COOK’S WEST END “FLUTTERS”

Taranaki Daily News, 13 October 1934, Page 15 (Supplement)

COOK’S WEST END “FLUTTERS”

Was Accepted At Exclusive Gaming Clubs

r FHE sole topic of conversation X in certain exclusive London society gaming clubs of Kensington and Knightsbridge recently was of one of their members who had turned out to be a cook-general. The revelation took place in Westminster Police Court earlier in the day when a Danish woman, who was stated to have married an Englishman last June, was sentenced to six months’ in the second division for stealing jewellery, including a diamond necklace valued at £9OO, from her employer, Dr Ferdinand Quippner, of Queen’s Gate, South Kensington, S.W. She was Gudron Cavendish, aged 29, of King’s Road, Chelsea. Detective-Inspector Somerset stated that Cavendish had a passion for bridge and went to bridge clubs and mixed with people far beyond her own social position. A “Daily Mail” reporter, who set out to investigate the career of this astonishing servant, learnt of no fewer than five clubs given over to either poker or bridge, or both, where “Mrs Cavendish” had been a regular player. To each of these clubs she gained admission through the introduction of members of other clubs. At each she played recklessly and lost consistently.

Two of these resorts were within a few hundred yards of the flat where she was employed as cook and general housemaid. To support her story of wealth and position she sometimes took her “club friends” back to her employer’s flat for cocktails when her employer and his wife were away. The secretary of one of the clubs said: “She seemed to have no idea of the value of cards and plunged recklessly on any hand. In one club toward the end of her career she lost over £3O in one night. Some members refused to play with her because of her recklessness. “She never wanted to stop and would go on from one club to another until 4 a.m. “She used to say that her family was in a very high social position in Denmark and that she had an allowance of £5O a week from her father. When she was unable to pay her debts she said it was because her father had stopped her allowance as the result of her gambling, but assured us it would soon be resumed. “Sometimes she came with a man, apparently much younger than herself, whom she introduced as her husband.” For her employment as cook Mrs Cavendish received 25/- a week and her board lodging.