RECORD ATTENDANCE

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 40, 17 February 1942, Page 7

RECORD ATTENDANCE

ANNUAL GARDEN PARTY AT

WOBURN

The annual garden party of St. j James's Church, Lower Hutt, has been held in the beautiful grounds of "Woburn," the residence of Mrs. Vivian Riddiford, for so many years that it approaches a "time-honoured institution" there, and is largely look-, ed forward to both by the parishioners themselves and the large number of other people who attend it. On Saturday there was a record crowd. The people were welcomed by the vicar and Mrs. H. E. K. Fry. Mr. Fry thanked Mrs. Riddiford for the generous use of her grounds and for her unfailing assistance, and congratulated Mrs. H. E. Leighton on her recovery.to health and on again resuming the direction of the fete, which, except for last year, she has done since its inception. The Yen. Archdeacon Bullock declared the fete open. He spoke of the rapidly increasing community in the Valley ,and of the need for building! up its life with Christian values and inspiration. There were stalls and numberless outdoor games, and an open-air entertainment included songs and dances by* forty gaily-dressed gipsies and their queen. Miss D. Brooks was gipsy leader. In a spirited gips^ dance I by the girls .of the Bible class, the solo i part was taken by Roberta Garvey. A Hungarian dance by Valeric Holder followed, and an excellent gipsy ballet by the pupils of Miss Vivienne' Piatt made a fitting finale. The Municipal Band contributed a programme of appropriate music.; Afternoon tea was served buffet fashion on the tennis lawn, where Mr. and Mrs. Fry entertained many guests, including the Yen Archdeacon and Mrs. W. Bullock, Mrs. V.-Riddiford, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Andrews, Mrs. Frederic Wallis, the Yen. Archdeacon and Mrs. Hansell, Mrs. W. E. W. Hurst, Mrs. J. Vogel, Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Leighton, and Mr. and Mrs. Neill Gillespie. * The entertainment, committee comprised Mesdames H. E. Leighton, F. Dunkley, Parkes, Misses Brooks, andi Garvey, with Mesdames Stokes and j Dunkley pianists. Mrs. Strickland, with helpers, served afternoon tea, and the stalls were staffed by Mrs. Holcombe and members of St. James's) Guild, St. James's senior Bible class girls, and Mesdames Vogel, C. Butt, H. Hardcastle, W. Graham, M. Martin, F. Bolt, C. Griffin, M. Hobbs, Strombom, R. F. Jollands, Gilbert, Fuge, McArthur, H. B. Gordon, W. Carter, C. Clark, Wm, Smith, and Sanders, and Miss Walker.