Wedding of Lady Mairi Stewart held in private chapel at Mount Stewart (1940)

Lady Mairi Stewart, the youngest child Of the Marquess and Marchioness of Londonderry, was the only child born at Mount Stewart and the only one to be married there at that time. While the bridegroom was the eldest son of Viscount Bury and grandson of the Earl of Albemarle.

The News Letter's correspondent remarked: “It was a small wonder that such a wedding attracted the attention of the whole countryside.”

The marriage was solemnised by the Lord Bishop of Down, Connor and Dromore (the Right Reverend J F MacNeice, DD) and the Reverend P Cosgrave, in the private chapel in which the bride was christened.

The chapel was “specially decorated for the occasion with white lilies and rhododendrons and other flowers from the gardens at Mount Stewart”.

The chapel, which was small, accommodated only relatives and intimate friends. The other guests, “of which there were a very large number”, assembled in the great hall of the house.

They included many prominent Northern Ireland people, a large number of clergy, officers from all the services, a contingent of men stationed near Mount Stewart, tenantry and members of various staffs attached to the house.

Arrangements had been made to relay the service to the hall. Beneath the stained glass dome the guests stood reverently listening to all that was going on in the chapel.

Mr D C Murdock, who, before joining the Forces, was well known both as a composer and organist, was at the organ, and the singing was led by a male quartet, consisting of Messrs J R Kully, Gordon Wood, T A S Finlay and J J B Edwards – “all musicians of repute”.

The bride entered the chapel on the arm of her father, who gave her away, during the singing by the quartet of an anthem to the music of the Londonderry Air. The words were specially written for the occasion by Lady Londonderry. The bridal gown of lustrous satin, in a parchment tone, was on picture lines and veiled in lovely heirloom lace.

The lace veil was mounted on net of the same tone and terminated in a long train. It was noted that this lace was worn by Lady Londonderry at her wedding, as well as by her grandmother and great grandmother. It was also worn by the Countess of Sutherland when her husband was Ambassador in France.

The veil was held in place by a wreath of orange blossom and myrtle, grown in Mount Stewart gardens. She carried a sheaf of narcissi lilies, also from the gardens. Her only ornament was a necklace of pearls.

Owing to the restricted accommodation in the chapel, there were no bridesmaids. The train was borne by the Honourable Henry Mulholland, the son and heir of Lord and Lady Dunleath. He wore a replica of the uniform of the Hussars, the bridegroom's regiment, copied from the Lawrence portrait at Mount Stewart of the Third Marquess of Londonderry.

Both the bridegroom and the best-man, Flight Lieutenant Riggall, were in the uniform of the RAF The service concluded with Sir Henry Walford Davies beautiful anthem, ‘God be in my head’. The bride and bridegroom passed from the chapel into the hall and thence to one of the drawing rooms through a guard of honour of members of the RAF.

The guests in the hall were the cordially received at the entrance to a drawing room by Lord and Lady Londonderry, and then passed on in a seemingly endless stream to offer their congratulations to the bride and bridegroom.

The News Letter’s correspondent wrote: “Shortly after four o’clock, the bride and bridegroom left for their honeymoon. They were enthusiastically cheered as they passed out to the waiting car, the bridegroom blowing a toy trumpet triumphantly. Attached to the car was a trailer containing some luggage, a quantity of coal, and many old boots and shoes. Ringing cheers and showers of confetti followed the car as it moved down the avenue.”

The News Letter then added some details of the guests who were in attendance at the wedding.

Lady Londonderry looked well in a gown of silk romaine in the new magenta rose. It was arranged with a short flared skirt. The cap of blue fox was held in place at the back with a garland of flowers to match the cap. Her ornaments were heavy gold bracelets, ropes of pearls and amethyst earrings.

Viscount and Viscountess Castlereagh were unable to get over from England, but Lady Margaret Muntz and Lady Helen Jessel, the bride’s sisters, were there.

Lady Margaret Muntz was in black, the frock softened with a yoke of net and the hat finished with ostrich plumes tipped with gold. Lady Helen Jessel’s frock of sapphire ring velvet was worn with a cap of sable and ropes of pearls. The house party also included Viscount Bury, the bridegroom’s father. The bridegroom’s sister, the Honourable Mrs David McKenna, was smart in black with a cap on Glengarry lines.

His other sister, the Honourable Cynthia Keppel, wore a long flared coat in hunting pink with a black frock and hat.

The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, the Right Honourable J M Andrews, was unable to be present but Mrs Andrews was in attendance. Her gown and hat in Shetland brown were worn with a sable coat.

The Lord Chief Justice attended with Mrs James Andrews. She was in nutmeg brown with a matching cap and furs.

The Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava wore a suit in navy trimmed with red fox. The cap to match was on yachting lines.