After the death of his first wife, Evelyn Enid Mary, in 1947, Jasper Maskelyne married again.
Jasper Maskelyne and Evelyn Mary Scotcher married on 11 March 1948. The event was a civil ceremony at the South Kensington Registry Office, a short walk from Jasper’s Kensington home in Abingdon Villas.
The Kensington registry office was popular among celebrities. Two months earlier, film star David Niven, also a widower, remarried at the same venue. And, John le Mesurier (Dad's Army) and Hattie Jacques (Carry On series) married there in 1949.
Mr and Mrs Jasper Maskelyne, 1948
Jasper’s best man was Ralph Chart, a magician who performed as Raoul. Other guests included Alistair and Jasmine Maskelyne (Jasper's children) and Mary’s widowed mother, Mrs Evelyn Tankins. Mary’s father died in 1936. Also present were family friends Sid and Amy Tilyard, landlords of Jasper’s local pub, the Abingdon Arms, where the reception took place.
Abingdon Arms, Kensington
A brief report on the wedding appeared in The Stage newspaper:
“JASPER MASKELYNE MARRIED. Jasper Maskelyne was married last Thursday to Evelyn Mary Scotcher... To celebrate the event, Douglas Young composed some verses for [his wife] Nan Kenway and himself to sing at the Kingston Empire that night, where they were all appearing.”
Note: Mary Scotcher was a divorcée. Her maiden name was Mary Tankins. Her first husband was called Scotcher.