MIDNIGHT BATH PARTY

Hokitika Guardian, 10 September 1928, Page 4

MIDNIGHT BATH PARTY

| WATER FROLICS. 5 LONDON, July 10. Dozens of the brighter young men and women ot Mayfair went at midnight last night to a party at which ;.ji met their I fiends in the water of a, swimming bath. This splash party was held at St. George’s Baths, Buckingham Palate Road, S.W., and was given by Mrs Plunket Greene, Miss Ponsonby, the daughter of Mr Arthur Ponsonby, the Socialist M.P., Mr Edward GathorueHardv, and Mr Brian Howard. 'i lie guests were requested to bring bathing costumes, a towel, and a buttle. They arrived at the baths in taxicabs and motor-cars, dressed in an extraordinary medley of costumes. Kome were in evening dress, others were in pyjamas and dre-sing gowns, nml a few actually went in bathing in tunic', covered by coats. INVITATION ONLY.

Tlie entrance to the baths was guarded liy a policeman inside the hall, and a door was Inched after the arrival of each guest, who had to furnish his invitation card. This was closely inspected . While a dance hand was playin'; music in the entrance hall and a- few people were dancing; to its strains, most of the guests who had collie out of the ho’fc July night were eager to join the splashing, uproarious throng of young men a lid women in the swimming bath. Many guests were in the water within a few minutes of leaving their taxicab, and it was a strange sight to see a young man in immaculate evening dress going into a dressing cabin in the early hours of the morning, laugh-

ingly (lodging -water splashed up from the merry bathers. WOTOD6LY HAPPY. The bathers had a riotously happy time, and their shouts and cries could he heard many hundred yards away from Hie swimming btalis. All kinds of informal water games wore organised. Many of the guests stayed in the water a very long time. The scene at the height of the bathing and frolicking was an unusual one for a swimming bath. The bathers wore brightly coloured but serviceable bathing costumes. Largo rubber horses supported fair bathers in the water, and changing coloured beams ol light played upon the glistening water, which was also strewn with flowers. Many of the bathers brought two costumes to change. One man made a dive from the high dive, clad in dressing gown and a soft felt hat. The party was opened by the Hon. lloberl. Gathornc-I lardy, who dived into the water through a large rubber belt. Among those who attended the partv ivero' Prince Cleorge of Russia, Lord and Lady Hastings, Lord Posse, Mr 1 Stephen Tennant, Mr and Mrs. Hubert Duggan, who were married about a month ago, and the Hon George and the Hon. Edward Word.