LAVISH DINNERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 84, 5 October 1940, Page 17

LAVISH DINNERS

"A PRINCE AMONG HOSTS"

Stories of the lavishness of dinner parties given by the late Sir Abe Bailey, South African millionaire, are current the Empire over. The "Cape Times" claims him as "a prince among "hosts." Members of the Royal Family, Oovernors-GeneraL Prime Ministers, Cabinet Ministers, diplomats, statesmen, tnd noblemen had all at some time been entertained by Sir Abe at his London residence at 38 Bryanston Square.

A hundred years ago Bryanston Square was just a cluster of hovels known as Apple Village; in recent years it became one of the most fashionable squares in London. It is only a few hundred yards from Marble Arch.

Sir Abe's dinners at 38 Bryanston Square had for long achieved a fame that had spread far beyond the confines of Marylebone. They were mostly male affairs, each guest being presented with a v/hite carnation on arrival —a small gesture of friendliness which <■ was just a prelude to what was to come.

Handsome gold cups, which told their own tale of Sir Abe's successes on the Turf, decorated the long shining mahogany table that ran the whole length of the softly-lighted dining-room, a table that was the envy of every woman who saw it.

Crested solid silver plates for all the dishes, heavy Georgian silver cruets, exquisite cutlery—all fitted in with the atmosphere of friendly hospitality that Sir Abe was a past master at creating.

Polish chromium fittings by rubbing w\th a damp washleather and when dry, polish with tissue paper.

"dog-fights" in the air, and the marI vellous fireworks which are yet so deadly, that a certain amount of bossing is necessary to induce people to be more careful of their own safety. What is well known even here when there is a spectacular fire is that the fire police have no easy job to keep silly, thoughtless people out of danger. Therefore it can be well realised by anyone with a reasonable amount of imagination how great trials the A.R.P. have in their many duties. Just the simple story of one woman in the country who has such regular duties and who realises that at any time her house may be filled either with desolate children or with injured persons, or that it may be in an unlucky region and be destroyed, should bring to people in the Dominions some idea of what the people at Home are enduring for the sake of a definite ideal of the right way to live, and also the duty of trying to destroy the power of evil which has led to such infinite tragedy.