A historic wedding dress worn by Caroline Cust at her 1954 marriage to John Arthur Partridge is now on public display at Belton Estate near Grantham. The dress, designed by court dressmaker Mary Donan, features white lace and silver thread in the style of the 1950s New Look. The display runs until Sunday 1 November in the Hondecoeter Dining Room at the National Trust property.
The wedding on 10 May 1954 was a major social event. Two thousand people gathered outside St Wulfram's Church in Grantham for the ceremony, and a special train from King's Cross was arranged to bring guests to the town. The reception was held at Belton House, the Cust family home, with a marquee in the Dutch Garden and floral decorations including blooms imported from the Brownlow family's estates in Jamaica.
The Dress and Its Design
The wedding dress was designed by Mary Donan, a court dressmaker popular with high society and members of the Royal Family. It is featured in the National Trust book 100 Things To Wear. Helen Antrobus, Assistant National Curator for the National Trust, helped install the dress for the display.
Antrobus said: "The dress was actually in Tatler magazine; Caroline was the society bride of the day. And I just love that the dress speaks to that 1950s fashion, that Christian Dior new look; it's got the wide, long-flowing skirt, it's got the net to make it really stand out. It's exaggerated and it's as far away from the fashion of the Second World War as you can get."
What to See
Alongside the dress, visitors can view an original invitation to the wedding, the family photo album, and selected photographs. The display also includes a colourful floral arrangement that emulates the way Belton House was decorated for the reception, with garlands of flowers and blooms arranged across the great mantelpieces.
Ffion Boyd, Collections and House Officer at Belton, said: "We love sharing the fascinating stories of the Brownlows and Custs with our visitors. Everything that is on display in the house was owned and collected by them so each object has its own tale to tell. The wedding dress is an amazing example of this and something I know our visitors will really enjoy seeing; the sparkle of that silver thread is a truly special sight."
Visiting Belton Estate
Belton Estate is open daily from 9.30am to 5.30pm, with the house opening from 11am to 4pm. Last entry is half an hour before closing. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are Conservation and Care days, when approximately 25% of the house rooms are open while the Collections Team work on the rest. On these days the house closes at 3.30pm. More information is available at nationaltrust.org.uk/Belton.
