Cream satin wedding dress, 1900, USA; New York City, designed by W. Mulhall, worn by Charlotte Mabel Dwight at her wedding on 26 April 1900

Cream satin boned bodice, sleeveless, with lace-trimmed back, front and shoulders, loops of artificial pearls draped over the shoulders, skirt trimmed with vertical rows of lace, deep muslin flounce at hem and lace-edged train. The separate tucked net sleeves and high necked separate collar are mid-20thC replicas made after the originals.

Given by Mrs Campbell

Worn by Charlotte Mabel Dwight (b. 1873) for her marriage to Charles Edmund Akers (1877-1947), 26th April 1900, at St Paul's Church, Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

The dress was donated by their daughter, who also donated her grandmother's wedding dress (T.37&A-1951), her great-grandmother's wedding dress (T.36-1951) and her own (T.39-1951).

The New York Times reported on 28 April 1900 accordingly:

"Mr. Charles Edmund Akers of London, the correspondent in Cuba, during the six or eight months preceding the American war with Spain, of The London Times, was married at noon on Thursday last at St. Pau1’s Church, Stockbridge, Mass., by the Rev. Arthur Lawrence, assisted by the Rev. Theodore Sedgwick, to Miss Charlotte Mabel Dwight, daughter of the late Col. James Fowler Dwight of Stockbridge. This marked the culmination of a romance, which began when Mr. Akers was returning to England last Spring from Cuba.. On the voyage from New York to Liverpool he met Miss Dwight, who was going abroad to travel through Europe with relatives. Mr. Akers’s stories on board ship of his experiences in Cuba, particularly his warm indorsernent of Americans and their policy there, greatly impressed Miss Dwight. Mr. Akers, after the voyage was ended, followed the fair young American to the Continent. and, after a long wooing, his suit proved successful. Mr. and Mrs. Akers will shortly sail for England, where they will make their permanent home."

T.38, A&B-1951