Tuesday, 16 June 2015

My wedding dress is stolen in France


My postcard from Paris to my sisters Inel and Doreen written on the 18 June 1981, mentions that we were making our way to Dijon and then onto Nice. 
This final leg of our first overseas trip was with Telemecanique, the French firm that Fred worked for.

We were fetted and spoilt throughout the visit and I had packed my wedding dress to use for evenings out. 

The dress was beautiful and simple, ankle length, with a jacket and made from an off-white knitted boucle.

I have Mom's little notebook where she recorded the cost of the pattern and the fabric, it came to R63.10 in 1979! She made my dress, sewed her own as well as making dresses for Inel and Doreen. In fact, she planned and delivered the whole wedding. Quite wonderful.

I cannot remember if I did indeed wear my dress while we were 'razzling until late at night' but I can vividly remember the theft.

Fred and I were on the Mistral, an SNCF train to Nice. The photo below shows us enjoying a first class meal.

My suitcase was stolen from the baggage compartment. I was devastated, my dress was in the suitcase along with many of the souvenirs and gifts we had bought while in Greece, Holland and England.

I can remember been angry with Fred for taking this photo of me making a statement at the police station in Nice.

From my slumped body I can see how unhappy I was.

Telemecanique were so kind after the theft, they took me clothes shopping in Nice. That certainly got me smiling again.

I may not have my wedding dress but I still have the Daniel Hechtor pants suit in my cupboard. It's black with tiny red hearts. The pants are to small but I enjoy wearing the jacket.
Remembering my lost wedding dress.


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