“A dowry was the wealth brought into a new marriage by the bride. This could either be in the form of cash, goods or property and was usually provided by the bride’s father. Negotiations over the exact level of dowry for a particular marriage could be complex, there was no standard sum.
I did have a dowry.
A silver sixpence.
If you believed my father, it was payment for Jack to take me off his hands!
When we were well and truly married, daddy asked Jack if he could have the sixpence back… because he had another unmarried daughter on his hands.
The sixpence went back, and when daddy died, it was found in the pocket of a suit jacket, by my eldest brother. On one of our visits to Dublin, my brother handed the coin to Jack with the words “I think this belongs to you”!
I still have it today.
I received a ring with onyx stone setting from Urmeela’s sister when she finally came back to India in 1977, nine years after our marriage. I still wear it when the mood takes me.
A wearable memory!
My eyes are full at the precious sentiment, GM.
blessings ~ maxi
It was all good fun, Maxi.
How wonderful you have it in your possession. I think it’s great your brother gave it back to Jack. After all, a deal is a deal. 🙂
Yes, Debra, a deal is a deal! 😉 Mind you I think that I was the one to strike gold… and I am not talking money, Jack was a real Gem!
a wonderful memory for sure,and hope it continues on a journey as time goes on… in this part of the world dowry wasn’t the way – but the “glory box” was…maybe still is in some families.
Brides are given gifts before a wedding, nowadays they are more useful items that often come from a ‘suggestion list’.