Historical information

This wedding dress and headpiece were worn by Emily Elizabeth (Betty) Cock (1907-2001) when she married Euston Murray Nutchey at St Andrew's Church, Brighton, on 28 April 1938. The bride's great-grandmother, Emily Cock (nee Smith), was married in the same church 69 years earlier; Emily's dress is also in the Brighton Historical Society collection.

The dress was made by Melbourne dressmaker Beatrice Cook, with distinctive blue beaded panels worked by Betty's younger sister Margaret (1915-2006) to match the wedding's blue-and-pink colour scheme. The dress was accessorised with a pale blue tulle veil and a bouquet of blue hydrangeas, delphiniums and pale pink roses.

Physical description

Satin dress cut on the bias, originally ice-blue, now faded to cream. The dress features a long train and broad v-neck. The bodice and waist are softly ruched and gathered on either side of a finely beaded centre panel running from the neckline to the hem. The beadwork features a design of small cream-coloured leaves winding between large stylised blue flowers and leaves, all bordered with silver beads. Full-length sleeves are slightly puffed at the shoulder, narrowing to a close fit, with beaded cuffs matching the centre panel. The dress is accompanied by a matching blue, cream and silver beaded coronet or headpiece; this was originally worn with a pale blue tulle bridal veil.

Inscriptions & markings

Label, woven mauve on beige silk, centre back: Beatrice Cook