White satin with overdress of embroidered net lace and accessories; England; worn in 1848

White silk satin wedding dress with overdress of embroidered flounced net lace, white satin bonnet, a bonnet-veil of applied bobbin lace motifs on net, a handkerchief of white embroidered cambric, a pair of garters of fine canvas embroidered with rosebuds, and a fan with a leaf of Brussels lace initialled H.B. (for Henrietta Bell) on mother of pearl sticks

Given by the daughters of the late Mrs. John Bell

Worn by Henrietta Woodcock on the occasion of her marriage to John Bell on June 28th 1848, at Manchester Cathedral. The fan bears her married initials of H B.

The bonnet has an attached veil of net, and there is a second separate bonnet-veil (mistakenly accessioned as a handkerchief at time of donation, although there is also an embroidered cambric handkerchief). This second veil was probably worn in the manner described by the donor of another 1848 wedding dress in the collection. Although the bonnet to that dress (see T.180, A to C-1927) has not survived, the donor clearly described her mother's bridal bonnet as having had two veils draped over the front and back, which would explain the presence of a second veil in Henrietta Woodcock's bridal ensemble.

There is also an associated pair of gloves (see T.53H and I-1930) which are probably anachronistic and from the early 20th century, and a sprig of wax and paper orange blossom (T.53J-1930) attached to the dress bodice

T.53, A to J-1930