Actress Celebrates Her 21st Birthday in Auckland

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 461, 17 September 1928, Page 4

Actress Celebrates Her 21st Birthday in Auckland

A Woman Who Can Keep a Secret PARTY AT THE GRAND Found at last! A woman who can keep a secretly She’s in Auckland at the moment, and her name is Miss Mary Brackley, of the Percy Hutchison Company, now playing “The Luck of the Navy” at His Majesty’s Theatre. gOME weeks ago, in Australia, before the company left for New Zealand, Miss Margaret Bannermann, the well-known English actress, who will visit us shortly, gave Miss Brackley, who is an tntimate friend of hers, a tiny package, with the stern admonition that she was to keep its contents secret, even from herself, until her birthday came round, so that it might be a surprise present on that day. On Saturday afternoon, Miss Brackley’s birthday, her twenty-first by the way, was celebrated at a delightfully informal party at the Grand Hotel, when, ail the members of the company and a number of local folk who have become Miss Brackley’s friends met to congratulate her and to give her a best of birthday presents. MISS BANNERMANN’S GIFT The guest of honour had a bewildering time opening all the mysterious parcels that were showered upon her, and it is not to be wondered at that her hands trembled a little with excitement when she came to Miss Bannermann’s little box, which has nestled so tantalisingly in its - tissue paper wrappings for weeks. At last it was opened, and revealed an exquisite pair of ear-rings, of antinque English design, inlaid with pearls. Another wonderful pair of earrings were given to Miss Brackley, these of ancient Italian craftsmanship, with coloured jewels deftly set in a delicate filigree of gold. They were the gift of Mr. Percy Hutchison. Miss Brackley, who was wearing a dainty little frock of printed chiffon in soft colourings, made a graceful speech of thanks to her friends for their kindness and good wishes. An interesting hour was spent by the guests in viewing a series of motion pictures taken by Mr. Hutchison in various parts of world, and screened by him in the supper room of the hotel. Among those present were: Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Boyd, Mr. and Mrs. T. A. Low, Mrs. Nello Porter, Miss Joyce Porter, Mr. John Farrell, and all the members of the company.