milligan marriages

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Love everlasting

All of the marriages shown here lasted until death did they part.

[top left] Cathleen & Martin's wedding in 1947 (along the top left: Fred, Ronald, Elsie, Martin, Cathleen)

[bottom right] Fred and Betty Milligan's wedding. Joyce is a bridesmaid (bottom right)

Whilst working at Lewis' Department Store, Agnes saw a tall man standing by the counter. It turned out to be Ronald waiting for his sister, Francis, who was also working there. Ronald was in the Merchant Navy before the war and stayed in throughout the war. Agnes began writing to him . . .

I had a choice of SO many photographs of my grandparents giggling, it was difficult to narrow it down to just these few.

This is how I remember Granddad - patting my chin after playing jokes on me. I loved to draw with him - he was a great artist (he loved to oil paint ships). We'd take turns to start little scribbles and he would always turn his into wonderful little tiny intricate sketches.

[top left] Ronald and Agnes

[top right] Agnes and her father. [Inset] Ronald and Agnes

Ronald and Agnes were married, during the war, on the 5th of August 1945 at St Matthews Church in Bootle at 1pm. Agnes wore a long white dress and had four bridesmaids, two in blue and two in pink. The reception was held in a large room at Agnes' family home (above a gown shop). The baker on Ronald's ship had made their three-tier wedding cake and there were plenty of food and drink compliments of the ship's company.

They honeymooned for 10 days on the Isle of Sheppey staying with the station master then Ron had to return to sea for 5 months. Once he returned they had a second honeymoon with Aunty Mill, George and Doug.

Ron didn't want Agnes to work because he wanted to support her so they went before a tribunal and since war was coming to an end, she was allowed to leave the munitions factory. Agnes persuaded Ron to give up going to sea since she'd give up her work. They bought a 2 up/2 down in Scots Place, Birkenhead but Agnes became very bored. She told Ron that she either needed a job or a baby and so Joyce arrived in 1947!

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