Gifts from lavish Murphy family wedding on exhibit in Sunnyvale
Items date back to 1890 nuptials.
Society wedding exhibit
The Sunnyvale Historical Society is exhibiting gifts from the wedding of Martin Murphy Jr.’s granddaughter, Mary Genevieve, as well as photographs, dinner sets and books the family collected at the Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum through February 2024.
Mary Genevieve Murphy had a lavish wedding to Henry Ward Wright at her father B. D. Murphy’s opulent residence in San Jose in 1890. The wedding was covered by no fewer than four local newspapers. The San Francisco Bulletin featured a full-length article on the occasion, including a minute description of the many costly gifts the couple received. According to one newspaper’s account, “Society was joyous in the expectancy of an event of such brilliancy as has never been witnessed before and would not again very soon.”
This brilliancy was reflected in the wedding gifts. The exhibit includes an old grandfather clock, tapestries and collections of silver and china, including service pieces from famous porcelain manufacturers such as Royal Worcester, Minton, and Sèvres.
The Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum, 570 E. Remington Drive, is open Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, noon-4 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call 408-749-0220 or visit Heritageparkmuseum.org
‘Winter Harmonies’
Sunnyvale Community Players is celebrating the holiday season in song with “Winter Harmonies” on Dec. 22 at 8 p.m. The evening will be headlined by Roxanne Couch, who makes her return to the Sunnyvale Community Theatre stage after performing in “SIX the Musical” in London’s West End.
Performers from past Players shows will also be featured, including Ryan Liu, Aishy Panwar, Peter Spoelstra, Alea Selburn, Zack Goller and Isabel Stewart. In addition, there will be a silent auction, raffle prizes and refreshments.
Tickets are $35 at https://www.sunnyvaleplayers.org.