A Maid In Mayfair

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 124, 28 May 1938, Page 4 (Supplement)

A Maid In Mayfair

Special Correspondent. LONDON. MR. WINSTON CHURCHILL'S decision to dispose of his charming little estate at Westerham has come as a surprise to his friends. He Loved the spot very much as Beverley Nichols loved AHways. Possibly the attention it attracted from trippers has had something to do with his decision. Rudyard Kipling had to give up his place near Brighton for this reason, and Beverley Nichols actually found one American tourist taking ablutions in his own private swimming pool. Mr. Churchill not only did a great deal of literary work at Wcsterliam. but indulged his favourite hobby of painting, between intervals of doing a little bricklaying— with a cijrar between his lips. He told his friends he could write more readily at Chfciwell than when in London. Nevertheless, it is not surprising, in view of recent rumours, *that his political friends should be speculating as to whether Mr. Churchill anticipates an early return to a more active Parliamentary career. Westerham is less than 30 miles from London, but its train service leaves something to be desired. Not So Easy Although no actual obstacle is thrown in the way of their return to England, visitors to the Austrian winter sports are not finding their homeward journey quite the routine business they were led to expect. Their papers, and the amount of money they bring out of the country, are very closely scrutinised and, in Vienna itself, the lot of the tourist is made still more difficult by the fact that some of the leading hotels have been commandeered to make room for Hitler's emissaries. Arrivals at Victoria Station report complete outward calm in the Austrian capital and cannot wholly suppress their admiration of the Wonderful organisation displayed by the Nazis in carrying out details of the coup d'etat. Everything seems to have, been imported completely ready made, including, as one tourist expressed it, even the cheering and the flag-waving. Enjoyable though the Austrian sports invariably are, there is a general feel- ! ing that their success next year must be seriously impaired by the happenings of the last few weeks. Women of To-day Inspired by the success of Miss Louise Coury's "Modern Girl Clubs," mothers, aunts and older relatives and friends of the'girls have decided to form a club of their own on somewhat similar lines. The members meet once a fortnight for a literary and debating tea, when authors of note come along to speak, and the speeches are followed by debates among the members. Miss Christina Foyle, who has met more interesting people in the literary, dramatic, diplomatic, legal and social worlds than most women of her age, was one of the speak-

era at last weed's tea party, and Miss Pamela Frankau was another. Lady Strabolgi is an active member of the club, as her daughter, the Hon. Ferelith Kenworthy, is of the younger people's movement. Miss Kenworthy, by the way, is taking part in a cabaret arranged by the girls at the dance they are having in the American Women's Club some time this month. She is doing a ballet which she has composed herself, and with her in the cabaret is Miss Helena Lambton, a young relative of Lord Durham, whose father, the late Mr. Arthur Lambton, was the originator, with the late Mr. Ingleby Oddie, of the famous Crimes Club. Gate Crashing The Lo. "-n season has hardly commenced, but already a wail has gone up from hostesses on the vexed question of gate-crashing. It is unquestionably something of a social nuisance, but the remedy would appear to lie in the hands of the hostesses themselves. Either they should insist on their guests bringing" their invitation cards with them, or alternately they should exercise more care in drawing up their lists of guests. Very few of these complaints come from really exclusive circles, where the hostess never dreams of inviting anyone she 'does not know more or less intimately. Trouble is almost inevitable when several hundred guests are invited, many of whom are not known to the hostess even by sight. Even when unbidden guests do arrive they are rarely complete strangers to everyone. There is a certain laxity about these matters, especially on the part of young debutantes, who have their own opinions of what is permissible. They casually invite tl»eir own personal friends to come along with them, assuring them that Lady This or Lady That will be delighted to have them at the party. Versatility Lady Honor Channon is one of the most versatile of the "young marrieds" in London's social circles. Not content with the ordinary interests of a society woman, she enters actively into all kinds of country pursuits, is a graceful exponent of the gentle art of ski-ing, and can give a good account of herself in the worlds of music and painting. Our grandmothers' ability to - "sew a fine seam", and produce creditable examples of the tatting craft is again regarded with respect, and Lady Honor has now added these accomplishments to her list. She is also a hostess with the indefinable ability to make a success of any party she gives, and at her table some of the most famous men and women of the day are to be met. Daughter of the second Earl of Iveagh, she was, before her marriage in 1933 to Mr. Henrv Channon, M.P. for Southend-on-Sea, Lady Honor Guinness. Her London home is in Belgrave Square, next to the Duke and Duchess of Kent's, and the two families are given to fraternising over their children, the Channons having a son about the same as Prince Edward. Mr. Channon is known as "Chips" to his friends—his telegraphic addrevs i» London.

1 Royal Pavilion It is many weeks since the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester have spent a week-end at the Royal Pavilion at Aldershot, and their decision to resume this practice will give much satisfaction to the garrison town, and to the garrison officers, among whom the Duke was once numbered. King George V. placed the Royal Pavilion at the disposal of the Duke and Duchess, on their marriage, 'so that the Duke would be close to his military duties. During the winter he has been hunting a great deal and has spent most of his leisure at The Warren, at Melton Mowbray. In the interval the Pavilion has been closed. It was built in the days of Queen Victoria so that she could stay there visiting Aldershot to inspect the troops, as she did each year. King Edward VII. and Kin? George V. used it frequently, but the modern motor car made Windsor so accessible that King George ultimately ceased to use it and the house remained empty for many years. Costume Party Everyone enjoys parties at Admiralty House, and the Fish drawing-room on the ground floor was crowded when Lady Diana Duff-Cooper gave a sherry party to friends interested in the Earl's Court ice festival. There is a general committee and a junior committee, the latter under the chairmanship of Lady Honor Vaughan, Lord and Lady Lisburne's daughter, who came out last year. She was discussing the next meeting, and someone suggested it would be a good idea to have it in the Lansdowne Club swimming baths, when they could take a dip before or after! Mr. Pepys. in the person of Mr. Brough Ansdell— who took the game part at the Londonderry House ball a few weeks ago— came back to Admiralty House after 250 years. He, like other members, was in costume. Nodding over his diary, he sleepily record* the State visit of Charles 11. and-his Court to the frozen river revels. Speculating on "ye future of ice frolicks," he falls into a doze and dreams of a 20th century ice ballet. As a result, shining figures, led on alternate nights by Cecilia Colledge and Megan Taylor, will glk'.e on to the ice and give a modern skating exhibition. Aeroplane Nursing At a time when the hospitals are deploring the deficiency of trained nurses it seems rather anomalous to read the various new openings which are presenting themselves to these trained women workers. One of the latest and most adventurous is that of acting as nurse on long-distance 'planes. Anyone who has experienced it, knows that air-sick-ness is a very trying complaint and the ministrations of a trained nurse would often be welcome even on the short hop over from Croydon to Paris. In time perhaps, a nurse will be carried on all the principal a Minors.