The Manning Valley Historical Society (MVHS) are holding a week-long vintage bridal expo in April to showcase “Tying the Knot, Manning Style”.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The expo will be at two venues in Wingham – the Bank Guest House on Bent Street, and the Wingham Museum.
MVHS have an outstanding collection of wedding gowns dating back to 1861 that runs through to the 1970s.
All have stories to tell, and some have a family history. MVHS president Barbara Waters’ family boasts five generations in the collection.
“We also have two gowns from the family that owned the Manning River Times, the Boyces; a wedding from the turn of the century, and a wedding in the1940s,” MVHS member Margaret Clark says.
However they are putting the call out to Manning Valley locals for help.
They are looking for photographs of weddings up until the 1970s that can be used in the expo.
“You may not necessarily have been married here, but you should have a background in the area. For instance some of our people got married in Sydney, but their husband or wife came from the Manning,” Margaret says.
If you are able to donate a gown for the week of the expo, or even permanently to the Museum’s collection, all the better.
“They don’t have to donate the gown – obviously anyone who wishes to donate we would be very happy to receive it! We’d love to have a permanent collection which showcased the whole district and covered all the eras,” Margaret says.
“At the moment we don’t have anything from the 1920s and 1930s.”
Barbara adds, “The 1920s and 1930s are really what we want gowns from, but we’ll take anything. If people just want to lend it for the week of the exhibition then we would be every happy. We’ve got one gown already that’s been lent to us for the week.”
If you can help out by loaning or donating photographs, gowns or accessories, contact Barbara Waters or Margaret Clark at the Manning Valley Historical Society on 6553 5823.