LABOUR LEADER'S DAUGHTER

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 64, 7 June 1927, Page 5

LABOUR LEADER'S DAUGHTER

MISS PEGGY THOMAS’S WEDDING LONDON, April 14. The popularity of Mr. J. H. Thomas and the respect in which he is held, was shown by the distinguished gathering of guests at the marriage of Miss Agnes Lilian (“Peggy”) Thomas to Mr. Reginald Harris. The marriage, which took place in the City Temple, was the result of a romance which began when Miss Thomas was accompanying her .father on his tour in South Africa two years ago. Among the guests were the 'Prime Minister and Mrs. Baldwin, Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd George, Miss Megan Lloyd George, and Mrs. Richard Lloyd George, Lord and Lady Astor, with a son and daughter, and Lady Oxford and Asquith (who was wearing a remarkable coat of dark brown and white calfskin, with a small black hat), Lord and Lady Askwith, Lord Arnold, Lord Thomson, Sir Douglas Hogg, Mrs. Philip Snowden, and Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Henderson. Mr. Baldwin, Mr. Lloyd George and Mr. Henderson signed the register after the service, in which the word “obey” was not used.

Hundreds of people gathered at the doors, and on the opposite side of the street a big force of police had to regulate the crowds. Guests found themselves unable to get into the building, and top-hatted men and fashion-ably-dressed women struggled through the queues of sightseers. The bride wore a picture gown of parchment-colour satin beaute. The tight-fitting bodice was decorated with tiny sea pearls, and long, closelymoulded sleeves came over the hands in points. A three-tiered skirt reached to her ankles, and each fold was scalloped with seed pearls, which were embroidered on to the satin with silver thread. From her shoulders there fell a train four yards in length, which had a centre panel of satin delicately embroidered in pearls. Cascades of lovely lace, the pattern outlined with silver thread, billowed from either side, and the whole of the train was veiled by a cloud of Brussels net, draped in points from a cap-like headdress of silver lace. A band of tiny orange buds held the net in place. Cascade of Flowers

As the bride cut the cake at the reception in the Hotel Metropole, a shower of rose petals descended on her from a bell of flowers suspended from the ceiling. More than 500 presents were displayed in the reception-room and these were guarded by detectives. So many and so varied were the gifts that they had to be forwarded in packing cases from the bride’s home, where they had filled three rooms. In addition to jewellery, cheques, and a wide variety of beautiful gifts, the bride received all kinds of things which will be useful to her in her new home. Peers, politicians and people prominent in the social world were among those who sent presents.

IN THE DRAPERY DEPARTMENT

I went out shopping with my friend Elizabeth the other day and learnt a lot about buying woollen materials and other soft goods.

We looked at calicoes, and I saw her test them all carefully. I knew, of course, that such materials are often “dressed” so that one can’t tell good stuff from bad; and I knew the limp rag that resulted when the dressing came out in the first wash, but I always thought one had to take the assistant’s word for it! The real test, however, is to rub a fold of the stuff together; if there is dressing, the rub- , bing will raise a powder. Then we went on to get material for coats for the children. Elizabeth asked if it were pure wool, and was assured that it was. I should have been satisfied with that, but not so Elizabeth! She asked for patterns of two pieces, and -we retired to the Rest Room. There she produced her little match-case from her bag, and set light to the corners. Both pieces flared cheerily! “I thought so!” snorted Elizabeth. “There’s a lot of cotton in both; if they had been pure wool they would only have smouldered.”

Elizabeth carefully avoided some lovely embroidered linen pillow-cases and hemstitched tablecloths which tempted me horribly. I pointed out to her that they cost very little more than the plain kind.

“f know,” she said, “but I only have them for very best. You see, it isn't the initial expense only—it’s the laundry! A laundry that does up a little tablecloth quite cheaply will charge nearly double the price if there is embroidery on it, and a hemstitched cloth is also charged as “fancv." Besides, unless you have it always laundered at home you get the hem ripped off in no time. An inch is torn in the washing and the point of the iron does the rest before you get it back!" —E.P.