A MAID IN MAYFAIR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 307, 28 December 1935, Page 3 (Supplement)

A MAID IN MAYFAIR.

GOSSIP FROM LONDON.

THE DUKE OF KENT.

(From Our Lady Correspondent.) LONDON, November 21. jt jg possible, I understand, that the Buclicss of Kent may accompany the Duke of Kent when he visits Dudley on December 2, to open the new municipal buildings in that town. It will recall honeymoon days to the Royal pair, for it was at Himley Hall that the Duke a nd Duchess spent the first part of their honeymoon last year, and where they ff j]l be the guests of Lord Dudley on this occasion. If the Duchess is unable to go, rte Duke may spend the week-end with Lord Dudley, who is a close friend of the Duke, and also of the Prince of Wales. He accompanied the Prince of Wales on his visit to South America a few years ago. CROWDS SEE WEDDING 'GIFTS. The Royal wedding presents, now on riew to the general public, are drawing crowds to St. James' Palace. Most 0 f "the visitors are women, and the neatest congestion occurs at the stand showing the bridal gown. This has been mounted on a wax figure and placed in niass case. Nearby are some of the more personal gifts to the Duchess, including the quilted silk cushion made by a Welsh miner's wife. Strangely enou«h, greater interest is shown in the furniture and household articles than in the magnificent jewels. There are about jO pieces of furniture, ranging from period antiques given by the Queen to a small inlaid table sent by 8300 children jntke Barnardo homes.

DUCHESS GOES SHOPPING. The Duchess of York has had her small daughters in mind during her shopping tours lately. The Duchess, in spite of her busy life, likes to superintend the dressing of her children, whose simple and attractive clothes are taken as models all over the world. Amongst the garments she purchased were two Fair Isle jerseys, in pastel colours, knitted by ex-servicemen, and she also ordered berets and scarves to match. The jerseys are to be worn with kilted skirts or over riding breeches. Other nurserv purchases were an embroidered nightdress case for Princess Elizabeth, and a set of nursery rhyme tumblers for her younger sister, and both of them will find jig-saw puzzles of complicated design in their Christmas stockings. . . WOMEN M.P.'S. Although the feminine element has been considerably decreased in the new Parliament, two of the most popular successes are those of Viscountess Astor and the Duchess of Atholl. The duchess has been in Parliament since 1923, and for five years acted as Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education. Lady As'tor, who has not only retained her West Country seat, but was vigorous in her efforts to help her son in East Fulham, was the first woman to sit in the House of Commons, having held her seat since 1919. She is a very able speaker, arid her fashion of always wearing a severe black and white dress while in the House has been followed by most of the other women members.

O.C. TRANSPORT. Kot many people are aware that the excellent transport arrangements for tie election were in charge of a woman of 24. Miss Paddy Naismith, daughter of lira. Redmond Naismith, was responsible for marshalling the armies of cars and fleets of aeroplanes all over the country. Red-headed, and a native of County Cork, Miss Naismith naturally enjoys any political adventure, and after a colossal day's work on Thursday was at 2 o'clock in the morning holding a telephone conversation with Seaham Harbour. J. H. • Thomas, she declared, was one of her best flying candidates, and insisted on flying to Newcastle in a thick fog to one of his meetings. When k discovered, however, that he had been tie only man in England in the air that day he decided to come back by train.

LADY PAMELA SMITH. I hear that the wedding of Lady Pamela Smith, daughter of the late ford Birkenhead, and Mr. Michael Berry 's to take place in the tiny chapel of Gray's Inn. Lord Birkenhead was on several occasions treasurer of the ton. The relatives of " the bride and bridegroom will sit in the stall usually reserved for Benchers, and the guests, for whom there will not be room a the chapel itself, will attend a reception afterwards in the historic Gray's to Hall, the interior of which is seldom seen by the public. Crimson and silver, * popular colour scheme this winter, las been chosen for the frocks of the Wal attendants, who will include Lady Bridgeman and Miss Penelope Dudley Ward.

LADY GEORGIANA CURZON. .For several seasons past Lady Georgia Curzon has been in great demand as a bridesmaid at fashionable London St p lng ?' Her last a PP earance was at gj Paul's Cathedra], when she attended Sg? Priseilla Weigall, now Viscountess curzon. For her own wedding, howler, on November 27, she chose a quiet country church near her home in Buckinghamshire. A becoming shade of soft Periwinkle blue appeared on her wedSgg gown of white silk velvet. This *as made on medieval lines with a long Polled train and a square neckline, vnite velvet was also used for the 'foeks of the bridesmaids, Mile. Livia and Miss Patricia Lowrywho had headdresses of blue powers similar to those worn by the "naesinaids at the Royal wedding.

WOMEN'S HANDICRAFTS. an? 16 women ' 3 institutes of England nd Wales are determined that ancient country handicrafts shall not be driven irom the field by the machine. At their "I'bition, in the Horticultural Hall at Westminster, they show that it is posI ™ to obtain hand-made goods of n ginal design and fine workmanship "r very little more than the ma«sP r <Wuced article. Needlework is p'romiW, especially quilting and smocking fsnibite. Quilting, now so fashionable * furnishing fabrics, has been revived "the mining districts of Durham and Mis, largely owing to the efforts of Rhondda. "Sedge-making" is the jjuaint name used in Hampshire for ™ndicrafts employing rushes for raw materia], and elaborate baskets, mats "4 other, household articles are on view II the county stand. Cane working, in P«t willow, would have perished altoJfrtner. but for the fact that the last '*Pert in the craft taught it to a mem--oer of the local institute, who has passed 011 her knowledge to others.