MIDNIGHT FETE AT THE EXHIBITION.
On July 22nd, after the Colonial Exhi. bition had been cleared of the general public, a " Midnight Fete " was held, and was very numerously attended by all persons at present in England officially connected with India. Sir Philip CunliffeOwen, on behalf of the ex-Secretaries of State for India, and the ex-Viceroys of India, issued between 4000 and 5000 invitations "to meet the Prince of Wales," and from 11 p.m. until 12 o'clock the guests—all, of course, in evening drees— poured into the Exhibition, where they were received by Lord Hartington and others. His Boyal Highness arrived shortly after eleven o'clock, and was received by the Earl of Northbrook, who was accompanied by Lady Emma Baring, the Earl and Countess of Iddlesleigh, the Duke and Duchess of Manchester, the Marquis of Hartington, the Marquis of Bipon, Lady Bandolph Churchill, Lord Kimberley, the Earl of Lytton, Viscount Cranbrook, Sir Philip Cunliffe-Owen, and several other persons of distinction. After a brief delay a procession was formed, and the illustrious visitors—the Prince of Wales, accompanied by the Princess Louise, and followed by the Duke of Cambridge— were conducted into the public entrance hall, which was splendidly adorned with the xichest dowers, including thousand- of cut roses. The Duke of Devonshire had sent loads of ralms, ferns, and choice exotics for the decoration of the place, and after midnight his Grace entertained the Boyal party in the Durbar HalL There was no playing of fountains or - _lumi__—on of the grounds, as, with the exception of Old London, which was specially decorated for the occasion by the native Hindoos, the fete was confined to Indian Galleries of the Exhibition. The refreshment rooms had been cleared of their ordinary gear for the occasion, and the Durbar Hall was magnificently furnished. There seemed to be no special programme or definite engagement to fulfil, but the three hours became a Irril_ant society ffarnfr"* to the strains of two military bands.
MIDNIGHT FETE AT THE EXHIBITION.
Press, Volume XLIII, Issue 6545, 14 September 1886, Page 3
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