Mary Killoran Mother of the Groom Gown
Date1972
Dimensions137 cm (53 15/16 in.)
Credit LineGift of Melody Baldwin Anderson, London, Ontario, 2015.
Object number2015.008.001
Label TextThis dress was purchased in 1972 from Mary Killoran’s by Melody Anderson’s mother, Lorna Nash Baldwin, to wear at her son’s wedding.
Mary Killoran had purchased the Magda Lang dress shop on 332 Central Avenue in approximately 1962. That Magda Lang’s was a branch store with the original store in Kitchener. That original store was owned and run by Magda Snyder, a seamstress, and Angela Lang, a woman with an eye for fashion. It was a destination for high-end shoppers and for shoppers looking for something special on a budget.
When Mary Killoran bought the London Magda Lang’s, she kept the store name for a number of years. In the 1970 City Directory, the store is called Mary Killoran Limited. She operated the store on the same principle as Magda Lang’s was run in Kitchener. She stocked special pieces, some expensive and some more affordable. At this time, I don’t know what date the business closed. It was not listed in 1979.
In casual conversation, at different times, Lorraine Shuttleworth, Judith Rodger, and Melody Anderson shared their memories of the store. They all noted that Mary Killoran’s was one of the few really good dress shops in London at that time. Lorraine and Judith recalled that Mary knew what different women purchased and she knew why they purchased them. In this way, she made sure that no two women bought the same dress for the same event. Melody reminisced that she bought her wedding dress from Mary Killoran’s. She had a dream dress from a magazine that was too expensive. The next time she went to Mary Killoran’s, Mary said I have a wedding dress for you. Without ever having seen the magazine photo, Mary had identified that very dress. The price was affordable and it became Melody’s wedding gown. Sadly, that gown fell victim to moths.
NameGown, Evening
