O Perfect Love

With Valentine’s Day and National Marriage Week this month, possibly turning the thoughts of some couples in the diocese to greater commitment, author and DOOR contributor Gerry Hanson has delved into history to bring us the story behind a hymn that has been a popular choice at church weddings for many years: ‘O Perfect Love’.

Getting married in Church is still the preferred choice of many couples. In a nationwide survey of 20-60 year olds (commissioned by Wedding Invitation UK) 60 per cent said they would opt for a traditional church wedding.

Few people will have a wedding hymn written specially for  them. But that was the good fortune of 22-year-old Katherine Blomfield, daughter of the Revd Frederick G Blomfield, rector of St Andrew’s Undershaft in London, in the 19th century.

While, holidaying with her family in the Lake District she was excitedly planning her wedding with her older sister Dorothy, who had a reputation for poetry, (her composition, ‘The Lord God planted a garden in the first white days of the world’, was to become a favourite of gardeners).

A particular favourite hymn of Katherine’s was ‘Strength and Stay’ by J B Dykes. But, although she loved the tune she felt the words inappropriate for her wedding.

‘What’s the use of a sister who writes poetry, if she can’t write new words to this tune?’ she asked Dorothy.
Picking up pencil and paper, Dorothy left the room saying she would see what she could come up with.

In just half-an-hour she returned with the now famous hymn ‘O Perfect Love’. Perfect! For several years the hymn was sung only at a select few weddings, but in 1889 it found its way into the supplement of ‘Hymns Ancient and Modern.’

In the same year Queen Victoria’s grand-daughter, Princess Louise, chose it for her wedding to the Duke of Fife and its popularity was assured.

Strangely, although the Princess loved the words, she was less enamoured of the tune, and turned to Sir Joseph Barnby, for a new sound. It is to his tune we sing the hymn today.

Dorothy was 40 years old before she married the Revd Gerald Gurney. Then, after 22 years of marriage and faithful service to the Anglican Church, they shocked their families when they were received into the Roman Catholic Church.

Gerald had to resign his living and their later years were a financial struggle.

Ironically, their difficulties could have been alleviated if Dorothy had claimed royalties from her now famous composition. But, despite the thousands of times it was used, she never exercised her copyright.

See the web site for more information about National Marriage Week