Anglican Debutantes Presented To Bishop

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28265, 1 May 1957, Page 2

Anglican Debutantes Presented To Bishop

The Anglican Ball, which has now become well established in the social life of the Diocese of Christchurch, was held last evening in Beaths restaurant. The most important feature of the gathering was the presentation of 31 debutantes from many of the suburban and country parishes to the Bishop of Christchurch (the Rt. Rev. A. K. Warren) and Mrs Warren by Mrs Martin Sullivan.

The Dean of Christchurch (the Very Rev. Martin Sullivan), chairman of the ball committee, and Mrs Sullivan received the guests. Official guests, included Bishop Warren and Mrs Warren, the Ven. S. E. Woods and Mrs Woods, the Diocesan Registrar (Mr L. H. Wilson) and Mrs Wilson,/ the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr R. M. Macfarlane, M.P.) and Mrs Macfarlane. the chairman of the Youth Council (the Rev. H. G. Norris) and Mrs Norris, and the chairman of the Bible Class Union (the Rev. C. S. Knight) and Mrs Knight. The debutantes were trained by Miss E. Cornyns Thomas, and were presented with posies of artificial pink and white flowers, a gift from the committee. All the frocks were white, while two had either pink roses in a bow at the back or a pale blue bow on the hipline. Many of the frocks had full skirts, and a few of the girls favoured the H-line.

After the presentation Bishop Warren wished the girls a happy, evening. “Those of you who have made your debut this evening, made it under the auspices of the Church. You will always need the Church, so the Church will always need you. Your entrance into society may be the beginning of a very rich life,” said Bishop Warren. The debutantes were: Misses Valerie Adams (Holy Trinity, Lyttelton), Susan Burrow (St. Mary’s. Merivale), Ngara Basher (St. Mark’s, Opawa), Janice Bennets (Church of the Good Shepherd. Phillipstown), Jill Beswick (St. Nicholas’s, Spreydon), Margaret 800 l (St. Peter’s, Akaroa). Lois Brailsford (St. Nicholas’s, Spreydon), Gillian Coates (Holy Trinity, Avonside), Margaret Curties (Holy Trinity, Lyttelton), Dee Downing (St. Saviour’s, Sydenham),. Margaret Egan (Holy TrinP

ity, Avonside), Julia Fairbrass (Waddington), Julienne Gledhill (Church of the Good Shepherd, Phillipstown), Barbara Gould (St. Martin’s, Spreydon), Diane Graham (St. Thomas’s, Fendalton). Gwyneth Harries (Church of the Good Shepherd, Phillipstown), Dana Hattersley (St. Saviour’s, Sydenham), Marlene Hunter (Holy Trinity, Avonside), Phillipa Lane (St. Matthew’s), Ann McLaughlin (Holy Trinity, Lyttelton), Joy Macfarlane (St. Saviour’s, Sydenham), Mary Marriott (St. Peter’s, Upper Riccarton), Wendy Mills (St. Matthew’s), Julianne Nuttall (St. Paul’s, Papanui), Maureen Oakley (Holy Trinity, Avonside), Shona Rickcrby (St. Mary’s, Halswell), Melva Stechmann (Holy Trinity. Lyttelton), Elaine Sunderland (St. Matthew’s), Edna Toplis (St. Luke’s), Marion Ward (St. Matthew’s), and Claire Wright (St. Mark’s, Rakaia).

Mrs Warren's frock was of grey lace over grey satin with a trail of pale grey net from the hipline at the side. A frock with a tightfitting bodice and full skirt of blue embossed satin with a border of blue net at the neckline, was worn by Mrs Sullivan. Miss Dorothy Redgrave, convener, wore a frock of a Roman style in a mustard and black swiss organza, with the smaller designed material on the right side of the bodice. At the waist was a trail of yellow flowers.

The hall was decorated with bowls of various coloured chrysanthemums, hydrangeas, and autumn foliage. The committee responsible for arranging the ball was: the Dean of Christchurch (the Very Rev. Martin Sullivan), chairman, Miss Dorothy Redgrave, convener, Mesdames D. D. Thorpe, D. Adams, Misses B. Vizer, H. Campen, B. Millward, the Revs. R. J. P. Witty. C. S. Knight, P. Nelson Wright. J. Vincent. Messrs A. Mahan and J. Cotterell, secretary.