They met on the Manitoba during a Lake Superior cruise in August, and were married in November (much to the concern of parents and friends) at the Little Church Around the Corner. Here, Phyllis (in white) was introducing her new beau to her sister Barbara and her husband, Frank (along with kids, Patty and Bruce). Somewhere near Boston:

Edward, Phyllis, and the Buxtons – 1946 from Steven K Roberts.

Edward and Phyllis in Swarthmore, summer of 1946
Cutting the cake on the wedding day, November 23, 1946. Looking on are her sister Nancy and his brother George.
Notes from wedding guests….
Edward and Phyllis Roberts – newlyweds!
A close-up of her gray felt hat, which I sold on eBay in 2005

As soon as the wedding was over, they flew to Bermuda for their honeymoon… here is my father’s 8mm movie of the adventure:

The Engagement

This is sweet… my father’s parents, Chester and Abby Roberts of Swarthmore, wrote this letter to Phyllis as soon as they were notified of the engagement. A colorized photo follows…

Abby Roberts and Chester, Ed’s Quaker parents in Swarthmore, wrote this lovely letter to Phyllis as soon as the engagement was announced (quite quickly after they met during a cruise on Lake Superior).
Abby and Chester Roberts, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 1946. Both were very active in the Quaker community, including publications and positions at Swarthmore College.

The Office Party

Ed was a design engineer at GE Erie Works, and two days before the wedding, the boys in the office threw him a party. This 11×17 “Certificate of Promotion” emerged from the archives, carrying names that I remember hearing over dinners in my childhood:

The Household Refrigeration Engineering department at General Electric (Erie Works) threw a party for Ed and gave him this Certificate of Promotion (click for large version)

The text follows, for easier readability

Certificate of Promotion

FROM THE ORDER OF INDEPENDENT BACHELORS
TO THE ORDER OF DEPENDENT BENEDICTS

The undersigned, having been associated with Mr. Edward H. Roberts for many years and having found him to be always a bachelor of merit, in great demand and in good standing, do hereby grant him leave from the ORDER OF INDEPENDENT BACHELORS to join the ORDER OF DEPENDENT BENEDICTS. With this we wish him God speed on his journey and great success in contributing to the production of “MORE THINGS FOR MORE PEOPLE AT LESS COST” and particularly MORE LITTLE THINGS!

Signed the 21st day of November, 1946
at Fiddle Inn, Harborcreek, Pennsylvania

Posted in Historical Documents