A NOTABLE WEDDING OF 25 YEARS AGO.

Shannon News, 17 August 1928, Page 3

A NOTABLE WEDDING OF 25 YEARS AGO.

CHURCH'S FIRST CEREMONY WAS A DOUBLE EVENT.

On Saturday, August 18th, 1903, which is 25 years ago to-morrow, the first wedding was celebrated in St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, L-jvio, and it was a double event. Mr Herbert Edward Keys, of Levin, was married to Miss Agnes Marie Akenson, second daughter of Mr and Mrs Nicholas Akenson; and Mr James Mackie was wedded to Miss Lucy Keys, fifth daughter of Mrs and the late Mr C. W. Keys, and sister of the first-named bridegroom. In accordance with the time-honoured custom observed at the first wedding in a new church, each of the brides was presented by the minister with a Bible, suitably, inscribed. Needless to state, these souvenirs are still highly treasured. The ceremony was performed by Mr (afterwards the Reverend) R, McLean, M.A., who was ordained on the .raising of th/} church to full rank two; sears afterwards. At the lime of the wedding, Mr Keys was a member of the managers' board. When the church was raised to a fully sanctioned charge, in 1905, he was one of the first two elders elected and he remained an elder up to this year. Even in those days the ehurch had its problems and one of the first difficulties the officers were called upon to solve was the site of the new church building. There was a division of opinion as to whether the church should be. built on the position where it now stands or on a section in Queen Street, now occupied by the Levin Private Hospital. The latter site was available as a gift, but the Oxford Street site was chosen, the minister paying a deposit to secure the section at the* price of £2O. Mr Keys was a teacher in the Sundav School from the time it was opened in 1903, and in 1905 he took over the position of superintendent, which he held until last year. Mrs Keys has been associated with the choir, Sunday School and Guild during that time. . . Mr and Mrs Keys have resided m Levin since their marriage and have a family of three sons, and one daughter. Mr and Mrs Mackie, reside at Waiuku, and their family consists of two girls and two boys. The bridesmaids for the double wedding were Miss Ruby Keys, now Mrs Gordon Gapper, of Auckland, and Miss Chrissie Akenson, now Mrs Stridd, of Waikato- and the best man for Mr Keys was Mr Harold Cockrell, who is now in business in Otaki; and the other best man was Mr Leslie Mackie, brother of the second' bridegroom, On the approach of i the silver anniversary of the happy occasion, Mr and Mrs Keys have been the recipients of manv felicitations from old friends and relatives, which will be echoed by! their fellow townspeople.