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DetailsOriginal Format: 35mm Colour: Black & White Sound: Sound Duration: 3 mins
Subject: CELEBRATIONS / CEREMONIES RELIGION
Summary This is a Pathe Super Sound Gazette newsreel item about the wedding ceremony of a Romany couple in Baildon, which took place on 28th August 1937.
Description
This is a Pathe Super Sound Gazette newsreel item about the wedding ceremony of a Romany couple in Baildon, which took place on 28th August 1937.
The groom, Leon Petulengro, wearing traditional Romany dress, arrives on horseback at the church for the formal ceremony. Britain's new King of the Romany Gypsies, Xavier Petulengro and uncle to the groom, follows on horseback, as does the bride, Eileena Smith.
Large crowds gathered outside the church to watch the ceremony cheer as the King...
This is a Pathe Super Sound Gazette newsreel item about the wedding ceremony of a Romany couple in Baildon, which took place on 28th August 1937.
The groom, Leon Petulengro, wearing traditional Romany dress, arrives on horseback at the church for the formal ceremony. Britain's new King of the Romany Gypsies, Xavier Petulengro and uncle to the groom, follows on horseback, as does the bride, Eileena Smith.
Large crowds gathered outside the church to watch the ceremony cheer as the King carries the bride across the church threshold. The priest (Rev Anderson), bride, groom and wedding procession leave the church after the ceremony. The bride and groom are helped onto their horse and ride off to the second, traditional Romany ceremony. The King follows, also on horseback.
The Romany ceremony is held in a countryside setting and is attended by a large crowd of onlookers. The King performs the ceremony and asks whether there are any objections to the marriage, to which the crowd shout "no" in reply. The bride's father then replies on her behalf that there are no objections. The King cuts the fingers of the bride and groom, presses their hands together to mix the blood and wraps a silken cord around their wrists to join them. He recites a prayer to mark their union.
A fire has been lit in front of the raised platform where the couple were wed. The groom leaves the platform, runs to the fire and jumps through the flames. The crowd cheers. The bride follows to demonstrate her commitment to her new husband. The couple jump through the fire together to the cheers of the crowd, and the Romany wedding party begin the celebrations.
