PERSONAL AND SOCIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21531, 31 December 1931, Page 13

PERSONAL AND SOCIAL.

By Phillida

Mrs Pickett and Miss Joyce Pickett, of Adelaide, are the guests of Mrs A. Sharpe, at Beach vale, Tawanui.

Mr aud Mrs C. B. Barrowclough will leave Dunedin to-day for Christchurch, where they will meet Miss Elizabeth Barrowclough, of Hamilton, who is coming to Dunedin to spend a holiday as their guest

Miss Margaret Esther Maurice, the year-old daughter of Major-general Sir Frederick Maurice, and Dr Eric Boyland, of Kensington Park Gardens, S.W., who first met as students at Heidelberg university, wei’e married recently at the Kensington Registry Office, and the bride defied tradition by wearing a green costume and hat. She wore a bouquet of red roses. She arrived at the office accompanied by her father, and brought with her two vases of yellow chrysanthemums to decorate the office for the ceremony. .V. -Y- V

At the annual break-up of Lowburn School, general regret was expressed at the departure of Miss M. L. Herd, who has been assistant at the school for nearly three years, and who is leaving to take up her duties as first assistant at Miller’s Flat School. Mrs Moodie, Mr D. Cox (headmaster), the Rev. A. Chisholm and Mr H. Perriam (chairman of the School Committee) spoke of Miss Herd’s good qualities both as a teacher and as a social worker. Miss Herd was the recipient of a handsome travelling rug from the parents of the pupils and friends, a handbag and a box of perfume from the children, and a bouquet of roses from Mrs Moodie.

The Hon. Mrs Adams, mother of Lord Waleran, has decided to set an example in economy in the present crisis by closing her mansion in Somerset and living instead in a cottage. Mrs Adams closed the mansion—Bradfield House, Uffculme, near Wellington—partly through force of circumstances and partly because it seemed to be the only way in which patriotic English persons could do their duty to their country at the present time. “ You see,” she said, “I belong to the firm of J. and P. Coats, and we_ have had to cut down our dividends this year. This has made a big difference to many of our small shareholders, so it is our duty to take less as well. I have a big estate to keep up here, and the only way I can do it is by shutting up Bradfield House."’ Mrs Adams hopes not only to avoid making any big staff dismissals, but to make things better for her tenants. She is to live in the kennels cottage on her estate. It has a kitchen, sitting room, and three bedrooms. “I shall have a cook-general and shall be much more comfortable than I have ever been before,” she concluded.

Nearly 30 women “ blue stockings ” how odd that word sounds now that we have become quite accustomed to women taking their place in all the higher occupations in life! —read papers at the British Association Centenary meeting ■which opened at the beginning of October. Dame Helen Gwynne-Yaughan, Professor Winifred Cullis, Dr Marie Stopes, are all familiar figures, and almost, I might say, “ household words ” with the present generation; and that quiet, grey-haired little lady, Miss Margaret Murray, who is regarded as England’s most famous woman Egyptologist and has worked at her subject for over 30 years now, is another. The younger women- are coming forward well, too. Amongst them are Miss Winifred Lamb, whose first appearance before the British Association this was; Miss Camilla Wedgewood; and Miss Gertrude Caton-Thompson, who with Miss E. W. Gardner was responsible for a paper on “ Preliminary Work on the Geology and Archaeology of the Kharga Depression, Egypt.” Miss Lamb, an attractive young woman who came down from Newnhnm College, Cambridge, a few years ago, is now keeper of the Greek mid Roman department in the Fitzwilliam Museum. She lias been “digging” on the site of Thermi, in- Lesbos, which was the subject of her paper. Miss Wedgwood is another heroine from Cambridge, where she took first class in the Anthropological Tripos, beating all the men.

A wonderful achievement has just been completed at Salconibc, South Devon, by Mr and Mrs W. H. Torpey, a 72-year-old couple, who have built, almost entirely without assistance, a eix-roomed bungalow for their own occupation, after 53 years of married life. It would give a totally wrong impression of the couple to say that they have built it as a retreat in which to spend the evening of their days. A spirit of youth has been in their labours, and while they have worked they have felt “like a newly-married couple making their first home,” as Mr Torpey said to a Daily Mail reporter. The bungalow stands on the side of a hill, and so that it would withstand the force ot winter gales, Mr and Mrs Torpey constructed it with concrete blocks which they made themselves. Their fresh old faces wrinkled into jubilant smiles as they told the story of their work. ‘ Ihe stone was ready to hand,” said Mr lorpey. “We found it in our own field, which we bought here at Slower Hill when I retired from my position of local gas manager about six years ago. We quarried the stone, crushed it in a granulator driven by an oil engine, and cast it in blocks ready for building. My wife has done wonders. She has helped me in all manner of ways, and 1 call_ her my ‘chief engineer.' I had to get in a mason to help nip with part of the building, but otherwise my wife and I have done everything, although neither of us knew anything about building until we started the work.” Mrs Torpey said that she had thoroughly enjoyed her tasks. “We are wonderfully comfortable and veity happy,” she said. Mr Torpey estimates the entire cost of the property at less than £4OO.

The tints of wistaria mauve and foxglove pink blended attractively in the dainty frocks of maids and train-bearers in> attendance last week on Miss Jean Dunlop, second daughter of Mr and Mrs I'. Black, Manchester street North, at her marriage to Mr James Edgar Paterson, of the Nelson College staff, second son ot Mr and Mrs James Paterson, of Gore. The ceremony took place at St. Andrew’s Church, Oxford terrace, with the Rev. J. Lawson Robinson officiating and Mr RLake as organist. Decorations of mauve and pink blooms were supplemented by a wedding bell above the wedding group. The bride entered the church with her father. Her charming frock was of ivory duchesse satin with close-fitting sleeves and a skirt which flared in graceful circular folds from a pointed hip-line. A cluster of orange blossom was pinned at one side of the simple rounded neck, and a brilliant buckle w r as a finish to the narrow satin belt. Her beautiful veil of Honiton lace, underlined with tulle from the tiny cap and coronet of stranded pearls, formed the train, and she held a shower bou.quet of white flowers relieved with a touch of pink. The bridesmaids, Miss Leila Black, the bride’s sister, and Miss Vera Harrison, were in lace frocks mounted on satin, the former's of mauve and silver lace and Miss Harrison’s of pink lace. Pretty coatees to match were worn, and the skirts were flared with godets of plain georgette. Their hats of crinoline straw combined the two shades, and were underlined in pink with swathed satin bands to conti ast. They carried artistic bouquets of mauve and pink colouring. Annabelle Fisher and Janice Denton, the small train-bearers, were in becoming ankle-length frocks of the same shade of mauve and pink, with puff sleeves and ncck-line outlined to match the frilled borders of the full skirts. Their poke bonnets of georgette to tone were finished in fine rucked ribbons and long streamers, and their posies were of similar colouring. Mr William Thomson, of Dunedin, was best man, and Mr W. Alexander, of Nelson, acted as groomsman. During the signing of the register Miss Jean .Johnston sang the solo “ Thanks Be to God.” Subsequently a reception held at the Winter Garden, Mrs Black receiving the guests wearing a smart ensemble of sapphire blue georgette, the frock having a yoke and deep skirt flounce of lace, and the three-quarter coat designed with lace basque. Her pandan hat was of the same blue and rose-shaded begonias supplied an effective note for her bouquet. The bride travelled later in a pretty frock of kingfisher blue georgette patterned in fade rose and red, worn with navy silk coat and a navy hat with a flat pink rose set beneath the brim.

A wedding of much interest took place at the Presbyterian Church, Sawyers' Bay, on the evening of December 29, when Josephine, eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs J, Newsome, w r as married to Allan, eldest son of Mr and Mrs J. Agnew r . The Rev. P. Keene officiated at the ceremony, and Miss P. Miller presided at the organ. The bride made a charming picture as she entered the church on the arm of her father, dressed in a gown of shaded pink georgette, made on simple lines and falling in flares to the ankles. She wore a beautiful veil of pink tulle finished with a halo of orange blossom, and shoes of silver, and carried a bouquet of pink roses, sweet peas, and maidenhair fern. The bridesmaid, Miss Rose Newsome (sister of the bride), was beautifully frocked in pink and green silk voile, with a pink hat to tone, and black satin shoes. She wore a silver wristlet watch, the gift of the bridegroom. The bridegroom was attended by Mr George Newsome (brother of the bride). Following the ceremony a reception and breakfast was held in the Public Hall, where Mr and Mrs Newsome, assisted by the bridegroom’s parents, entertained about 00 guests. Mrs Newsome wore for the occasion a frock of black lace and georgette and a black hat relieved with blue.- Mrs Agnew ‘(mother of the bridegroom) was frocked in black satin, with hat to tone The bride and bridegroom left later for the north, where the honeymoon was to be spent, the bride wearing a maroon frock, flecked wnth white, a navy blue tailored coat, with hat and shoes to tone The future home of Mr and Mrs Agnew will be at Sawyers’ Bay.