The wedding went off as planned in Hackney.

The name Hackney came about in 1198 when it got its name from the raised marsh owned by a Dane. It still exists today and is known as Hackney Marsh.

Hackney is famous for its street art which is visible everywhere. It has many fine parks and has produced many fine and famous musicians.

In 1965 the London boroughs of Hackney, Shoreditch and Stoke Newington merged to become the London Borough of Hackney. My wife’s grandparents lived in Shoreditch which was at the time a jewish area.

The groom did show up to everyone’s relief. There was no doubt of course. These two are meant to be together. They met at work in the movie industry.

The reception was held at the “Plough.”

It’s an old pub built in or around 1775. It is situated on Homerton High Road. There are records showing most if not all of the owners and the passing of the property through many hands over time.

There was a great turnout for the wedding and the reception. We were able to see many family members and old friends at the wedding and the reception that we hadn’t seen since, well, last year when we came for another wedding and a 90th birthday party.

As usual in England, the crowd spilled out onto the sidewalk for most of the day. A few pints were served, to say the least. The crowd did behave well and there were “no incidents” worth mentioning.

The bride is of Jewish heritage and the groom is not. So this was another mixed wedding with trappings from both Christianity and the Jewish traditions. So it goes in this constantly changing modern world.

Many families try to keep these traditions separate and pure, but in this modern world and even in the distant past, the best laid plans of parents often go awry. This doesn’t please everyone, but love is blind and they will all have to make the best of it.

The weather was perfect which is always an issue in England. The weather can change in a moment and then back again before one can find an umbrella or bathing suit.

We took the train from Hackney in the evening and then caught the underground as we came closer to central London. The Transportation system is great here. But let us be reminded that few if any mass transit systems pay their own way and are often subsidized by taxes.

I have been here twenty times or so and have never had a problem with anyone on the underground or trains.

We are off to Marlow in the morning to visit more cousins.