First Wedding at Liverpool Cathedral

The London Press, reported on the society wedding of Mr. Rudolf Muspratt (of Liverpool) and Miss Constant Lloyd Davies (of Toronto) on 22nd September 1927. At the time, Liverpool Cathedral, was not registered to perform weddings, and they were in fact actively discouraged. However, a ‘special’ licence was granted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, for this young couple, and the marriage was entered into the St. Nicholas’s (Liverpool Parish Church) marriage registers, as no actual register was in place for the Cathedral at that time.

This story of this young couple… is best told by simply publishing, press cutting of the day, taken from various High Society publications and newspapers of the 1920’s era…

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Ottawa Journal… January 1927.

ENGAGED TO WED A TORONTO GIRL London Jan 18 – The engagement of Rudolf Muspratt, heir of Sir Max Muspratt, to Constance, second daughter of M.L. Davies, of Toronto, president of the Standard Chemical Company, is announced today. Rudolf, 22 years of age is the only son of the British Chemical and Industrial Magnate, and is a graduate of Oxford University. Miss Davies is 20 years of age.

M.L. Davies has been closely connected to the Chemical Industry of Sir Max Muspratt.

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Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail… September 1927

BY SPECIAL LICENCE First Wedding at Liverpool Cathedral The first wedding at Liverpool Cathedral took place today to Mr. Rudolph Muspratt, only son of Sir Max Muspratt. formerly President of the Federation of British Industries, and Lady Muspratt, and Miss Constance Lloyd Davies, daughter Mr. & Mrs Lloyd Davies. Of Toronto, Canada. A special licence was granted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, as the Cathedral is not licensed for marriages, and has no register of its own. That of St. Nicholas’s Church had to be used. The ceremony was performed by the Lord Bishop Liverpool, Dr. Albert David. assisted by Bishop Herbert Gresford Jones, Canon Armour, and members of the Chapter officiated.

The bride wore an ankle-length picture gown of white satin.

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Yorkshire Evening Post… January 1929.

DEATH OF BARONET’S ONLY SON. The death occurred today, at a Liverpool home, following an operation for appendicitis, Mr. Rudolph Muspratt, only son of Sir Max Muspratt.

Mr. Rudolf. Muspratt. was 24 years of age, and was married only two years ago.

Rudolph Muspratt

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Yorkshire Post & Leeds Intelligencer… March 1929.

FATHERLESS TWINS. Grandchildren for Sir Max Muspratt. Mrs.Rudolph Muspratt gave birth to twin sons yesterday at the Grange, Fulwood Park, Liverpool, the residence of her father-in-law, Sir Max Muspratt. The mother and her two sons are progressing satisfactorily. Mr. Rudolph Muspratt, who was the only son of Sir Max and Lady Muspratt. died on January 28, following a second operation after appendicitis. was twenty-four years of age, and was married in September, 1927, to Constance, the second daughter Mr. and Mrs. M. C. Davis, of Toronto. They were the first couple to be married in Liverpool Cathedral.

‘The Grange’ Fulwood Park / Liverpool

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Sheffield Independant… February 1930.

LAST OF HIS LINE. DEATH OF INFANT HEIR OF SIR MAX MUSPRATT. News was received in England last night that the 10-month-old grandson and heir of Sir Max Muspratt, Bart., died in Toronto earlier in the day. The news was cabled to Sir Max and Lady Muspratt at the London hotel which they have been staying during the last few days. The dead child was one of twins born to the late Mr. Rudolph Muspratt (son of Sir Max) and Mrs Muspratt (formerly Miss Constance Davies, of Toronto). The first of the twins died 15 January. The second had been lying seriously ill in hospital at Toronto, and three blood transfusions had been made in an attempt to save his life. Mr Rudolph Muspratt died in January last year from appendicitis, shortly before the twin sons were born. His marriage to Miss Davies, in September, 1927. was the first wedding to take place in Liverpool Cathedral. Sir Max Muspratt leading figure in the chemical industry, former chairman of the Imperial Alkali Company, and a director of Imperial Chemical Industries in which the Alkali company has now merged. Sir Max, was elected Liberal M.P. tor the Exchange Division of Liverpool in 1910, was Lord Mayor of Liverpool in 1917, Sir Max Muspratt was created a Baronet in 1932.

Sir Max Muspratt
(1872-1934)

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Dundee Courier… February 1930.

Three heirs DEAD IN A YEAR SIR MAX MUSPRATT’S BEREAVEMENT. The baby heir of Sir Max Muspratt, Bart., has died at Ottawa The child survived his twin brother, the previous heir to the baronetcy, by one month. A year ago the father, who was then the heir, died in this country, and the mother returned to Toronto to live with her parents there. Death has thus removed three heirs to the title within a year. Sir Max Muspratt was formerly M.P. for the Exchange Division of Liverpool.

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Pictured below is a mace, presented to St. Paul’s Anglican Church, by Constance’s father… Mr. Meurig Lloyd Davies. the mace was a replica of one given to Liverpool Cathedral in 1927, in celebration of Rudolf & Constance’s wedding, as the first in Liverpool Cathedral. The gift of maces to both churches, would link the congregations in faith.

The Mace

St. Paul’s Anglican / Toronto

 

On 2nd March 1933, Constance married Harry Holcombe Wilson, and the couple went on to have 1 son and 2 daughters. Their son… Michael Wilson, went on to become a member of parliament for Canada, and was to serve as the Canadian Ambassador to the United States from 2006-9.

Constance died in 1990 and is buried in the family grave… in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery of Toronto.

The Davies family grave… including Constance

The family plot also lists, the two infant twin sons… Max & Rudolf

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The Muspratt Family Vault

Anfield Cemetery / Liverpool