Family News "Past and Present"
The wedding of Maurice Gibb.
the happy couple - signing the marriage certificate - just married
He was planning never to get married again but after meeting Yvonne Spenceley he’d found his second bride. It was in Batley, Yorkshire where Maurice and Yvonne became a new couple. She was working in the club where Maurice and the group performed in Spring of 1974. The Batley Variety Club. They were introduced to each other by the club manager and from that point the romance was under way and a year later, Maurice gave Yvonne a beautiful ruby and diamond engagement ring.
The couple married October 17th. 1975 at Haywards Heath register office in Sussex , about 30 minutes away from Dane Hill where they had lived already for about 18 months in: Kidborough, Maurice’s 16 century home at that time. Both bride and groom were dressed in green. Yvonne a dress in green crepe and Maurice a green suit. Best man at the wedding was brother Barry Gibb who had to walk on crutches because he was fallen from the steps in front of his house shortly before this wedding. The quite and short ceremony at Haywards Heath wasn’t without its moments: Yvonne kept Maurice waiting for nearly 15 minutes. At one point Maurice turned to the guests and joked: ‘if you like I’ll start….are there any single girls?!’
family shot taken by Linda
Maurice and Yvonne had already lived together for quite some time in Sussex, waiting for Maurice’s divorce to be finalised.
Maurice: My marriage to Lulu was ruined because there were two careers going on under the same roof. I found this very difficult. With Yvonne I can feel much more relaxed.
We have hardly been away from each other since we met!
Living together for the last 18 months has been a great way of getting to know each other.’
Yvonne: My mother wasn’t too happy when she heard I was going off to live with a pop singer. But she changed her mind when she met him!’
At the time of their marriage Yvonne was expecting her first child and after the birth of Adam the whole family moved to The Isle Of Man.
While visiting them on Man shortly after Adam’s birth Yvonne and Maurice proudly showed us their beautiful album with wedding photos and of course we’d like to share some of the nicest with you here on the GSI web site!!
They say that love is sweeter the second time around, and that was just what Maurice and Yvonne intended to prove on February 23rd 1992, the day their son Adam became 16 years old.
The ceremony was held at their home in Miami Beach, with Adam as the Best Man and Samantha as the Maid Of Honour.
Barry at that time recuperating very well from his back surgery gave the bride away escorting her down the aisle with pride while friends and family were all present.
After the bride and groom cut the wedding cake, a birthday cake was brought out for Adam and everyone sang Happy Birthday!
Wedding Celebrations Part 2
It will be Barry and Linda’s 30th. wedding anniversary on September 1st.
It all started around 1965 when Linda being 15 years old was told by a fortune teller: ‘I see you with a man who is very handsome and loves music’……etc.
Somehow the fortune teller told Linda about her meeting Barry some day.
In the summer of 1967 Linda won the title of Miss. Edinburgh and with help of dj Jimmy Saville she came to London to host in the TV Programme Top Of The Pops: September 21st 1967.
That day she first met Barry.
They were introduced, had some coffee together and Barry immediately invited her to a party at Robert Stigwoods house in Adam’s Row that evening to celebrate the number one position of Massachusetts.
They kept in touch and Barry came over to Scotland.
Later on Linda got a job in London and soon afterwards Linda moved into Barry’s London home.
Barry was officially divorced from his first wife Maureen Bates in Spring 1970 and on September first he’d marry Linda.
Linda had chosen the date because as she said: ‘ It’s Barry’s birthday and I didn’t ever want him to forget our wedding anniversary!’
Wednesday morning September second it was on the front cover of English newspapers: Barry Gibb of The Bee Gees married!!
Tuesday September 1 must have been the best birthday Barry has ever had.
The ceremony took place in Caxton Hall in London.
It wasn’t until that previous Thursday that they decided to get married and on the Monday both Barry and Linda were in Zurich as Barry was appearing on Swiss TV.
Their plane would leave at 7 a.m. which meant that they had to be up at 5 a.m.
It was a good thing that Dave Dee was there because if it wasn’t for him they would have never got to the airport in time.
The wedding itself was at 2 p.m. Barry and Linda arrived in Barry’s white Rolls Convertible with John Stevens (of Carnaby Street) who was the Best Man and Linda’s sister in law who was maid of honour.
Barry was very cool, calm and collected during the ceremony but poor Linda was rather nervous: she got the words wrong – even Barry–s name –
Afterwards when the photos were being taken, a fight broke out between a reporter and a policeman.
Linda’s dress was white, floor length with a heavy crochet lace over-slip and Barry’s suit was single-breasted with a waistcoat in a small blue checked material.
The guests invited to the small reception afterwards at their Eaton Square home included: Dave Dee, Peter Wyngarde, Barry Ryan, Dick Ashby, Linda’s family, Barry’s parents, Andy, Berri, Maurice and Lulu, Robin, Robert Stigwood, Vince Melouney and his wife Christina, Ray Galton and Alan Simpson (scriptwriters for artists e.g. Frankie Howerd), David Wigg (Express) and of course the doggies: Barnaby, Snoopy and Kim.
Some of the presents: a silver tea-set, saucepans, 4 canteens of cutlery, 2 clocks, a dinner set, paper weights, candle sticks and a decanter, 4 table lighters, blankets, sheets, table cloths, a bed quilt, kitchen scales, a lamp, a suite of furniture, glass fish ornaments and a Hummel ornament.
For being Best Man Barry gave John Stevens a pair of cufflinks: gold with a ruby stone and for being Maid Of Honour Linda gave Shirley gold earrings with a topaz stone and a perfume spray.
They didn’t go on a honeymoon right afterwards but had booked to stay in a hotel room for their wedding night as Linda’s parents were staying at Eaton Square.
Barry and Linda drove all over London to find the hotel but without success.
So they ended up back home!!
However I (Marion) didn’t have a chance back then to be present at the wedding and reception party of Barry and Linda.
I did some years later get a chance to watch together with them and their family some home movies of that day which gave me a pretty good impression of the wedding etc.
It was a nice party with lots of relatives and friends bringing presents, singing together and making fun.
The beautiful wedding cake I remember was made in the shape of a horse- shoe!!
Barry and Linda we wish you many more happy years together !
GSI Marion.
Wedding Celebrations Part 1
July 31st. 2000 is the day Dwina and Robin celebrate their 15th. wedding anniversary.
That day back in 1985 they decided to get married in Wheatley.
Ken and Jane Graydon were present at the wedding ceremonies that day.
On August 2nd. 1986 Robin and Dwina organized a huge gipsy party in honour of their first wedding anniversary.
They invited about 200 guests!!
Amongst them Ringo Star and his wife Barbara Bach, Paula Stevenson, Billy Connely, Chicago Bears, and Dwina`s parents came over from Ireland.
There was lots to do and to see like: fire-eaters, belly dancers, folk music and fireworks.
For the children there was lots to play as well.
The guests were all specially dressed in gipsy style and it became a day never to forget!!
Robin and Dwina we wish you and your family: good luck for the future!!
