Muriel Hayes

Civilian

media-16509.jpeg UPL 16509 WALDEN –U.S.A. WEDDING
PASCHAL-RIDGEWELL
The wedding took places at the parish church on Saturday of Sergt Gilliam Robert Paschal, of U.S.A.A.F., eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Paschal, of Sanford, N. Carolina, and Miss Audrey Phyllis Ridgewell, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ridgewell, of 88, High Street, Saffron Walden.
The Rev. N.F. Southgate officiated, and the hymns “Lead us Heavenly Father” and “The voice that breathed o’er Eden” were sung, with Mr. Saunders at the organ.
The bride, who was given away by her father, looked charming in a dress of ivory cloche with embroidered veil and flowered headdress and carried a bouquet of pale pink carnations. She was attended by three bridesmaids, little Miss Dean Pierce, Miss P. Shadbolt and Miss M. Harvey, friends of the bride.
Miss Dean Pierce and Miss Shadbolt wore pale ankle length dresses and Miss Harvey wore a pale mauve ankle length dress, and each wore a bracelet, the gift of the bridegroom. Capt. C. H. Ballard, friend of the bridegroom was best man. On leaving the church, the bride was presented with a silver horseshoe by her cousin, Miss M. Badcock. A reception was held at the bride’s home where about 30 guests were entertained. The newly-married pair who received many presents, including cheques, are spending their honeymoon in London.’

Muriel Hayes says that the woman on the left was an evacuee who was staying with Audrey’s aunt and uncle in Saffron Walden and the little girl in the photo lived next door to Audrey.

Conversations with Muriel Hayes at IWM Duxford.

Object Number - UPL 16509 - WALDEN –U.S.A. WEDDING PASCHAL-RIDGEWELL The wedding took places at the parish church on Saturday of Sergt Gilliam Robert Paschal, of U.S.A.A.F.,...

Muriel Hayes is Audrey Paschal's cousin. She attended Audrey and Robert Paschal's wedding in October 1945. She remembers that they had the reception in the garden.

Muriel says that in the wedding photo, the woman on the left was an evacuee who was staying with Audrey’s aunt and uncle in Saffron Walden and the little girl in the photo lived next door to Audrey.

Muriel says:

"I went to Audrey’s wedding. I was sad for her mother to have to see her go – Audrey came back quite a few times and we met up. But Audrey wouldn’t come back after 9/11 when air travel changed."

"Audrey still says that she can’t get an English cup of tea over there! She’s always telling them that they must BOIL the water! When I’m on the phone with her and I have a cup of tea she’s says that’s the closest she gets to a good cup of tea."

Muriel was 14 in 1945. She met her husband Len in November 1950 after he'd completed his national service. They were both 20 years old when they married. They live in Steeple Bumpstead, not far from Saffron Walden and came to IWM Duxford recently to tell the American Air Museum about their family's part in the history of American airmen overseas.