"DINNER IS SERVED...."

Wanganui Chronicle, 21 July 1950, Page 7

"DINNER IS SERVED...."

A Look At The Tables Of The Ages, As People Dined And Wined!

“Dinner is served!’’ That v iiow they still say it today, in i but what changes there have been since the courtly days of yore, days of beauty and of chivalry, changes in manners, customs, dtvss, and outlook; but, above all, changes in table and table setting!

It is an education to study the display, arranged by the Wanganui Plunket Society at tire Rutland Hotel, of tables of the ages, to enter the atmosphere of grace and gentility, thought and imagination, sentiment and purpose created by the several settings! There was another large crowd at the display yesterday, and still lai'ger crowds are expected today.

“On The Ball!”

“Ths looks real to me," one of the men visitors to the display, exclaimed, standing before a table which represents the Rugby Union and set as for a dinner given by the president of the N.Z. Rugby Union for a few members of the British Isles and New Zealand teams.

The raised centre-piece is a football field complete with white lines, goal posts and flags . A football forms the bowl for the flowers and on the place cards are the crests of the British Isles, and N.Z. silver fern. Crystal wine glasses, and tali green candles in wine glases, and tall green candles in old pewter candlesticks complete this table with its lovely cloth of handworked broderie-anglaise. Mrs A. N. McLeod and Mrs. W. E. Robbie arranged* the table.

“Sons Of The Sea”

The Navy League table is set as for a dinner party given by Lord Nelson for some of his staff, the colour scheme of red, white and blue anemones with grape hyacinths make an appropriate setting for the beautiful silver epergne in the centre of the table. A replica of a galleon of the year 1492, a beautiful silver fruit dish over 100 years old, ancient decanters and sets of wine and liquor glasses, a hand-beaten silver tray and tall silver candlesticks and Coalport china plates make an attractive exhibit set on a lovely cloth.

“Hush-a-Bye Baby”

Quaint novelties in the form of faces on lemons, oranges, Chinese gooseberries and tree tomatoes are massed in a basket frilled with gold lace paper and adorned with silver leaves, and miniature balloons which forms the centre-piece of the Plunket Society table arranged by Mrs. C. Linwood. The table represents a party at which Prince Charles of Edinburgh entertains three small members of European Royalty. The crest of each guest is painted on little place cards. The set of china is a replica of one given to the Queen, then Duchess of York, when Princess Elizabeth was christened. The set is loaned by Miss Priscilla Jackson. Small swans, little china figures, including pepper and salt and a miniature Karitane Nurse completes the table.

Man’s Kindness To The Wild

Named “Mr. and Mrs. Noah Entertains,’’ the table arranged by the S.P.C.A. attracts mlxeh attention. Its centrepiece, a large Noah’s Ark with two white doves perched on top, has miniature trees at the base and is circled with toy (metal) animals and creatures of • the earth arranged in twos and with their heads turned towards the gangway going up to the ark. A clay water container (brought, from Egypt), drinking horns and dishes of figs and dates are o n the table, which has a border carrying quotations from the scriptures in regard to animals also versions in Hebrew.

The Red Cross

A cross massed with red camelies centres the table arranged by Mrs. M. Fell and Mrs. A. S. Guthrie for the Red Cross Society. A card at the head of the table showing the 62 international countries, has a Red Cross flag in flowers and a hospital sliip is depicted on the menu card, which covers as many nations as possible. Plac<J cards show the names of Henry Durant (founder of the Red Cross), and othei- notable Rud Cross people. The table crystal includes lustres with double drops, holding candles, and the plates are of Mason china in Crown Derby design.

Many iaimily treasures are to be seen on the table arranged by the Women s Division of Federated Farmers (Wanganui Provincial) which represents the entertaining of cany settlers, with Mr Henry Snaxto Hamson (who came to Wanganui in the Clydesdale in 1841) as host. The early settler guests including Mrs. Moses Campbell, of Wirotoa (who arrived in the same ship with her husband and four children and 50 of their own cattle. Their son, Ewan Alexander Campbell made her the mother of the first European child to ba baptised by the Rev. Richard I'ayior); Mr. James Alexander (who was interested in education and whose family gave the Alexander Library and Museum: Mrs. John Cameron, ol Marangai, who settled in the district in 1841 \ always interested in thoroughbreds and bred one of New Zealand s National winners. Mrs. Cameron’s son, Mr. Alan Cameron, is still a patron of the Wanganui Jockey Club,. A fruit stand on the table is from the Alexander home, and the decanter loaned by Miss Meta Harrison, granddaughter of Mr. H. Shaft? Harrison. A b 11 of ruby glass comes from the Paterson family (arrived in 1840), a ( ruct from a Waitotara family and crystal salt cellars from Mrs. S.

Strachan. The lovely dinner set which belongs to Mrs. D. Jackson (Wavcrley), a hU' G silver meat-dish cover, silver candlesticks and small crystal vases of flowers are set on a beautifully embroidered tablec'oth loaned by Miss J. Macdonald (whose people arrived in 1850).

Queen Victoria’s Day

A dinner in the Victorian era is the theme of the table arranged by Mesdames H. Kecsing P. H. Hartland and S. Burnett for the Victoria League. A centre epergne in silver combines a fruit uish and candelabra on a mir-

■as how they said it long ago and ■ertain places!

rored base. There are decanters in silver coasters, other candelabra, large crystal salt cellars, triple decanters in filagree silver stands, cruets ol the Victorian era, and delightful place card holders in the form of tiny oval mirrors finished in silver. The cutlery is of chased silver and in each folded serviette is a tiny pink camellia with spray of maidenhair fern.

Pioneers

“Say It With Flowers”

A dinner party in the manner of Constance Spry (a well known floristc in England) is the title of a table arranged by Mrs Douglas Earle and Miss Angela Carver, which features a centrepiece of lovely flowers in modern design. An opaque glass liqueur decanter with tracery in gold has matching glasses with handles, all set on a silver tray of the period. A Venetian glass decanter with red glasses to match, a white and gold coffee set, attractive fruit dish and plates, red candles in silver candlesticks, and blue finger bowls each with an orchid mauve hetbore floating on the water, make an attractive table on whicli is a Richelieu cloth.

Another table which features dainty floral effects is that of the Royal N.Z. Institute of Horticulture. White hyacinths, tubersosa and cyclamen sre set in vases and white swan vases. Dark and lighter green is the colour scheme, and Bristol and Venetian glass is seen in candlesticks (with -green candles), green, cream and gold plates, with finger bowls in green (each containing a white flower) set on shadow design net mats, and floral china holders for place cards are some of the attractive articles on this table arranged by Mrs A R. Gower and Mrs Dorothy Christie. The table represented Dr. Cockayne ot New Zealand entertaining famous people of the horticultural world.

“Gown Of Blue Brocade”

Norman Hartnell Entertains is the name of the table arranged by Londontown Ltd. This table features the only coloured cloth, which is claret coloured and matches the border design on the period plates, and the serviettes. On the place cards are the names of famous dress designers and alongside are miniature figures dressed in the styles favoured by the designers. A centrepiece of lovely orchids and mk denhair fern, silver dishes and cutlery and tall champagne glasses in various shades of claret and green complete the 'table. For the table arranged by the Trevor Hunter School of Dancing to represent the Royal Academy of Dancing entertaining famous dancers, the New Zealand dancer Alexander Grant, and others, the centrepiece features a group of ballerinas made from net and cleverly contrived figures from white pipe-cleaners.

Alice In Wonderland

An original exhibit by the D.I.C. is Alice in Wonderland entertaining the Mad Hatter, the Doormouse, and the Robin. Alice is life size and the Other figures are beautifully made and dressed. The plates contains the remnants of the “feast.”

In modern style is the classical table by McGruer’s, with its low bowl of flowers on a centre mirror, its lovely crystal and cutlery and dinner set in rosebud pattern. Feature i on the table is a wine list from the ship Queen Mary. The Y.W.C.A. table, arranged by Misses P. and C. Donaldson and Miss C. Alexander, depicts a miniature mast with the flags of the countries represented at the table.

For The Young Folk

The Wanganui Free Kindergarten shows a picnic party table for the Pooh Bears Pienic with realistic turf covered in leaves under which insects peep, and a group of hand-made animals sitting on logs round a board table mounted on logs. A painting at the rear gives the right background of out-of-doors atmosphere. Another source of interest to the young folk is Goldilocks entertaining tiie three bears, complete with porridge and bowls, and vase o£ bottlebrush and gum-nuts. This was arranged by Mrs. O. Coupland. Then there’s Snow White entertaining the Seven Dwarfs at a picnic. Tiny leal cottage loaves and tiny glasses of raspberry are set on a ginghaiji cloth. A mirror for a lake, a background mirror, and miniature creatures of the forest complete this exhibit arranged by the junior members of the Health and Beauty Movement.

Self Reliance

Lastly, but equally Interesting, Is the entry of the Girl Guides’ Association, which is named Lady BadenPowell Entertains. Centred with the World Flag and showing the Trefoil, tiny figures are shown of Girl Guide leaders and groups of guides in uniforms and depicting the various activities, including cooking, and showing how Guides and Brownies can improvise when short of articles. Many lovely tablecloths added their quota to the display.