SOCIETY COSTUME BALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15050, 20 July 1912, Page 2 (Supplement)

SOCIETY COSTUME BALL.

COSTUMES OF 100 YEARS AGO. MANY ROYAL GUESTS. o>te of the most notable society balls ever held ft- the metropolis took place at the Albert Hall, under the title of " A Hundred Years Aso." The rehearsal for the marvellous quadrilles which figured so largely in the programme took place three days before, when it seemed as though half of' those whose names figure in Debrett had gathered at the Caxton Hall. Mr. Louis N. Parker conducted the rehearsal, which was at- ' terded by duchesses and countesses, lords, and ladies. Held under the special patronage of the King and Queen, the ball was in aid of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Help Society, i and owed its inspiration to Princess Christian, the president of the society. She suggested a costume ball, and when it was decided to entitle it " One Hundred Years aeo." -

Very appropriately the scheme of decoration for the great hail was associated with the gay davs of Brighton a century ago. Above the organ was constructed a sentation of the exterior of the old Pavilion, and the ball was therefore supposed to be taking place on the green sward k°A canopy of smoke-blue _ muslin, which hid the great roof from view, formed a eleven- representation of the sky, and hundreds of gas jets suspended from the root gave the appearance of twmkhng j stars. Fourteen huge arc lamps, shaded with blue, shed a diffused light in imitation of moonlight. Light blue drapery transformed the hall itself. ■ ■ Covering the whole arena and stalls to the level of the floor of the first tier of boxes, the floor measured J6.000 square feet, ani furnished ample area for dancing. The usual temporary floor was laid down, first, and this was covered with thick felt, on which was laid the parquet dancing floor. Two 24in searchlights installed at each end of the hail played coloured lights on the distinguished dancers. ! Historic Battles Recalled. | The exterior of th© lowest tier of boxes was framed bv hangings of a semi-Moorish j design, in which blue relieved by yellow I were the dominant colourings. The second ■ and third tiers of boxes were- draped with [ similarly-coloured hangings of less ornate design, while the seats above'the boxes j were draped in blue cloth. Gilt Moorish lamps enclosing electric lights ranged above the topmost boxes. Names of the rendezvous for dancers were taken from battles of the period. , The ball, which was one of the most beautiful sights witnessed in London for a long time, was promised the personal patronage and presence of many members of the Koyal family, including Princess Christian, Princess Victoria, Princess Marie and Prince Albert of ~ Schlcswig-Hoistein, Prince Arthur of Connaught, Princess Henry, Princess Alexandra, Prince Maurice and Princess Louise of Battenberg, and Prince and Princess Alexander of Teck. ; The Royal parties began, to arrive at eleven o'clock, and the quadrilles commenced just before midnight, a company of 500 taking part in them. Each party had it® standard ' bearers and attendants, dressed in many cases as members of Napoleon's Imperial Guard, but wearing during the regimental quadrilles and the naval quadrilles the British uniform of the period. The standards were all very handsome, those of the regiments embodying their badges. The drama had its masks of tragedy and comedy; the Nelson, a model of the Victory, the naval, Neptune's Trident and Dolphin; and the cries of London, cherries, bunches of lavender," fish, scissors, and a muffin bell. In the regimental quadrilles the men wore the uniforms of 100 years ago, and the ladies the Empire dresses of tho period, which differed very little from those worn to-day, the most distinctive change being m the mode of dressing the hair. In Lady M into's " India" quadrille many magnificent Indian costumes were to be seen.

Conspicuous figures. Amongst the distinguished figures in the Waterloo quadrille, arranged by Lady Arthur Paget, were Viscount Hardinge as Wellington Lord John Cavendish as Blucher, Sir Charles Hartopp as Napoleon, and Lady Desborough as Mme. d© Stael. In the drama there were Lady Tree as Mies Farren, Miss Neilson-Terry as, Mrs. Siddons, Mrs. Patrick Campbell as Miss Harriet Mellon, and Mr. Somerset Maugham as Booth in the character of lago. Music had Mrs. George Com West as Lucrezia Borgia, Sir Herbert Tree as Beethoven, Mr. A. E. W. Mason as Meyerbeer, and Mr. Norman Forbes Robertson as Rossini. The following were amongst those taking part in the Waterloo quadrille — Duchess of Marlborough as Countess Walewska. Lady Beatrice Pole-Carew as Countess of Conyngham. \ ' Duchess of Westminster as Marquise d'Asche. ■ ■ Lady Helen Vincent as Countess da Reuilly. ' - Marchioness of Crewe as Countess Liederkerke.

Marchioness of Stafford as Lady Georgina Lennox. Miss Muriel Wilson as Lady Jane Lennox.

Duchess of fatherland as Duchess of Beaufort.

Hon. Mrs. John Warde as Comtesse Latour Lupin. Duchess of Roxburghe as Duchess d'Ursel. Lady Desborough as Mmc. de Stael. Countess of March as Duchess of Richmond. Lady Juliet Duff as Lady Fitzroy Somerset.' _ Lady Beatrice Herbert as Countess of bridge. Lady de afford as Countess Auguste Licderkerke. Miss di Trafford as Lady Sarah Lennox. Sir Charles Hartopp as" Napoleon, Lord John Cavendish as Blucher. Hon. Gerald Sturt as Picton. , Viscount Hardiuge as Wellington. Mr. R. Hudson as Bulow. Mr. J. Ritchie as Lord March. Marquis of Tichfield as William Prince of Orange. Mr. Heath as Marshal Ney. Mr. G. West as Grouchy." Captain Paget as Earl of Uxbridge. Lord Tweedmouth as Ziethcn. Mr. Leyland as Sou.lt. Another interesting quadrille in which some superb dresses were seen was the " Juenesse doree," in which each lady figured as a goddess. It was arranged bv the Countess of Lvttoii. who was dressed as Flora in the ballet of the period.