In 1900 Edith Whitaker wore this cream brocade dress. The dress signifies the joining
of 2 leading families in the Baptist church and actively involved in the
village of Bratton.
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| Edith Reeves with her wedding dress, taken by The Wiltshire Times 1968 |
The
Whitaker family were former farmers and owned land both in and around Bratton.
The family ran a school in the 18th century in the house now called
the yew tree in lower road, Bratton. Later in 1846, Joshua Whitaker was
involved in the setting up of a British school in Bratton, which was the
nonconformist counterpart to the Anglican national school.
The Reeves
on the other hand were local blacksmiths whose forge developed into the
flourishing business known as the Bratton Iron Works. They manufactured farming
equipment and were well known agricultural engineers both locally and
nationally.
On the 28th
August, 1900 the two families were united through the marriage of Edith
Whitaker to Robert Reeves. Their
marriage spanned 35 years and was only cut short by the death of Robert in
1936, aged just 60. Edith lived on and died in 1976 incredibly aged 98.
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| Wedding of Edith Whitaker to Robert Reeves at Yew Trees, Bratton 1900 |
Although we
have chosen the dress as a star object, the Museum has a large collection from
the Whitaker and Reeves family. A very generous donation of objects
came from historian Dr Marjorie Reeves, last surviving member of her family
line. The collection donated to the museum consists of a wonderful array of everyday
items from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries
including amongst other things books, underwear,
letters, jewellery, sewing implements, christening gowns and toys. Some of the
Whitakers were talented artists and a lovely selection of watercolours and sketchbooks
survive. The collection also gives a fascinating insight into the lives of
children of the past; how they were schooled, the religious education they
received, what books they read for both pleasure and instruction and the sort of
toys available to them.
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| A selection of objects from the Whitaker collection |
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