Eileen wore this going-away dress for her wedding to Francis Riddell. Her husband-to-be had been offered a job as a manager at the Opunake Dairy Factory and although only 21 years old, it wasn't his age that was holding him back but his unmarried status. He quickly travelled over to Whanganui and proposed to his girlfriend Eileen and she accepted him.
Although growing up in a poor family in Whanganui during the Depression, Eileen was determined to have the most stylish dress for her big day. She travelled up to Auckland especially to choose it and wore it paired with a fresh red rose.
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