Telling of his sister's wedding in 1913 to her petty criminal boyfriend Gerry, the author describes him thus: a short corpulent chap, fair hair, heavy jowls on his face, thought the world of himself.
There follows a fantastic description of Gerry's marvellous wedding day outfit -
I can see Gerry to this day walking to the altar. I think everyone gasped for breath as he walked up the aisle. He had bulldog-toe shoes, peg-top trousers, a silk sash round his stomach, white shirt, no collar, a large silk scarf tied in a double knot around his neck, with the ends tucked in his braces, a long coat with turnback cuffs and pearl buttons and a flat cap like a pancake. All the local 'boys' dressed like this in those days.
I can't tell you how much I wish there was a photograph of this outfit.
