This Day in History: 1969 Lulu ties knot with Bee Gee

Hundreds of people have clamoured to see the marriage of popstars Lulu and Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees in a Buckinghamshire church.
Lulu, 20, had hoped to keep her wedding plans secret but around 1,000 people – mostly women and girls – filled the grounds of St James’ Church in Gerrards Cross.
Several children were hurt as the crowd – that had waited for an hour – surged forward when Lulu arrived in her green Rolls Royce, 20 minutes late.
Wearing a long, white, mink-trimmed coat with fur hood and a white, silk mini-dress, Lulu – born Marie McDonald McLaughlin – begged onlookers to let her through, saying, “Please let me in, please let me in.”
As police formed a cordon to allow the bride to reach the church, Maurice Gibb – also wearing white – waited inside with his best man, twin brother Robin, who was married only three months ago.
The third Gibb brother, Barry, arrived 10 minutes later, after earlier objecting to the wedding saying the couple was too young.
The Bee Gees and the bride were the only celebrities at the small, family wedding.
After a half-hour service – presided over by Reverend Gordon Harrison – the newlyweds were trapped in the church for another 10 minutes until a path had been cleared to their waiting car.
They spent a few minutes at the 19-year-old groom’s parents’ house in Gerrards Cross before travelling to London for their reception.
After a one-day honeymoon Lulu plans to return to work on her BBC television series.
She says she wants to cut down on her work-load to concentrate on her family and wants lots of children.
The daughter of a Glaswegian butcher, Lulu has already enjoyed a successful singing career for five years – beginning with number one single, Shout.
She will represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest in March.

Courtesy BBC News

In context

Lulu shared victory at the 1969 Eurovision Song Contest in Madrid – in a four-way tie – with her song Boom-Bang-A-Bang.
Lulu and Maurice Gibb separated in April 1973, when Lulu said the marriage was not working, but emphasised there was no-one else involved.
Over her 36-year career Lulu has enjoyed 16 top 40 hits and became a familiar face on UK television.
In June 2000 she was awarded an OBE.
Over five decades the Bee Gees had record sales of £110 million worldwide and are one of the top five most successful recording artistes of all time.
The Bee Gees were awarded CBEs in the 2002 New Years Honours list.
Maurice Gibb died of a heart attack in Miami in January 2003, aged 53.