E for Engagements, Entertainments, Elections, Estate notices and Etiquette
All of these can be found in papers from the past. Here's a few engagement notices through 2 generations of Galvin families. In engagement notices the female's surname is usually the first named followed by the male's surname. If parents are mentioned, there may be details of their residence, marital status or whether deceased. Where a mother has re-married her new surname may appear in the notice too.1917 Engagement of John Michael Galvin and Grace Walmsley Payne
In this notice we can determine that both of his parents were living. Grace's mother is referred to but by this time Grace's father Edward John William Payne had disappeared from their lives. This couple are great grandparents of my children. |
| 1917 'ENGAGEMENT.', Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), 14 April, p. 50. , http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article87442918 |
1926 engagement of Francis William Galvin to Clarice Tonkin
Francis William was 3 years younger than John Michael mentioned above. He was 27 when engaged whereas John Michael had not turned 21 at the time of his engagement. Their mother Catherine had died in 1923 and is mentioned here as the "late Mrs Galvin."
Next up - F Functions and Final Farewells
This post first appeared on earlieryears.blogspot.com by CRGalvin
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| 1926 'Family Notices', Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), 30 January, p. 41. , http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article89635995 |
The next generation
1939 engagement of John Dominic Galvin to Phyllis Yvonne Stirling
By 1939 John was a fully qualified pilot and was posted to 3 Sqn in Richmond, New South Wales. In October of that year the dashing young pilot announced his engagement. John was 21 years old and Phyll was 19. There is no mention of Phyll's mother in this notice.
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| 1939 'Family Notices', The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), 17 October, p. 8. , http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17644919 |
1954 engagement of Colin Francis Galvin to Marie Liebeknecht
In this announcement we see that Colin's parents Francis William and Clarice are now living at Tailem Bend, South Australia and Colin who had been working in Leigh Creek is engaged to a local girl.
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| 1954 'Family Notices', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), 18 May, p. 32. , http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48122415 |
Etiquette
While searching through engagement notices in the New Zealand Papers Past I came across this gem offering girls advice on etiquette after engagement. Enjoy!
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| Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette, 15 May 1912, Page 2 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ROTWKG19120515.2.8.3 |
Next up - F Functions and Final Farewells
This post first appeared on earlieryears.blogspot.com by CRGalvin
Oh my, doesn’t it make you glad you weren’t engaged in that time period.
ReplyDeleteYes indeed, I think we may have been the lucky generation.
DeleteThose engagement instructions are perturbing -- I doubt there were similar edicts for men who became engaged!
ReplyDeleteHa, I doubt that! a man's world particularly back then.
DeleteWhen my paternal grandmother saw me dancing with a bf at our house party, she was horrified! She told me later that night that she never even held hands with my grandfather until they were engaged! Oh my!
ReplyDeletePerhaps they were chaperoned when in each others company too, hard to imagine in this day and age.
DeleteHow times have changed. For the better?
ReplyDeleteAn interesting thought to ponder, no doubt our parents probably thought our era was lax and it is difficult for those of our generation to accept some of the behaviours and attitudes of those much younger than us. Better or worse, always up for debate I think.
DeleteJust occurred to me...do you remember when it was consider poor etiquette to congratulate a woman on getting engaged? I think it was because it implied she might never catch a man.
ReplyDeleteThat I don't remember but perhaps an engagement was not necessarily considered a true commitment to marriage but rather just an exploratory phase.
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