding cake, was arranged with multicolor sweetpeas.    

Later Mr. and Mrs. Stauble left for Bermuda and Trinidad, B.W.I., the bride travelling in a frock of navy blue and white tie silk, trimmed with red, and wearing a navy blue hat and accessories and a corsage bouquet of white carnations.  They will reside in Montreal.

The bridegroom is a student in the faculty of medicine at McGill University."

A historic photo of St. Andrew's Church in Westmount, circa 1910. The church was destroyed by fire in 1965.  

These kinds of announcements, with their precisely detailed description, are uncommon in newspapers today.  I love reading them, though.  If anyone out there has pictures from any of these wedding ceremonies, I'd love to see them!