Dunmow Flitch Trials: Christopher Atkinson and Meredith Atkinson-Wood
PUBLISHED: 18:00 14 July 2016

Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
SaffronPhoto 2016
Dour judge David Monk, a BBC Radio Essex presenter, had fun with young couple Christopher Atkinson and Meredith Atkinson-Wood, two teachers at Felsted School who live in Stebbing.
Dunmow Flitch Trials Christopher Atkinson and Meredith Atkinson-Wood
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Meredith is an American who came to Britain to study.
They have been married nearly two years.
Christopher said Meredith was his first girlfriend. The judge asked: “Have you had many since?”
They met as Cambridge students. Christopher said: “It was my friend’s 21st birthday and there was a bop at Queens’. We were both there and our paths met.” She said: “I told my friends immediately. Everyone thought I would go to Cambridge and meet a British guy but it surprised them when it happened.”
Dunmow Flitch Trials 3
Dunmow Flitch Trials 2016. Vintage lorry used as the sharp stones podium for the successful flitch couples. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
The Dunmow Flitch courtroom awaits the evening trials. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
One of the flitch bearers or 'the simple folk'. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
The Dunmow Flitch jusdge, Dave Monk, prepares to join the procession through Great Dunmow ahead of the evening session of the Flitch Trials. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
Flitch Chair Bearers - 'simple folk' prepare to transport the chair to the Flitch Trials through the streets of Great Dunmow. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
Great Dunmow Town Crier prepares to lead the Flitch procession. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
The Flitch Chair Bearers carry the empty chair in a procession to Talberds Ley. Successful couples later hope to be transported through the town in this chair. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
Maidens and their flowers - Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
Maidens and their flowers - Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
The courtroom prepares for the evening session of the Dunmow Flitch Trials 2016. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
The jury of six maidens and six bachelors are sworn in to the Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
The 'simple folk' were allowed in to watch the progress of the Flitch Trial. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
Counsel for the flitch - Caroline Bradley Mr Mohammed Mizan Sabur and Ms Emma Marcus. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
Judge Dave Monk displyed a wide range of expressions throughout the Dunmow Flitch 16 trials. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
Judge Dave Monk displyed a wide range of expressions throughout the Dunmow Flitch 16 trials. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
Judge Dave Monk displyed a wide range of expressions throughout the Dunmow Flitch 16 trials. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
Judge Dave Monk displyed a wide range of expressions throughout the Dunmow Flitch 16 trials. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
Judge Dave Monk becomes slightly confused with which sentence he is passing during the Dunmow Flithc Trials. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
Previous Flitch Trials judge, Michael Chapman is called up to fill the void on the counsel bench after Caroline Bradley (Mrs Parkes) had joined her husband in the dock. Meanwhile Michael Chapman shows his pig-covered tie to the Clerk of Court and the Judge. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
Counsel for the flitch - Steve Bugeja contemplates the situation with couple no.5 Dr and Mrs Parkes. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
Judge Dave Monk displyed a wide range of expressions throughout the Dunmow Flitch 16 trials. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
Judge Dave Monk and counsel (retired judge) Michael Chapman sum up the Flitch Trial proceedings. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
Foreman of the jury passes their verdict that Dr and Mrs Parkes are wothy of a flitch of bacon. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
It was his final year and her first. He was offered a job in Exeter soon after they met so it began as a long-distance love affair. He changed careers to become a maths teacher so he could work in America in case Meredith wanted to return home. Then he encouraged her to become a teacher too so they could share the holidays. They married on Lundy Island. She said describing the romanticism of it: “It’s a rocky island with puffins, there are no phones, no internet.” The judge said to the audience: “Sounds ghastly, doesn’t it.”
Barrister Daniel Pitt, speaking for the bacon, said: “The first issue is the name. She’s Atkinson Wood and he’s Atkinson wouldn’t.” Then he added that since Christopher was a maths teacher he would test him: “If the border between America and Mexico had a 10ft-tall wall, how many bricks would it need?” The judge, pretending to wake up, remarked sternly: “He moved from Exeter to London and then changed his career, wouldn’t it have been easier to ditch her and get someone else?”
Speaking for the couple, “barrister” Steve Bugeja told the jury not to listen to the seasoned barristers who spoke for the pig: “Don’t be persuaded by older, embittered people. They dragged us out of Europe, don’t let them drag us out of believing in love. Give this couple the bacon.”
The jury agreed and did.
Dunmow Flitch Trials 7
Maidens of the jury. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
The local police contstable was found not to be fit for duty when called by the judge. Picture: Celia Bartlett Photography
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
Dunmow Flitch Trials. Picture: Saffron Photo
The pair looked so enraptured when they were carried through the town on the flitch chair that their smile muscles will probably take a week to recover.