Somerset County Herald 01 Sep 1945 Married by Proxy Somerset Bride of U.S. Colonel Miss Maria KESSLER of Hatch Beauchamp to Lieut.-Colonel Howard G. HILL

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Somerset County Herald and Taunton Courier. Saturday 01 Sep 1945

Page 6 Column 4


MARRIED BY PROXY

SOMERSET BRIDE OF U.S. COLONEL

ROMANCE BEGAN IN BOOKSELLER'S SHOP

The first bride from the Taunton district to be married by proxy to an American citizen is Miss Maria KESSLER, of Hatch Beauchamp.

The bridegroom is Lieut.-Colonel Howard G. HILL, late of the U.S. Corps of Engineers, who has now returned to civil life in America as sales director for a firm of locomotive engineers.

SERVED BY THE BRIDE.

The romance began in December, 1943, when Colonel HILL came to England from Sicily. He had occasion to visit Taunton to carry out a military duty, and on his second day in the town he happened to call at Smith & Sons, the booksellers, where he was served by Miss KESSLER.

The acquaintance soon ripened into friendship, and whenever he had the opportunity Colonel HILL visited Taunton and Hatch Beauchamp. When in Taunton for one short period he became a member of St. Mary's Choir.

His friendship with Miss KESSLER continued happily, leading to engagement and then to their marriage by proxy.

IN A VILLAGE CHURCH.

English law does not provide for marriage by proxy so the legal formalities were carried out in Washington.

On Thursday, August 16th, Miss KESSLER received a cable from Colonel HILL notifying her that the ceremony was taking place that day in Washington at noon (6 p.m. British Summer Time), and the message asked that the bride should be in Hatch Beauchamp Church at that hour to read the marriage service.

READ MARRIAGE SERVICE.

Accordingly, the bride and her mother went to the church, and at six o'clock read the service, during which at the appropriate time the bride received the wedding ring, her mother, deputising for the bridegroom in America.

The next day the bride received a cable addressed Mrs. Howard HILL, stating that the ceremony had been performed “in the presence of a very happy family gathering.”

Mrs. Howard HILL and her mother will be leaving England for the United States (travelling by air) as soon as arrangements can be completed for their journey.

On their arrival in America the religious marriage ceremony is to take place. They will make their home in Chicago.

PLAYED HUNDRED ORGANS.

Colonel HILL, who has been a widower for seven years and has three daughters, is a descendant of a Shropshire family of HILLs. He has made many friends in Somerset, having visited Taunton and nearby towns frequently throughout the year 1944. One of the hobbies is playing pipe organs, and during his overseas service he played nearly a hundred church organs in Sicily, Italy, and England. Those in England included the organs of 12 cathedrals and about 75 parish churches, half of the latter being in Somerset. His bride is a concert soloist.


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