21/06/2023
It’s time for the Macksville and Bowraville Uniting Churches to embrace changing times and to launch our social media page.
Recently we have taken an interesting trip drawling through Trove, the digitised newspapers held by the National Library of Australia.
It has been a fascinating journey which demonstrates the enormous role the Churches played in our communities.
The articles highlight special occasions and family events such as weddings, baptisms and funerals. They often record in intricate details, the bride’s gowns and the floral arrangements. Many family names are still part of the local community today.
As we move closer to the 100th Anniversary of the Macksville Uniting Church, the congregation has decided to begin celebrations by holding a Thanksgiving Service for the Church on 14th October, 2023.
As part of the lead up to the Thanksgiving, we would love to hear from any families who recall family occasions at our Church and would welcome copies any photographs.
In this, our first post, we would like to feature an article which appeared in the Nambucca and Bellinger News on Friday 26th October, 1917:
Military Wedding.
SMITHERAM — PURCELL.
The first military wedding on the -Nambucca was celebrated in the Macksville Methodist Church on Saturday - affternoon when private - Smitheram, a returned soldier, was joined in wedlock with Miss Gladys
Purcell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs Purcell, Macksville. The ceremony was performed by Rev. A. G. Whit ten and the church was crowded by friends of the parties. The members of The Women Worker's Guild, in honor of the occasion, had decorated the pulpit and church with flags of the Allied nations, while the floral dis-plays added to the attractiveness of the scene. The hymn "The Voice that breathed o're Eden" was sung as the bride elect entered the church. Mrs. Scott presided at the organ.
When the bridal party were leaving the church the "Wedding March" was played by Miss Goddard. Pvt. Archie Woods, another returned soldier, acted as best man and Miss D. Wilson as bridesmaid. The bride's wedding dress was a white crepe de chene, and she also wore a richly embossed veil, and carried a bouquet of roses. Her travelling dress was a mole crepe de chene, with crepe de chene hat to match. The bridesmaid looked very dainty in a dress of embossed organdy. The bridegroom presented the bride, with a beautiful gold bangle, and the bridesmaid with a gold brooch. Immediately after the ceremony Mr. and
Mrs Smitheram left for Kempsey en route to Sydney where the honeymoon was to be spent. Mr. Allan Reid placed his motor car at their disposal for the Kempsey trip.
