HAIRDRESSER SUED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20928, 6 January 1938, Page 10

HAIRDRESSER SUED

SEQUEL TO SHAMPOO Claiming damages from a hairdresser, a woman alleged at a London court that she had been caused great embarrassment because her hair had turned “a flaming red” after a shampoo. Judge Drucquer, who left the bench to examine her hair, remarked: "I have been disfigured for 40 or 50 years because my hair was red. Fortunately, I am no longer disfigured, because now I have very little hair at all.” The woman, Mrs Florence MacCullum, aged 49, of Corrongway, Ealing, claimed £2O damages from Mr Harry Kopitco, of New Broadway, Ealing, for alleged breach of contract and negligence. She stated that after a permanent wave Mr Kopitco recommended a henna shampoo, assuring her that it would not alter the colour of her hair.

Mr Kopitco, denying negligence, declared that Mrs MacCullum asked what she could do about her grey hair—a thing that many women asked him. She agreed when he recommended henna. An ordinary henna shampoo contained no henna, he added. It was submitted that Mrs MacCullum suffered great embarrassment owing to her social position as the wife of the managing director of a big firm of builders. Judge Drucquer stated that it was absurd to talk of social position. He awarded Mrs MacCullum £5 and costs, remarking that Mr Kopitco probably misunderstood his instructions. Mr Kopitco was awarded 15s on a counter claim for the cost of the waive.