Tales of Uncle Tom Cobley in Combe Martin

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Tale 2 - The Marriage of Darren Smallridge to Beverly Wood (Saturday 17th June, 2000)

On the day of the solar eclipse, 1999, Darren proposed to girlfriend Beverly to which she accepted and plans for their wedding began. One of the first suggestions came from Norman Sanders who, during the Combe Martin Carnival Parade which co-incidentally happened to be on that same day, suggested to Darren that he went to his wedding on the wooden horse.

The idea became reality on the 17th June, 2000. Two big horseshoes were mounted on the front of Uncle Tom Cobley and music from My Fair Lady, "I'm getting married in the morning" accompanied the riders. The horse left Lower Leigh Farm at 11.45 am, stopping to pick up Darren and his best man at Comers Lane. The horse then proceeded down Combe Martin high street and was greeted by cheering from well wishers who had heard about the spectacle following Darren and Norman's interview on Radio Devon earlier that morning.

A reception was later held at Woolacombe Bay Hotel and the whole crew spent a very enjoyable evening before Darren and Beverly departed for their honeymoon in Antigua.

The riders on this historic day were:

Darren Smallridge (Groom),

Mathew Coombs (Best Man),

Gerald Walters, Norman Sanders

John Webber, Trevor Laramy,

Jimmy Norman, Graham Rice,

Philip Sanders.

The group pulled up outside The Dolphin so that the horse could take on water, (and riders take on beer), they then trotted down to The Royal Marine where again the horse could take on more water, (and the riders more beer).

Finally Uncle Tom Cobley came to rest at Combe Martin church, Darren and his fellow riders were met with a rapturous welcome since none of the guests had wanted to enter the church until the groom had arrived. After alighting the horse, Darren was then hoisted and carried horizontally into church on the shoulders of the other horsemen.

Darren and Beverly then became husband and wife, before exiting the church through a guard of honour organised by the Uncle Tom Cobley crew. The newly married couple walked underneath raised nit sticks each of which had a bow attached to its end.