Historical Pageant

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 105, 6 May 1933, Page 9

Historical Pageant

Exquisite old brocades and embroidered delaines with their glory scarcely dimmod by the passage of more than a century, made their appearance in tho ballroom side' by side with spangled backless dance gowns of the moment at the Historical Pageant Ball held in S3'driey recently (states an exchange). Representing the history of Australia, from the early days when the buccaneering William Dampici\first sighted our wild north-west coast'to tho day of the modern university, the pageant was made doubly interesting" by tho tact that many of those taking part, .most of whom had played the same parts in the historical revival fat Wentworth' House during Bridge Week last year, were direct descendants of the historical characters they represented, while the costumes they wore were in many cases heirlooms carefully preserved through the years. Exquisite old bits of lace, quaintly embroidered shawls, old cameos, and faded brocades, all played their part in the parade and pageantry of history. A quaint spectacle was presented by Miss Alix Lamb, who appeared in the ballroom, at the conclusion of the pageant, in which she took the part of Captain Lamb, carrying her wig and sword under her arm with her backless black velvet evening gown. The supremacy of tho cotton wool wig was challenged by one "Lady ol the Eighteenth Century," who suited her brocades with almost realistic wig fashioned from twisted skeins of white Shetland wool. * , At the conclusion, of the pageant, which was remarkable in that it only occupied, the space of five minutes, the minuet was danced by a party of young girls, many of them wearing the original costumes, lent by La Parisienue, belonging to the ladies of the Royal Court a century ago. A lovely old bustle gown of ■ grey taffeta, " with"bird-cage 5' and leg-o'-mutton sleeves, was. ono of the ■favoured Court dresses of Queen Alexandra; while some of the other frocks worn were the original property of the ladies of her Court. Wearing a high poke bonnet and a soft old Spanish shawl pinned high at the throat with an <Hd cameo brooch 84 years old, Miss Elizabeth Betts, represented her grandmother, Mrs. Sarah Betts. She was assisted to the official dais by one of her contemporaries, to receive special congratulations on her appearance.