Saturday, September 6, 2025

Etched Yorkstone paving recalls wedding of the milk bottle bride

Next month will mark 80 years since one of the most unusual weddings recorded in Grimsby Minster’s history.

On 19 April, 1944, the marriage took place of an airman to his dairy worker wife at a bomb-ravaged Grimsby Minster, and this is still remembered in the etched paving in St James’ Square.

The ornate paving was laid on two sections of pathway, which lead from St James’ Hotel to the Minster as part of the most recent renovation works to the square.

The Scoutmoor Yorkstone paving bears more than two dozen etchings of words, sentences, and symbols with connections to the town’s past, present and future. They are the creation of artist Adrian Riley, who spent weeks researching local heritage and speaking to people about their memories and those of their ancestors, before creating the artwork.

One of the men Adrian contacted was former Hereford School deputy headteacher Vic Jay, which resulted in the following words being etched onto one of the stones: “My parents’ wedding took place on 19th April 1944. Vera’s colleagues from the dairy provide a guard of honour with milk bottles.”

Vic, now retired and living in North Yorkshire, recounted the story of his parents’ marriage and how it took place in the Minster, then St James’ Church, on April 19, 1944 – less than a year after it had been damaged by a German bomb.

His dad Bob had been an airman in the Second World War whilst his mum Vera Stephenson worked at a dairy near Scartho – hence the milk bottles! However, to marry had not been easy for the couple. Owing to Vera’s age, she was just 19, Bob had to get permission to marry from her father. He refused and a visit to the local magistrate followed.

Vic takes up the story: “After a visit to the magistrate, my dad, wearing his R.A.F. uniform and speaking in his usual confident way, had little difficulty in persuading him that he was a fine upstanding young man, worthy of anyone’s hand in marriage. The magistrate then directed some harsh words at my grandad and gave Bob and Vera permission to marry.”

Bob, a fireman in Grimsby before working on the Humber Bank, lived happily with Vera and their three children until his death in 1974. Vic though has ensured the memory of his father, and late mother, lives on after researching and writing a book.

‘The Mallon Crew’ charts the history of Flight Engineer Bob and his fellow Lancaster bomber crew, who were piloted by New Zealander Bill Mallon. The wedding of his parents is also recounted by Vic who is proud to see a memory of that happy occasion on his family’s ‘very own paving stone’.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our news site - please take a moment to read this important message:

As you know, our aim is to bring you, the reader, an editorially led news site and magazine but journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them.

With the Covid-19 pandemic having a major impact on our industry as a whole, the advertising revenues we normally receive, which helps us cover the cost of our journalists and this website, have been drastically affected.

As such we need your help. If you can support our news sites/magazines with either a small donation of even £1, or a subscription to our magazine, which costs just £27.55 per year, (inc p&P and mailed direct to your door) your generosity will help us weather the storm and continue in our quest to deliver quality journalism.

As a subscriber, you will have unlimited access to our web site and magazine. You'll also be offered VIP invitations to our events, preferential rates to all our awards and get access to exclusive newsletters and content.

Just click here to subscribe and in the meantime may I wish you the very best.

Advertisment












Latest posts

Hundreds to come together at The Drill in Lincoln for ‘CroftFest’ this Saturday

On Saturday 6 September, hundreds of people will come together at The Drill in Lincoln for ‘CroftFest’, a music festival to celebrate the life...

Basketball hoops, football pitch and floodlights to transform Immingham play park

Plans to enhance Roval Drive in Immingham as an area for the community to enjoy are taking a step forward thanks to recent grant...

A Streetcar Named Desire comes to Lincoln this October

Fantasy, imagination, realism and lies collide in Tennessee Williams’ enduring classic of American playwriting, A Streetcar Named Desire. Brought to The Blue Room in Lincoln...

Firework extravaganza returns to The Renaissance at Kelham Hall

After three sell out events, the Newark Family Firework Show is set to return to the grounds of The Renaissance at Kelham Hall on...

Tourism strategy takes shape after closure of Destination Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire councils are drawing up new plans to sustain the county’s tourism promotion after Destination Lincolnshire ceased trading earlier this year. The organisation, which...

By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information

The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.

Close