MEMORABLE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 13, 15 July 1937, Page 19

MEMORABLE DAY

LADY ASTOR'S PARTY

BEAUTIFUL ENGLISH HOME

Last Sunday the Dominion delegates left the 8.8.C. in a special bus supplied by Sir Walford Davies at a cost of £5, to go to Cookham, near Maidenhead, to spend the afternoon with Lord and Lady Astor, writes Miss Christina Young, one of the New Zealand representatives in the Coronation Choir.

The drive down was lovely, as the day was perfect. Just comfortably warm with no breeze. We proceeded up a lovely drive through the most beautiful trees and gardens to the main drive,, at either side of which were velvety lawns, then the most gorgeous trees, then on to a terrace and up to the main entrance of the house.

It would take too long to describe just what we saw, but I might mention the two large pieces of tapestry which cover the huge walls opposite the door. Lord Astor's father bought the tapestry because he liked it, and thought it would look just right for the wall, and when it had been hung for a while discovered that it was the tapestry which was ordered by the first Duke of Buckingham, who originally built Cliveden (pronounced Clivden) in 1660. They have gems of pictures, tapestry, furniture, and everything in the place. We walked through another big lounge on to a wide terrace th,at runs the length of the house and the scene which confronted us was almost too beautiful. Acres of velvet lawns, beautiful trees, and the wooded River Thames. I said to Lady Davies, "It must have been here that Sir Edward German composed 'O Peaceful England.'" We admired the scene for some time, then went into another room and had afternoon tea. Lady Astor herself poured the tea into exquisite egg-shell green cups, with real gold chasing on the outside. I had a long talk with the sister of Lady Alice Fergusson, and also with the Governor-General of South Africa and his wife, and several other notabilities. They did not seem to be able to do enough to see that we enjoyed ourselves. AN OPEN-AIR THEATRE. "We then went through the grounds, just a mere 300 acres of trees, gardens, and velvet lawns. What gardens! I think my favourite was the water garden, lovely iris, streams and lakelets, all of which are crossed by large stepping-stones. The most beautiful flowers were on the outside, but amongst the pools some special variety of iris prevailed. There were lots of goldfish, the small English and large Japanese variety.

"Another very interesting spot v.-ss an open-air theatre, built by the first Duke of Buckingham. Some time during the various ownerships of the place, the then Prince of Wales was entered at the first performance by something by Arne. and in it was included 'Rule Britannia,' which was performed there for the first time. Several of us trooped down to this theatre and sang 'Rule Britannia.' I was leader, as I was the only one who remembered all the words. Here it is interesting to recall that when we practised at Gresham College, where Sir Walford is professor, the first professor was Dr. Bull, of 'God Save the King' fame. During the war they had 1000 beds there, and this hospital was run by a Canadian staff, but patients from all the Dominions were admitted. Cut in the side of the hill is an oval-shaped cemetery, which has a high wall of green all round. The graves are marked by stones (in Westminster Abbey style), and all around the slabs is beautifully-cut grass. There is a path all round, and across, and from end to end. Where you enter you look to a cutting in the wall opposite where there is a statue of a most beautiful woman holding out her arms, and beneath is a block of marble bearing words something to the effect that all who lie here have made their peace with God. At the left end is a sort of grotto, at the back of which is a history of each one buried there. One of the Canadians found that a friend of his in the same battalian as he was was buried there. There was a New Zealander. Barry by name, from Christchurch. It is all so beautifully kept. , ~ "We stayed until seven, and then drove back, after going through Lady Aslor's suite to a special view from her balcony and a trip to the roof to see the surrounding country and get a food view of Windsor Castle. Lady Astor is a real humorist, and had us in fits of laughter. It was altogether a memorable day."