SIDLEY BLOG No 7

Family weddings

The wedding of Pamela Joyce Buchanan, second daughter of Ada Annie Maud and William John Buchanan to Edward Michael Williams, only son of Ellen and William Evan Robert Williams, took place at St Mary’s Church, South Ealing, W5 on 14 January 1940.

Notice the traditional guard of honour from the Middlesex Regiment. Edward Williams was a Corporal in 2/8th Middlesex Regiment, the “Die Hards”.

Pamela Joyce Buchanan with her uncle George Thomas Edward Sidley at the front of 27 South Ealing Road, South Ealing 14 January 1940.

I believe George gave her away at the ceremony instead of her father William John Buchanan.

She was the eldest granddaughter of Louisa and George Thomas Sidley of Bognor Regis.

The wedding is of Priscilla Bettina Betty Buchanan third daughter of Ada Annie Maud and William John Buchanan to Walter Eugene (Gene) Rosendahl of the United States of America, was solemnised in December 1944 at St Mary’s Church, South Ealing W5. Betty was a GI bride and followed her husband to America after the birth of their eldest daughter Carol Jean in March 1946.

The photo above taken in the back garden of 27 South Ealing Road, South Ealing, shows four generations of the Sidley family after Betty’s wedding. It is possible that Gene took the photo as he is not in it.

From left to right are: George Thomas Edward Sidley, the bride’s maternal uncle, Janet Williams the bride’s niece being held by Ada Buchanan the bride’s mother. Jessie May Andrews, the bride’s maternal aunt, Valerie Davidson the bride’s first cousin, Pamela Williams the bride’s older sister, Betty, next is possibly Peggy the bride’s eldest sister. Next to her is Muriel Davidson, her first cousin with her father William Buchanan just visible at the back. Mary Davidson her first cousin who was a bridesmaid is next, with her youngest sister Sheila next to her. In front is her first cousin Betty Buchanan, then her first cousin Daphne Buchanan with George’s wife Florence at the back and Connie Anderson, Jessie’s daughter at the end. At the very from is George Thomas Sidley, Janet Anderson, Jessie’s younger daughter and Louisa May Sidley, their grandmother.

John Davidson and Sylvia Buchanan were not present.

The Sidley family has been connected with St Mary’s since 1792 when Elisha Samuel Sidley was baptised there on 10 June.

The next one to marry was Sheila Audrey Joan Buchanan the youngest daughter of Ada and William Buchanan who married Ronald William Bandy on 15th July 1950 at the South Ealing Register Office which was possibly in Grange Road.  Ronald was the eldest son of Nellie Emma Violet and William Leslie Bandy of Brentford Middlesex.

In the photo below from left to right are Edward Williams, Peggy Buchanan, Janet Williams, Ron and Sheila, Ada Buchanan and William John Buchanan, Sheila’s parents with Peter Williams in the school uniform and little Derek Andrew Williams who was three years old.

The last of the four daughters to marry was the eldest, Peggy Lillian Eileen Buchanan who married in Australia in 1955.  On line Australian marriage records on go up to 1950 at this time but I am pretty sure they married in Brisbane as Peggy was living at the Bulimba Hostel in 1954.

Peggy married Robert Docherty McAleese who she met when they both came to Australia in July 1951 on MV Mooltan.  He was the son of Jessie Dick and William McAleese of Port Glasgow, Scotland.

These are just a few of the wedding photos….there will be more in SIDLEY BLOG No 8.