Social Victorians/1897 Fancy Dress Ball/anthology

The Context for the Ball

The London Evening Mail opens its long (5,635 words) article on the ball in this way:

Of all the private entertainments which the Jubilee has provided the occasion none is comparable with the magnificent fancy dress ball given on Friday night at Devonshire-house by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. Amid all the public excitements of the last few weeks, when the world, one might have thought, has been sufficiently occupied with the procession, the two reviews, and the garden party, the inner circle of what is still called society has preserved in the background of its mind an anxious preoccupation — namely, how it was to appear at Devonshire-house, supposing it was fortunate enough to be asked. ... But, whatever may have been the anxieties and the difficulties of the preparation, there can be no doubt as to the splendour and beauty of the result. It is 23 years since a ball of similar design and magnificence was given. We are referring to the famous ball at Marlborough House on July 22, I874. Many of these who were present on Friday were present also at the earlier festivity, and those who were, or those who have read the full amount that was published in The Times on the following day, will find it difficult to award the palm for Royal magnificence and good taste. In one respect there was a considerable difference, for, the Prince of Wales's ball had a number of distinct quadrilles — a Venetian quadrille, a Vandyek quadrille, and a pack of cards quadrille — the innovation of Friday was the idea of different Courts headed by various well-known ladies and attended by their friends as Princes and courtiers.

Gossip about the Ball

The distinction between gossip and society journalism is not clear. This section is more about the kind of little story that doesn't so much report information as get at something that some might prefer to keep secret.

Here is some unusually gossipy reportage about the guests and their costumes for the Duchess of Devonshire's ball from the Portsmouth Evening News:

Here are two three anecdotes of the Duchess of Devonshire’s ball, which, though belated, says the London Figaro, are authentic. ...

A lady well known to her Grace of Devonshire had not received her card for the ball. Feeling sure it would come, she purchased a superb costume, and made every arrangement to be present. The day before the ball the invitation had not arrived. The lady in question thereupon drove to Devonshire House, and, leaving a note which asked point blank for the invitation, said she would wait for an answer. In a few minutes a flunkey informed her there was no answer.

This is the last and most piquant. Some weeks before the ball the Duchess drove to a costumier to consult him about the costume she intended wearing. In one of the show rooms she noticed an original and magnificent gown after the style the costume she intended ordering. Asking what this was made for, she was informed that it was for Lady So-and-so, and for her own ball. When she reached home she found that Lady So-and-So’s name was on her invitation list, though the invitation hail not yet been despatched. Then her Grace of Devonshire promptly put her pencil through the lady’s name.

Even though the Derbyshire Times, on 12 June 1897 said that Gwladys Robinson, Countess de Grey was going to the ball as Zenobia, this last bit of gossip cannot be about her, as she was present at the ball, dressed as Cleopatra, or she changed her mind.

The 10 July 1897 Lewiston [Maine] Evening Journal reported some gossip about the ball and the Duke and Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha:

The heart burnings of the Devonshire costume ball are not subsiding. By accident, the Duke and Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha did not receive invitations and the Duchess of Devonshire, meeting the Duchess of Saxe Coburg and Gotha at one of the jubilee fetes, said: "Of coure [sic] you are coming to the ball?"

To this the Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha freezingly replied: "Certainly not."

As an after thought the Duke and Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha are going home considerably nettled over the Jubilee, believing that some sort of a set has been made against them, particularly in keeping their names out of the paper. When the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha arrived here, he, as a reigning sovereign, started a court circular of his own, dated from Clarence House, which the English newspapers did not print. The Duke was unmercifully chaffed on this account by the Prince of Wales, his brother.

The Countess of Deym, wife of the Austrian ambassador, caused a mild sensation at the ball by smoking cigarettes.

Mrs. Ronald's dress is said to have cost $12,000.

The Lewiston Evening Journal is probably wrong about Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, at least, and seems likely wrong about the Duchess as well. Also, Fanny Ronalds' name is spelled wrong.

Beersheba

The London Echo mentions a story in the Daily News, attributing this story to writer H.W.L.:

In his chatty postscript in the Daily News, "H.W.L." tells an interesting story concerning the Devonshire House Ball. Here it is: —

Among the stories current about the Ball, the best relates to the wife of a member of that branch of the aristocracy which Sir Wilfred Lawson calls "the Beerage." Her ladyship resolved to go to the Ball as the Queen of Sheba, but was embarrassed with the variety of costumes authorities provided. Confiding her difficulty to a friend, her ladyship protested that she really did not know which Sheba she should select. "Of course," said the kindly counsellor, "you will go as Beersheba."

According to the Portsmouth Evening News, one guest who may have attended the ball as the Queen of Sheba had her title as a result of a royal reward for a brewer. A shorter, very slightly edited version of the second half of the following article, without the reference to the Daily News, was also printed in the Staffordshire Advertiser:

BEERSHEBA.
There was some talk after the Devonshire House Fancy Dress Ball of repeating the pageant in public on behalf of charity. Some of the principal personages present at the Ball were not indisposed to fall in with the suggestion. But on whole, says the Daily News, it was coldly received, and has been finally abandoned. Among the stories current about the Ball, the best relates to the wife of a member of that branch of the aristocracy which Sir Wilfred Lawson calls "the Beerage." Her ladyship resolved to go to the ball as the Queen of Sheba, but was embarassed with the variety of costumes authorities provided. Confiding her difficulty to a friend, her ladyship protested that she really did not know which Sheba she should select. "Of course,” said the kindly counsellor, "You will go as Beersheba."

General Descriptions or Over-all Impressions of the Ball

These general descriptions often begin one of the longer articles about the ball, referring not to any specific costume or moment but serving as an introduction to the coverage itself.

St. James's Gazette, 3 July 1897

The St. James's Gazette published several stories about the ball, the largest of which contains two descriptions "From One Point of View" and "From Another Point of View," which is short and segues into specific descriptions of who attended, who they came dressed as and sometimes of their costumes.

THE DEVONSHIRE HOUSE BALL.

(From One Point of View.)

The leading impression which most of those, who were present at Devonshire House last night, will carry away with them, is that English fashionable socitye [sic] is composed of a remarkably handsome set of people. Whether it was the dress, or the lights, or the ensemble, that did it, one does not know; but certainly an extraordinarily large proportion of those present looked remarkably well. There were failures, of course. A middle-aged financier, short and rather stout of figure, bald of head, and provided with pince-nex, cannot be quite at his case in an Elizabethan doublet and hose, with a ruff and a rapier; and one or two ultra-modern young ladies were badly suited or non-suited as the nymphs and goddesses of Hellas. It may added that a few of the more elderly and graver gentlemen from the Senate and the City — who had perhaps never in their lives “dressed up” before in anything more trying than a Levée dress — were distinctly uncomfortable. They could not “throw themselves into their clothes,” and fidgeted with their sword-hilts, or cast distressful glances on silk-stockinged legs, in manner which suggested conscious embarrassment. [/]

But the majority of the guests wore their costumes as if they had lived in them, instead of having had them home this week from the costumiers. With the ladies this was not surprising. A woman is never ill at ease in a beautiful dress. But the men! Many of them did not look as if they were masquerading; there was an ease, a self-possession about them which was quite admirable. This was particularly noticeable in the case of the large proportion who wore the Elizabethan costume — surely the handsomest dress ever devised for male attire. In their slashed doublets and becoming ruffs, many of the masqueraders looked like gallant gentlemen of the Virgin Queen's Court. And one could not help noticing how closely the modern English cast of face, with the short hair and in some cases the neat, close-trimmed beard, approximates the best Elizabethan type. But great is the influence of clothes. The author of “Sartor Resartus’” [sic] might have made a sermon at Devonshire House. One saw the same men a few days ago, frock-coated and top-hatted, at the Royal Garden-Party, and they seemed commonplace; here, under the candles and the electric light, many of these straight-limbed, well-made young aristocrats, with their grave, clean-cut faces, looked as if they might have stepped from the picture-frames of some of their own ancestral portrait galleries. The women, I think. were best either in the same stately costume or that of the Greek mythology. Goddesses indeed some of them looked. 0 dea certe, I caught myself murmuring more than once in the course of the evening as I came upon some radiant beauty, tall and lithe, like a young willow-tree, with the figure of a caryatid and a crown of golden or chestnut hair. And the silks and brocades, and above all the diamonds, which seemed to fall in showers, and flow in rivulets, about everybody! Was ever such a wealth of precious stones seen before? Certainly not I should say in London.

There was not much dancing. The quadrilles, each confined to one particular age or Court, were very pretty and enacted with much dignity; but the valse [sic] seemed somehow a little too romping for these dames and cavaliers. People preferred to stroll about the delightful garden, and parade the noble rooms, and look their fill at a spectacle which assuredly many will remember as the most exquisite of all the shows of this Jubilee season. [/]

(From Another Point of View.)

No one present at this wonderful ball will ever forget the series of brilliant pageants which it presented. Quadrille after quadrille had been formed by some of the most beautiful women of the day, and the dresses in which they appeared were simply perfect, designed on the most artistic principles.

The royal family had chosen some most notable costumes.

The London Daily Telegram, 3 July 1897

The Daily Telegram's article is one of the longest published and sometimes feels as if someone was at the ball or their informants were taking notes. This first paragraph is followed immediately with general descriptions of the Duchess of Devonshire's costume and those of the staff:

To her Grace the Duchess of Devonshire has fallen the distinction of having given a ball destined to be historical in the social records of a truly remarkable year. It was, indeed, the private entertainment of the century, for the Royal and distinguished guests had all loyally combined to aid so enterprising a hostess, and the result was an assemblage of such magnificence as has never before been witnessed. No expense, thought, or research was spared in getting up the particular groups correctly in every detail, and superbly to effect. The individual dresses, too, were poetically and artistically imagined and charmingly carried out. For weeks brains have been busily devising plans for skilled fingers to bring to a successful issue. There has been no one who had the remotest concern with this great function who has not been thrilled with the excitement of an event so splendid and unique. The first indication of festivity was afforded by the outside of Devonshire House, which was illuminated with a large crown, flanked on either side by a "V.R.," and enclosed in a wreath. Once inside, the aspect became more and more imposing. In the semi-circle at the base of the white marble stairway, with its gilt baluster and crystal handrail, caught across with bands of engraved silver, was stationed a band amid palms and greenery.

What follows is also general for the rest of the entire column of text before settling for the first time into beginning the naming of the guests.

The London Echo, 3 July 1897

The London Echo's coverage gets to the attendees and their costumes after one introductory paragraph:

In a world of dazzling brilliancy, amid scenes reminding one of the splendours of the “Arabian Nights,” the great Upper Ten of English Society met and joined in festivity last night. Undoubtedly the Duchess of Devonshire's Jubilee Ball was one of the most luxurious and one of the gayest of all the social functions which owe their origin to this joyous time. Behind the grim walls which so disfigure Picadilly, and beneath the low roof of Devonshire House, there were scenes of animation such as London has not seen since the glorious time of the Holland House parties. By the aid of skilled artists, and artisans, and designers, the whole building had been turned into a vast fairyland, and the grounds were aglow with myriads of multi-coloured lights dotted among the shrubs and branches of the trees and threaded carefully along the flower banks, peeping out coyly like so many glow-worms. But the scene within was of remarkable beauty, reminding some of some of those which Scott has so vividly described again and again in his works. There were gallant knights, and stately ladies, and personages of high degree, in costumes and dresses in the style of the olden time. To the strains of the orchestra they moved through the gaily-decorated rooms — Princes, dukes, lords and ladies, Ministers, men of science, men of art, and, in fact, representatives of every branch of Society. If you glance at some of the descriptions of the costumes you can picture in your mind what a scene of old-world gaiety Devonshire House presented. To M. Alias, of Soho-square, we are indebted for the following details of some of the costumes worn by the more important personages.

American Newspapers

Providence Evening Telegram

The 3 July 1897 Providence Evening Telegram mentions a number of Americans at the ball, including those who had married into the British aristocracy like Mrs. Arthur Paget, Lady Randolph Churchill, "the young Duchess of Marlborough," as well as guests who were Americans like Miss and her mother Mrs. Goelet, Mr. and Mrs. Whitelaw Reid, Colonel and Mrs. Hay, and Chauncey Depew.

has the following report:

Gorgeous Affair.

Costume Ball Given by the Duchess of Devonshire in London Last Evening.

Many Americans Present.

Duchess of Marlborough Appeared as “Columbia” and Depew as Washington.

London, July 3. — The costume ball of the Duchess of Devonshire will pass into history as one of the grandest events of the kind that London has known.

Those who have seen both say that the Bradley Martin, gorgeous as that affair was, could not compare with the event of this evening.

After all, there is a glamor about royalty which is fascinating to the average man and woman, and royalties were so numerous at Devonshire house last evening that one met them wherever he turned.

Princes and princesses, dukes, lords and earls mingled in the throng and presented an extraordinary spectacle. It was a spectacle in which wealth and beauty predominated to an extraordinary degree. Some of the most beautiful women in England were present, and there were few of the noble houses which were not represented. The Prince and Princess of Wales were present.

The heartburnings to which the ball has given rise are terrible. Of course the duchess could not ask one-half of the people she knew, and she had to leave a number of really great ladies out.

One of the most notable personages was Lady de Grey as Cleopatra. Another Cleopatra was Mrs. Arthur Paget, who really looked the character, as she is so dark and Oriental in appearance. Mrs. Paget had a black attendant.

The Duchess of Devonshire’s own dress as Zenobia was magnificent, with ropes of her own beautiful pearls hanging from the helmet to be worn on her head.

There were two queens of Sheba, one of whom, the Princess of Pless, was most lovely. Her dress was one of the most superb things ever seen. It must have cost several hundred pounds. She was followed by five black attendants and six maidens, one of whom was Miss Goelet, whose dress was another marvellous triumph.

Mrs. Goelet in the character of Night shone in a blaze of diamonds. Lady Randolph Churchill got a wonderful dress from Paris, and the young Duchess of Marlborough as “Columbia” was one of the most prominent figures of the evening.

Most of the royalties appeared in sixteenth century costumes. A number of ladies appeared in beautiful oriental costumes, including Lady Cynthia Graham [sic] Lady De Grey, Mrs. Arthur Paget, Lady Randolph Churchill and Miss Muriel Wilson of Tranby Croft. Quadrilles were arranged by Lady Raincliffe, who was Catherine of Russia; Lady Tweedmouth, Lady Londonderry and Lady Warwick.

Many Americans were among the guests, among them Mr. and Mrs. Whitelaw Reid, Colonel and Mrs. Hay and Chauncey Depew, who appeared as George Washington.

The Costumes

Most of the reports that discuss the costumes worn at this ball use journalistic conventions for women in the way the costumes, hair, jewelry, and other ornaments are described, especially with respect how specifically the colors, fabrics, and treatments are described. The more general descriptions of the costumes are often in introductory, contextualizing paragraphs.

For example, the Gentlewoman's long, detailed coverage of the ball begins like this:

For some time past the members of Society who had been invited to attend the ball given by Her Grace the Duchess of Devonshire racked their brains for the most poetical and artistic costumes which have been worn from time immemorial until 1820. Determined to have the costumes they chose historically correct, libraries were ransacked, pictures studied, and the costumes of their ancestors unearthed from old boxes, cleaned, and renovated. No expense, thought, or research was spared in getting up the various groups correctly in every detail, and many of the individual dresses were most carefully and cleverly designed.

An article in the Westminster Gazette quotes the Times about the costumes. The London Evening Mail has exactly this wording as well:

SCENES AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM
Never in our time (says the Times) has so much attention been paid to old family pictures, never have the masterpieces of portraiture in the National Gallery been so carefully studied, while for weeks past the Print Room at the British Museum, commonly given up to quiet students, has been invaded by smart ladies and gentlemen anxious to search the prints and drawings of the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries for something in which they could obey the Duchess's summons to appear "in an allegorical or historical costume dated earlier than 1820." Never in our time have the costumiers been so busy, and the houses so well-known to everybody who has ever organised private theatricals, such as Messrs. John Simmons, of the Haymarket, Messrs. Nathan, and Messrs. Alias, have been driven distracted with orders and counter-orders. As usual on such occasions, the gentlemen, it is said, have proved far more exacting than the ladies; for the stronger sex, when once it makes up its mind to desert the sobriety of plain broadcloth, knows no limit to its requirements or to its suddenly developed fastidiousness.

Many of the costumes that were based on particular paintings or portraits that would have been available for people to see can be recognized in the paintings themselves. Some, remarked-upon because of their accuracy, like the costumes of Louisa, Lady de Rothschild and Lady Evelyn Ewart, seem to be very closely inspired by their paintings. The black-and-white photograph of Lady Ewart's costume does not read the blue well, as black and white typically does not. Some costumes are based on costumes worn by singers in operas. Some people, like Gwendoline Lowther, whose description in the Album says she was dressed as an Incroyable, appears to be a misunderstanding on her part about who les Incroyables and les Merveilleuses were, and her dress does not seem to have, except perhaps for the wide belt, to have strayed from contemporary Victorian design at all. All the costumes and hairstyles are influenced, especially those of the women, are influenced by Victorian standards of beauty, notable particularly in the corseted waists, as with Minnie (Mrs. Arthur) Paget, who was dressed as Cleopatra.

The portraits of people in their costumes that signal their indebtedness to an earlier portrait with after, as in Sir Seymour Fortescue's "after the picture by Moroni," are using language that suggests the costume is another work of art.

Before the Ball

The invitations went out a month before the ball, and, according to Russell Harris, more than 700 invitations were sent. According to the story in the Leicester Chronicle, the Duchess summoned the people invited to appear "in an allegorical costume dated earlier than 1820." Other sources say the invitations called the ball "Historical and Allegorical," with the historical costumes to represent queens and their courts from the past. Besides asking her guests to wear dress predating 1820, according to Harris,

The Duchess of Devonshire instructed her guests to dress around the theme of certain courts, both mythical and temporal. They were to form various processions and perform a quadrille — for which many people practised apparently for weeks. While some guests took their instructions literally, others modelled themselves upon paintings, and thus fell into more amorphous costume groupings, such as "17th century" or "Venetians."

According to Russell Harris, "when word got around that [Louisa, Duchess of Devonshire] was planning a costume ball to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee on 2 July 1897, there was no attempt by other London hostesses to hold a competing event. Instead, they invested all their efforts into ensuring that they were on the guest list."

Two Months Before (May 1897)

People were talking about the ball long before the party itself took place. On 24 May 1897, the Dundee Evening Telegraph, which published a number of articles about or at least mentioning the ball, reports this:

THE BALL OF THE SEASON.
The ball of this year will be the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy dress one in Jubilee week. All the crowned heads and minor Royalties will be present, and the dresses promise to surpass in magnificence even those worn at Lady Warwick's wonderful ball. What people will wear on this occasion is a cause of much guessing. But it is said there will be two Cleopatras, both ladies possessed of wonderful pearls and diamonds, and a magnificent Queen of Sheba, the cost of whose gown, they say, will run into four figures.

A very rough estimate of current cost can be calculated by multiplying the cost in 1897 by 125%.

The Invitations

The invitations went out one month before the ball. They were for 10:30 p.m. The Duchess's invitation summoned people to appear “in an allegorical or historical costume dated earlier than 1820.”

The Month Before (June 1897)

People were talking about the ball a month before; this is from the Yorkshire Evening Post:

From Vanity Fair: There were several very pretty people at the opera on Saturday night; for instance, Mrs. Rupert Beckett, who wore white with a green sash and something which looked like a bunch of green leaves on the bodice of her dress; her hair was thrown back from her face, and her dress had a big Medici collar, which made me think she if she went to the Duchess of Devonshire's ball she ought to go as "Mary Queen of Scots."

People were talking about the ball, apparently, on 12 June 1897 in Cheltenham, as reported by the Cheltenham Looker-On. Including another mention of the Flower Ball hosted by Mrs. Oppenheim, this story also describes the state of the invitation cards, which at this point had been sent out, and the "ball card," which lists the dances:

The next great social event, after the Jubilee, will be the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy dress ball early in July, for which cards have been issued. At first the Duchess was disposed to give a ball in Commemoration week, to entertain the strangers from England beyond the sea, but the State arrangements provided for every contingency during that time. Just when Society is feeling re-action after so much excitement, the magnificent gates of Devonshire House will roll back for the ball described on the cards as "Historical and Allegorical." It is difficult to originate a new type of fancy dress party. Mrs. Oppenheim, wife of the well-known financier, gave a flower party, of which great things were expected, and fairly fulfilled. Every lady personated a flower, and got herself up so far as possible to resemble one, or so decked her dress, with [Col. 1c–2a] simulated blossoms as clearly indicate her preference. Society talked flowers for a fall which was a great extension of the proverbial nine days' wonder. When all was said and done the great world discarded flowers, and decided to have no more of them for personal adornment, and as few as possible for tables and reception rooms. So ungrateful can the pampered world become for nature's prodigality.

The Duchess of Devonshire took her cue from the tone of the drawing rooms, and decided that whereas a flower party was pretty, it was, as an idea, feeble, while the great world of history, and the still wider mythical world, could be strong and magnificent. The costumiers of London and Paris are living between joy and despair, for every invited guest feels it incumbent to be original and resplendent. The ball card has been drafted, and all the dances are to square, chiefly quadrilles, so that old stately measures will be trodden by courtly knights and ladies of the olden time.

The Cheltenham Looker-On also mentioned the ball cards about this time as well as a bit of information about the dances themselves: "The ball card has been drafted, and all the dances are to square, chiefly quadrilles, so that old stately measures will be trodden by courtly knights and ladies of the olden time."

On 14 June 1897, the Sheffield Independent, pointing up the elitism of the Duke of Devonshire and introducing a topic others will also express — the "extravagance" of the costs — says this:

The Duchess of Devonshire's ball, next week, is the talk of London. When one hears of the dazzling preparations that are being made for it one can understand that the Duke's sympathy with the masses is in a dwindling quantity. It is reported that the Duchess herself has set the undesirable example by ordering a costume that will rival any seen at the Bradley-Martin event. I have no authority for saying that this is true; but neither have I heard that the smallest hint has been given to the guests that the study of modesty or economy would be pleasing. The ball is in honour of the Queen. That should be a reason for avoiding extravagance. No one is more careful to avoid waste than her Majesty, and yet it cannot be denied that her Court is an honour to the country.

The Bradley-Martin event was a costume ball in New York City, held at the Waldorf Hotel on 10 February 1897. The claim that "No one is more careful to avoid waste than her Majesty" reveals that, while critical of the Duke of Devonshire and perhaps his class, the politics expressed here are not anti-monarchist.

Saturday, 12 June 1897, people at a house party at Chatsworth House, the country estate of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, were talking about the upcoming party. According to the Derbyshire Times,

The house party at Chatsworth this week included the Earl and Countess of Mar and Kellie, Lord Charles Montagu, Lord and Lady Gosford, Lord Elcho, the Right Hon. Arthur James Balfour, M.P., Count Mensdorf, of the Austrian Embassy; Miss Muriel Wilson (Tranby Croft), and Mrs. Menzies.

The Daily Mail says it is impossible not to talk about the Duchess of Devonshire's grand ball, for people will discuss scarcely anything else, and although each woman can keep the secret of her own intentions fairly well, she invariably betrays the confidences of her dearest friends; while the men, who are less hopeful of making a sensation, frankly discuss the difficulties in their way, and ask for advice or practical assistance from each of their lady friends. Lady de Grey is going as Zenobia, and is getting her dress from Doucet, I hear, while Worth also is making a great many costumes; but the greatest number are being made in England. The Duchess of Portland, the Duchess of Hamilton, Lady Mar and Kellie, and Miss Muriel Wilson are all going to the costumier in Soho-square, and Alias has also been summoned to Marlborough House for a consultation.

As to what the different people will wear people seem to change their minds every day, but according to the present report the Duke of Marlborough will be dressed as Louis Seize, and the Duke of Devonshire will probably represent a portrait of Charles V., while Lady Gosford, who was to have been Minerva, has now half decided to be a lady of his Court. Mr. Caryl Craven, who is so clever in such matters, is helping the Duchess of Leeds with her dress; in fact, everyone seems pressed into the service, and the result will be one of the most brilliant sights that ever was seen.

Father Adderley (the Hon and Rev J Adderley), who always brings his religion up to date, has already denounced the ball from his pulpit, in imitation of an American divine; but he is probably very far wrong in estimating the cost of any one dress at £2,000! It is certain, however, that the ball, what with one thing and another, will run into enormous sums of money, and some ladies are actually having their jewels altered and reset to suit the costume of a single night. There is a Venetian quadrille, a poudré quadrille, two Empire quadrilles, and last, not least, some of the beauties will be dancing an Oriental measure in Eastern dress with floating scarves, and this will be the prettiest and most picturesque feature of the night.

On 12 June 1897, the Reading Mercury mentions talk at a ball hosted by Queen Victoria about what people intend to wear:

The Marchioness of Londonderry and her sister-in-law Lady Aline Beaumont, intend to wear Polish costumes at the Duchess of Devonshire’s fancy ball. The Duke has almost decided to wear a dress copied from a Titian painting of Charles the Fifth. Lady Gosford, his step-daughter, will personate a lady of his court. The Princess of Wales has not yet chosen her dress. This ball is making a great sensation in aristocratic circles.

This story from the Daily Gazette of Middlesbrough reflects some of the talk going on among people interested in the party about the costumes being considered:

THE DUCHESS OF DEVONSHIRE'S FANCY BALL.
The orders as to dress for the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy ball have been issued, and are historical or allegorical costumes, and the cards are for July 2. Great artists are giving their counsel as to costume in several instances, and the event will assuredly be one conspicuous in a remarkable season. It was thought that only historical costumes would be mentioned, and the addition has relieved the minds of many women who had ideas of their own, and did not wish to fall back upon history, and hunt up more or less arbitrary plates. One of the set dances will be a Queen's Quadrille, and in it all the ladies will be attired as well-known sovereigns of the softer sex, not necessarily English, since one will be her Majesty of Sheba and another Margaret of Valois. It is also proposed that there shall be a flower dance, in which each lady shall represent a flower, so that many of the dresses worn at the recent Floral Ball can be again utilised. There is to be a superb Queen Elizabeth. The event has already caused historical research, with a result of new knowledge and keen interest, and it has also set nimble brains spinning effective allegorical webs with which to stimulate curiosity and admiration.

Even though this story was published after the ball, it seems clearly to have been written before:

The couturieres are working night and day for the costumes for the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy ball, a great many Parisians being invited. Some of our most eminent painters have been called in to advise on the historical accuracy of the gowns. The Princess of Wales will be robed as as a lady of Queen Elizabeth's Court; the attire will very similar to that of Sarah Bernhardt as the Queen in "Ruy Blas." No one, I am sure, could look more charming than H.R.H. will in this most poetical garb.

Another story published on 14 June 1897, this one in the Glasgow Herald, which reported on the aristocrats and celebrities, including Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, says that 800 people have been invited, but no other story confirms that:

The arrangements for the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy dress ball at Devonshire House, which promises to be the ball of the Diamond Jubilee season, are now nearly complete. Some 800 guests have been invited, and the arrangements for the decoration of the ballroom and the supper will be worthy the traditions of the famous house. Several of the dances will illustrate epochs in history, and besides these there will be a Poudré Quadrille, two Empire Quadrilles, and several national quadrilles, in which beautiful costumes, specially designed, will be worn by some of the loveliest women in London society.

This story from the Edinburgh Evening News on 21 June 1897 says that 500 to 600 people were invited and that Louisa, Duchess of Devonshire "is getting her jewels reset after the antique style". Note also the "real Egyptian negro" attending Lady De Gray and the "hundreds who have not ben invited to the function ... sighing with regret or boiling with rage":

The event which is arousing keen interest in society, in its most select sense, is not (says a London correspondent) the Jubilee procession but the Duchess of Devonshire's ball. This is to be the crowning event of the Jubilee season, and may, though in a different way, become as famous as the ball given by another Duchess on the eve of Waterloo. The ball is to be a fancy dress one, and between 500 and 600 of the creme de la creme of society have received invitations. The costumes are to be of unusual splendour and richness. One great feature of the ball will be the magnificence and costliness of the jewels. The ball being a fancy dress one, men as well as women will be able in certain characters to wear jewels. The Duchess of Devonshire, who is to appear as Zenobia, is getting her jewels reset after the antique style. The Princess of Wales is to take the character of Margaret of Valois, her daughters acting as ladies-in-waiting. The Prince himself will dress as a Knight of Malta. Lord Rosebery will appear as the Vicar of Wakefield, and in one respect at least will be a fitting representative of Dr Primrose. Mr Asquith will typify the nascent Nonconformist conscience in the character of a Roundhead. There will be two Queens of Sheba at the ball — the Princess of Pless and Lady Cynthia Graham. The Duke of Devonshire will appear as the emperor Charles V., a potentate to whom he has some slight resemblance. Lady De Gray will take the character of Cleopatra, and is to be attended by a real Egyptian negro. Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild is to dress as a Swiss Guard of the 16th century. This ball is to be one of unrivalled magnificence, and it is not suprising that hundreds who have not been invited to the function are sighing with regret or boiling with rage.

A "Madame Rose" said on 25 June 1897 in the Northampton Mercury she had seen some of the costumes and that Devonshire House in London was decorated in Louis XIX style, reminiscent of the Versailles decorations in the New York Waldorf Hotel for the Bradley Martin ball on 10 February 1897. She also says "all the Royalties of note will be present in costume," suggesting the royals present were of note in the social world and the royals absent were not:

London doings are for moment at a standstill, doubtless on account of the Jubilee, which will, however, be over ere these words are in print. Everyone appears to be waiting. Afterwards there will either be a rush for the country, or the season will receive a fresh impetus. The public is a fickle jade, and it is quite impossible to say beforehand which she is likely to do. Writing, as I am, on the eve of the Jublee [sic], I should say that, for the next fortnight at least, there will be more to do in London than out of it. One of the most wondrous entertainments of modern times will be the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy dress ball on July 2nd, for which the most goregous [sic] dresses have been designed and carried out. I have had a "private view" of many of these, and can safely promise that those who will have the privilege of being present are not likely to forget what they will see. The house with its exquisite Louis XIX. decorations lends itself delightfully for such entertaining, and when I add that all the Royalties of note will be present in costume, my readers can imagine that the ball promises to be the success of the season.

The Week Before

These very large events could be difficult to manage and embarrassing for the hosts, in this case, Joseph Chamberlain and his wife, American Mary Crowninshield Endicott Chamberlain:

A few days before the Devonshire House Ball, Joseph Chamberlain had given a party at which the crush had been so great that Princess Louise, the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria who was married to the Marquis of Lorne, had been overcome and had nearly fallen underfoot. So dense was the crowd at this party that it had been impossible to clear a path for the Prince and Princess of Wales. The Prince was so angry that he left the party without even being received, much to the shame and embarrassment of his hostess

Speaking, I think, of the opera performance of Die Meistersinger on Wednesday night, the London Correspondent for the Glasgow Herald reported the day before the ball, Alexandra, Princess of Wales apparently tried an experiment to see if she could go to the opera and then the ball:

The experiment was tried of starting at seven o'clock, at the desire of the Princess of Wales, who wanted afterwards to go to the Duchess of Devonshire's ball. The trial, however, was a failure, as far as the dress seats were concerned, for nearly fifty boxes were unoccupied after the first act, and the house did not fill up till about three-quarters of an hour before the representation ended. Even the Princess of Wales lost her dinner, and had a special supper laid for her and her three daughters at the back of the royal box shortly after nine o'clock.

The Day Before

The day before the ball, Autolycus, in "The Glass of Fashion" in the Pall Mall Gazette, joined the gossip:

The Duchess of Devonshire's costume ball, which is to take place to-morrow night, is exciting intense interest. For weeks past the invited ones have been racking their brains and those of their pet costumiers as to the choosing of suitable characters. Ancient prints and faded engravings have been most anxiously studied, family portraits have acquired a new interest in the eyes of those damsels who are pining to appear as their own great-grandmothers, and certain fair dames of high degree have been known to order as many as three widely different costumes, and, after trying them all on, still to be quite undecided as to the one in which they will make their appearance in the beautiful rooms at Devonshire House. Modistes and maids have been sworn to secrecy, but certain little rumours have been heard here and there; and the fact that the Princess of Wales will herself be present will add considerable interest to what promises to be a most brilliant function. In this connection it is interesting to recall the costumes which were worn by some of these same guests at the famous fancy-dress ball given in July, 1874, by the Prince and Princess of Wales at Marlborough House, when the picturesque Venetian and Vandyke quadrilles were so carefully thought out and so gracefully performed, and when among the conspicuous figures in the "Card" quadrilles, Princess Christian appeared as Queen of Clubs, the Duke of Athole as King of Spades, Princess Louise as Queen of Hearts, and Lord Claud Hamilton as Knave of Spades.

The Princess of Wales led the Venetian quadrille, and had for her partner Lord Hartington, now the Duke of Devonshire, and the host of to-morrow night ....

The night before the ball, on Friday, 1 July 1897, the members of the Queen Elizabeth procession attended a dinner party. As reported by the Devon and Exeter Gazette on the following Monday, possibly providing news of local aristocrats, "Sir F. Jeune was among those who formed the Elizabethan procession at the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy dress ball, and who were previously entertained by Lord and Lady Tweedmouth on Friday evening."

The Day of the Ball

A notice in "Arrangements for This Day" in the Morning Post for 2 July 1897 says that "All guests attending the Devonshire House ball to-night are requested to bring cards with their names and the characters they are representing written thereon." No other newspaper printed this notice, suggesting that the people who attended the Duchess of Devonshire’s ball could be counted on to read the Morning Post.

This gossipy article in the London Daily News seems gives a sense of the excitement some people felt about the upcoming ball. It was reprinted elsewhere:

There is intense excitement (says a lady correspondent) about the Duchess of Devonshire's historical and fancy dress ball to take place to-night. One of the prettiest of Princesses, daughter of a lovely Irish mother, goes as Queen of Sheba, her sister representing an Ethiopian attendant. An illustrious personage is to head the list of old-world knights, and a beautiful Marchioness is to represent Guinevere, her fair young daughter going as Elaine. A most lovely lady is to personate Queen Marie Thérèse, surrounded by her Court. There is to be a procession of young girls dressed after Cosway's miniatures, and an Elizabethan quadrille is to be danced, in which the Virgin Queen herself is to appear, as well as Essex, Raleigh, Shakespeare, and other well-known characters. Another quadrille will be made up of ladies and gentlemen costumed after the style of Catherine II.'s Russian Court, but none will be more pictorially effective than that in which Catherine de Medici will appear, some of the gentlemen representing Henri II., Francis II., Charles IX., Henri III., Gaspard de Collini, Comte de la Marck, and the Duc de Guise.

The derby at Epsom Downs was run the same day as the Duchess of Devonshire's ball. Many of those at the ball, then, had begun the day at the race:

A dull morning presented a threatening appearance for rain, but none came to lay the dust on the private road between the toll-gate and the stands, which had been in a choking state each day, and well worthy of the attention of the Jockey Club carts doing double duty on the public road between the town and the Ditch. With nothing very attractive in the programme, there was a considerable falling off in the company behind the Ditch, which was foreshadowed by the morning exodus of so many preparatory to attending the Duchess of Devonshire's Fancy Dress Ball in the evening.

The Event Itself

People Arriving

While some newspaper proprietors and editors were present at the ball, it was a private party, and while newspapers devoted many column inches to the ball, Louisa, Duchess of Devonshire herself does not seem to have given information to newspapers or their reporters. Newspaper reporters were not invited to the ball, but they must have used every means at their disposal to report on it. The coverage in the Morning Post, for example, whose readers would have expected it for this kind of occasion, was detailed and extensive. But even though Algernon Borthwick, Lord Glenesk, proprietor of the Morning Post, and his son Oliver Borthwick, editor, were invited to the ball and present, their reporter seems to have been stationed outside in the street:

Outside Devonshire House, in Piccadilly, a large crowd had assembled, and as early as ten o'clock guests began to arrive. The illuminations put up for Jubilee week had not been taken down, and they were used on this occasion, so that the great courtyard was brilliantly lit up, and the people fortunate enough to have obtained places outside the great iron gates recently erected had a good view. Carriages rolled into the courtyard in quick succession, depositing their freight, and then passing away to wait in adjoining streets. Inside the house the servants themselves were in fancy costume. There were Egyptian trumpeters and Egyptian footmen, negroes in full Oriental dress, and all the others, if not wearing the full liveries of the House of Cavendish, were in black knee-breeches with white wigs.

The reportage in The Gentlewoman is also quite detailed and longer than all the other articles, including that of the Morning Post. Like the story in the Westminster Gazette, it is written as if by eyewitnesses or at the very least people who actually saw the costumes. The story in the Gentlewoman begins the description of the party itself in this way:

On Friday night Devonshire House presented a scene of more magnificence than has ever been beheld at a Society function in London. The hall was filled with palms and flowers, the large alabaster basin in the centre being smothered with ferns and water lilies; while the glittering silver lamps, gleaming with electric light, made a scene of brightness and colour rarely excelled. The Duchess of Devonshire stood at the top of the staircase to receive her guests, who began to arrive about 10.30. They uncloaked in the corridor, and passed in a magnificent procession up the grand staircase. The Duchess was attired with great Oriental magnificence as Zenobia. Her dress was a tissue of silver, embroidered with gold and jewels, an overmantle of cloth of gold embroidered in the same manner hung from the shoulders, and she wore a bandeau of gold studded with gems, and surrounded by hanging chains of pearls over her elaborate headdress; [Col. 1b / 2a] strings and ropes of jewels and pearls were worn round the neck, and hung down almost to the knees. Her Masters of the Ceremonies were in Louis Seize military uniforms, and they ushered the guests through into the inner rooms, with the exception of the Oriental queens, who, with their suites, assembled in the white and gold saloon, which was brilliantly lit by hundreds of wax Candles, as were, indeed, all the rooms. The ball-room in Devonshire House is particularly magnificent, being a splendid harmony of white and gold.

According to the Western Gazette, which begins apparently from outside in the street but then suggests an informant or reporter on the inside:

The guests began to arrive at half-past ten. A surging crowd gathered round the gates, which have been placed in the formerly bare wall of the courtyard, craning their necks to see the distinguished visitors arrive. The guests uncloaked in the corridor, and passed in the full glory of carnival attire to the grand staircase — kings and queens and knights and abbesses, all in one long stream. They spared a glance for the palms and flowers in the hall, the huge alabaster basin filled with ferns and waterlilies, the ancient lamp with a monster's head, and another for the handrail of solid crystal, bound with bands of silver, glittering like a diamond serpent in the light of the incandescent lamps. Strains of music from the White Hungarian Band fell upon their ears.

Not sure who the abbesses were.

Similarly, the article in the London Evening Standard — the longest article written about the ball at the time — begins on the outside and with prior knowledge of the house itself. The version suggests that some onlookers got into the courtyard with the coaches:

Among the many social functions that have marked the commemoration of the Queen's reign, none has excelled in magnificence the costume ball given by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire at Devonshire House last evening. To most people the mansion in Piccadilly is a gloomy town residence, surrounded by high and forbidding walls, that have only recently been pierced with a gate of wrought iron — a work of art to all who admire the material in which Quentin Matsys worked. This illusion arises from the fact that in the days when Devonshire House was in the country, Piccadilly was the back entrance. In order to appreciate the charm of its situation, and the splendour of its interior, it is necessary to see Devonshire House under conditions such as were presented at an early hour this morning. Between the hours of ten and one the house and its garden were thronged with all the rank, and fashion, and beauty that have filled the Metropolis during these eventful weeks. The Prince and Princess of Wales were present in costume, and were surrounded with all the characters in history and fiction that appeal to the sense of the picturesque. A more dazzling spectacle has never been presented, even in the days when the Grand Monarque revelled in Watteau-like scenes. Entering from Piccadilly through the crowds that watched the arrival of the guests, visitors were ushered up the grand staircase, with its crystal balustrade. At the foot of the stairs were banks of flowers and palms, while the windows overlooking the garden were filled with delicate greenery and bright blooms. This circular staircase gives immediate access to the ball-room — a spacious apartment, decorated in the style of Le Bruit. Little artificial adornment was required in such a room, with its lofty, painted ceiling and heavily-moulded walls richly gilt. Priceless paintings by Vandyke, Nicolas Poussin, Velasquez, and Le Sueur almost cover the walls. Leading from this apartment is the salon, the floor of which was admirable for dancing. The salon is a lofty square room, with vaulted ceiling in the style of Le Brun, the decorative effect of which is enhanced by a succession of mirrors let into the gilded walls. Here upon Louis Quatorze tables were banks of roses, whose rich perfume pervaded the entire suite. The blue drawing-room and the green drawing-room are directly accessible from the salon. In both these apartments the principal decorations were the pictures by Rembrandt, Velasquez, and Carlo Maratti. From the green drawing-room guests were admitted to a series of smaller apartments, enriched with roses and palms from Chatsworth.

There was a large crowd in front of Devonshire House from as early as half-past nine, attracted by the illuminations in the front of the building, and the rumour that Royalty was expected. The police were present in force, chiefly for the purpose of regulating the traffic, and this they succeeded in doing without causing the least delay to the ordinary public. The first arrivals were about twenty minutes to ten, and from then onwards till one o'clock this morning a constant stream of carriages passed into the courtyard, halting for a moment under the portico to deposit their occupants, and then passing outwards into Piccadilly to Berkeley-square, which was filled with waiting vehicles. The first members of the Royal family to arrive were the Duke and Duchess of York, with Sir Charles Cust in attendance. They drove up shortly before eleven o'clock, and were cordially cheered by those who recognised the liveries. A few minutes past eleven the Prince and Princess of Wales, and Princess Victoria, came from Marlborough House by way of St. James's-street in closed coaches, with two footmen standing behind. They were escorted by a mounted policeman. On leaving the carriage they were warmly greeted by the crowd which had found its way into the courtyard for the purpose of obtaining even a momentary glimpse of the distinguished guests.

Two Versions of the Same Story: Conflict between Police and an Onlooker

A description of a conflict outside the walls of Devonshire House, from the London Evening Standard 5 July 1897:

Mr. James Beattie, 56, was charged with willfully and persistently obstructing Police-constable Loughlin, 6 C.R., while in the execution of his duty, and further with assaulting the officer. — It was alleged by Constable Loughlin, 6 C.R., whose testimony was supported by 17 C.R., that the Defendant on Friday night refused to move away from the crowd outside the Duke of Devonshire's house. Having been requested several times to go away, he struck 6 C.R. with his elbow in the stomach and then hit him a blow in the chest with his fist. He was taken into custody and went quietly to the station. — Mr. Arthur Newton, for the defence, elicited that there was considerable pushing about, and urged, in defence, that it was this that caused the Constable to be struck and pushed. — Mrs. Mary Black, of Clarges-street, said that she went with Mr. Beattie, an old friend of her husband's, to see the historical dresses of the guests at the Duchess of Devonshire's ball. When in the crowd, and being protected from injury against a lamppost by Mr. Beattie, the Constable came with a rush in the crowd and ordered them to move on. She saw no assault whatever committed by Mr. Beattie, and both did their best to get away from the crush. — Mr. De Rutzen questioned Mrs. Black, who replied that Mr. Beattie was behind her all the while they were in the crowd. — The learned Magistrate said that Mrs [sic] Black could not have seen what happened from the position in which she stood, and all the Constable's evidence might be true. He did not, however, think this a case for punishment, and Mr. Beattie would be discharged.

The same story, almost but not quite identically told from the Sheffield Daily Telegraph:

Mr. James Beattie, aged 56, gentleman of independent means, living in Duke Street, Piccadilly, was charged at Marlborough Street Police Court on Saturday with wilfully and persistently obstructing Police-Constable Loughlin, 6 CR, while in the execution of his duty, and further with assaulting the officer. It was alleged by Constable Loughlin, whose testimony was supported by Police-Constable 17 CR, that defendant on Friday night refused to move away from the crowd outside the Duke of Devonshire's House. Having been requested several times to go away he struck Constable 6 CR with his elbow in the stomach, and then hit him a blow in the chest with his fist.. [sic] He was taken into custody, and went quietly to the station.

Mr. Arthur Newton, for the defence, elicited that there was considerable pushing about, and urged in defence that it was this that caused the constable to be struck and pushed.

Mrs. Mary Black, of Charges Street, deposed that she went with Mr. Beattie, an old friend of her husband's, to see the historical dresses of the guests at the Duchess of Devonshire's ball. When in the crowd, and being protected from injury by Mr. Beattie, the Constable came with a rush in the crowd, and ordered them move on. She saw no assault whatever committed by Mr. Beattie, and both did their best get away from the crush.

Mr. De Rutzen questioned Mrs. Black, who replied that Mr. Beattie was behind her all the while they were in the crowd.

The learned Magistrate said that Mrs. Black could not have seen what happened from the position in which she stood, and all the constable's evidence might true. He did not, however, think this was a case for punishment, and Mr. Beattie would be discharged.

Guests Received by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire

Even though the invitations were for 10:30, guests

came early, anxious to see the beginning, middle, and end of an entertainment so exceptional and so amusing. At the head of the staircase stood the Duke of Devonshire, in the dress of Charles V. — the Hapsburgs and the Cavendishes are curiously alike in feature — and wearing a genuine collar and badge of the Golden Fleece, lent him by the Prince of Wales. With him was the Duchess, as Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra, her dress a marvel of soft tissues and exquisite ornament, and her tiara a still greater marvel of the jeweller's art. The company filed past — Italians of the Renaissance; French Princes and Princesses of every age; Napoleons and Josephines (one or two of the latter very successful indeed); English beauties of the 18th century, among whom three young girls were noticeable as Reynold's "Three Ladies Waldegrave"; French marquises, with brocaded dresses and powdered hair; Orientals of times long gone by and of the other day; Cavaliers and Puritans - everything, in a word, that lent itself to fine dresses or historical retrospect. Many well-known men were arrayed in the dresses of their family. ...

The London Evening Standard transitions its account from the scene as if from an observer on the outside to the costumes in this way:

At midnight the magnificent suite of rooms, brilliantly lighted with candles and electricity, were filled with people, whose costumes were of matchless variety and splendour. The Prince and Princess of Wales were received at the principal entrance by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire.

The Westminster Gazette claims to have an account "By one who was there," who describes the change from outside to inside the event:

Devonshire House last night might well have been described as fairyland in London. Leaving the busy street and the shrill whistle of the ubiquitous bike in Piccadilly, the visitor on entering the fine mansion found nothing that spoke of this commonplace work-a-day world. All around were grouped kings, queens, nobles, and fair dames, attired in more than regal magnificence, and suggesting every age and notable personage of bye-gone times. The host was dressed as Charles V. of Germany, in black velvet, satin, and fur; and the Duchess made the most gorgeous of Zenobias, in a gown of gold gauze, and a green velvet train — both a mass of exquisite oriental embroidery. The crown and hanging ropes of pearls, the jewelled girdle, and the train of children, fan-bearers, and trumpeters — all in Babylonish garb — as designed by M. Comelli, made a gloriously imposing and picturesque group.

Also, referencing the Telegraph, the Westminster Gazette says,

PASSING BEFORE THE ROYAL GROUP.
At the top of the stairway (says the Telegraph) stood the Duchess of Devonshire. Masters of the Ceremonies in Louise Seize military uniforms passed the guests through into inner rooms, only the Oriental Queens of an era previous to Christianity, with their suites, assembling in the white and gold saloon. The Royal group occupied a dais at the top of the saloon, and the various processions filed by, the Princess bowing to all and smiling interestedly as she recognised some of those passing in their gorgeous garb. The Orientals were the first to pass, headed by Lady de Grey. Her train was borne by a Nubian in gorgeous and correct dress.

The Western Gazette describes the Duke of Duchess of Devonshire receiving their guests:

The Duchess of Devonshire began to receive her guests soon after 10 o'clock, and looked handsome and stately as Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra, all green and white and gold, with huge diamonds hanging from the horns of a gold helmet, studded with jewels, and with quantities of her beautiful pearls hanging in chains all about her head and shoulders. Beside her stood the Duke of Devonshire, very Titianesque as Charles V. of Germany, in black velvet with furs.

As people entered the house, it is assumed that they would have surrendered the card they had been asked to bring. The day before, in the Morning Post, one of the items in "Arrangements for This Day" said,

All guests attending the Devonshire House ball to-night are requested to bring cards with their names and the characters they are representing written thereon.

Arrival of the Prince and Princess of Wales

From the Morning Post:

at a quarter past eleven the Duke of Devonshire as Charles V., in a black dress, came down to meet the Prince and Princess of Wales. By this time the scene was one of great animation, the variety of costume was dazzling, the richness in many cases was enormous, the colours were kaleidoscopic in their changes; side by side with a knight in full armour would be an officer in buff leather jerkin, then another in scarlet uniform of a later period; Cleopatra rubbed shoulders with Marie Thérèse, the Queen of Sheba with the Queen of Poland.

The Princess of Wales looked regal as Marguerite de Valois, her stomacher was ablaze with precious stones, her neck encircled with row upon row of pearls, on her head was a magnificent crown. The dress was of white satin, her train of cloth of gold borne by two pages. In her court were her three daughters, and she was accompanied by the Prince of Wales in the costume of a Knight Hospitaller of Malta, a black velvet dress with a high crowned hat. A procession was immediately formed and proceeded up the grand staircase, at the top of which the Duchess of Devonshire greeted her Royal guests, the Blue Hungarian Band playing the National Anthem as it entered the Ball Room. The Royal party took up their places on the dais at one end of it, and the processions were immediately formed.

The Gentlewoman describes it like this:

About half-past eleven the Blue Hungarian Band, which was stationed in a small ante-room, announced the Prince of Wales' arrival with the stirring strains of "God Save the Queen," and His Royal Highness led the Princess up the centre of the saloon, which was lined by ladies dressed as Oriental queens and their suites. The Princess of Wales was Margaret de Valois, and looked superb in a dress of white satin, richly embroidered with silver. Her train, which fell from the back of a high lace collar, was of cloth of gold, lined with silver, and magnificently jewelled. A small crown of diamonds, with loose bands of diamonds falling over the forehead, surmounted the headdress, and she wore long diamond earrings, a collar of pearls, and a great number of other necklets. The little daughter of Sir Francis and Lady Knollys bore Her Royal Highness's train, and was attired in white and gold. The Duchess of York, Princess Charles of Denmark, Princess Victoria of Wales, the Duchess of Fife, and Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein were attired as ladies in the suite of Margaret de Valois, and followed in her train. The Royal group occupied a dais at the top of the saloon, where the various processions, which were quite the feature of the evening's entertainment, passed before them. The Princess bowed and smiled as she recognised some of those in the processions.

The Western Gazette describes the arrival of the Royals

The Royalties were timed to arrive a quarter-past 11, but it must have been past the half-hour when they at last ascended the staircase. They were immediately led by the Duchess to a daïs at the end of the room, where they stood together and formed a magnificent group, all attired in 16th century costumes, and most of them blazing with jewels.

Processions and Quadrilles before the Prince and Princess of Wales

Speaking of the Procession before the Prince and Princess of Wales, as people organized into Courts and groups were presented to the Prince and Princess of Wales:

One after the other they entered by one door, advanced up the middle of the ball room, made obeisance, and left by another door. Those who did not belong to any particular group lined the room and crowded the doorways. After this the quadrilles took place.

The Westminster Gazette says, "All the guests had to form processions and pass before the distinguished visitors, and those who had organised quadrilles tried to get through them, but it was difficult matter, so crowded were the rooms."

The London Evening Standard says,

Every costume was as nearly as possible correct in its historical details, and the effect of uniformity was produced in the quadrilles. Each Court and period danced together, so that every group presented a historic picture, instead of a confused assemblage of costumes. Every Court from King Arthur down to the Georges was represented, together with groups of persons famous in song and fiction.

Supper (Twelve Tables, Twelve Guests at Each Table)

According to the big story in the Western Gazette, the first seating at supper began at midnight, led by the Prince of Wales and Louisa, Duchess of Devonshire:

At midnight the first supper was served. The Prince of Wales, with the Duchess of Devonshire, led the procession. Down the staircase they went, into the garden, for it was there that supper was served, in a huge tent of blue and yellow canvas, with tapestry draping the walls. By a pretty conceit each table was around a palm tree, the trunk piercing its centre, the fronds waving above. From the branches hung electric lamps, throwing into brilliant light the rich embroidery of the costumes and the colours of the tapestry.

The London Evening Standard describes the space:

The dining-room, upon the walls of which hang portraits by Tintoretto and Sir Peter Lely, is a pleasant apartment decorated in cream and gold. But the supper room — a temporary structure overlooking the gardens — was even more attractive. The roof and walls were of blue and gold cloth, with panels of tapestry. The floor was carpeted with crimson cloth, and from the twelve round tables rose graceful palm trees, among the branches of which shone electric lamps. Each table was decorated with bright flowers, and at the east end of the room was a splendid display of gold and silver plate.

The Morning Post's extensive story also described the supper seatings:

It was after midnight when the Royal guests proceeded to the supper-room. Here, as has been already said, there were twelve separate round tables, each seating twelve guests. At the first table sat the Prince of Wales, who escorted the Duchess of Devonshire ....

Five seatings would have been required for all 700 or so guests to have been seated at supper, leaving room for about 15 empty seats over the course of the evening (or early morning, since the first seating began at midnight).

The Guernsey Star has a similar report: "There were twelve different tables. Here again the decorations were superb, huge palms with their fronds gracefully hanging over the white cloth, the brilliant glass and plate, bearing small coloured electric lights, making up a charming scene."

The Morning Post reported on the supper in detail but only on the first seating:

The supper was served at twelve different tables, each of them surrounding a huge palm, the [p. 7, Cols. 4–5] graceful fronds of which bent gracefully over the white cloth and the brilliant glass and plate, bearing small coloured electric lights, which threw a soft radiance over the scene. From the supper-room the guests could pass into the gardens, in which Leader's White Hungarian Band was playing.

Elsewhere in the same edition, the Morning Post says the tables were round.

The rich details provided by the Morning Post about this part of the event suggests that whoever the informant was — or whoever the informants were — for this event, they took notes. For example, the list of who was at each table in the first supper seating, which follows: if it was the Borthwicks who took notes, did they use a pencil and paper tucked into a pocket or some kind of receptacle? Did they divide it up so that no single person had to write down all these details?

The First Supper Seating

All of this list of who sat at which table is from the coverage in the Morning Post.

Table 1

The Prince of Wales escorted Louisa, Duchess of Devonshire into supper.

1. Prince of Wales
2. Duchess of Devonshire
3. Princess Louise Marchioness of Lorne
4. the Duchess of Portland
5. the Duchess of Sutherland
6. the Marchioness of Londonderry
7. Lady Randolph Churchill
8. M. de Courcel
9. the Grand Duke of Hesse
10. Count Deym
11. the Duke of Fife
12. Mr. A. J. Balfour

Table 2

"At the Princess of Wales's table were the Duke of Devonshire, whose arm she took to go to the supper-room ...."

1. Princess of Wales
2. Duke of Devonshire
3. M. de Soveral
4. Lady de Grey
5. M. de Staal
6. the Grand Duchess of Hesse
7. the Earl of Rosebery
8. Lady Gosford
9. the Earl of Durham
10. Princess Victoria of Wales
11. the Duke of Marlborough
12. Countess Deym

Table 3

"At the Duchess of York's table were the Earl of Gosford ...."

1. the Duchess of York
2. the Earl of Gosford
3. Prince Charles of Denmark
4. the Duchess of Buccleuch
5. Earl Spencer
6. the Countess of Pembroke
7. Hardinge Stanley Gifford, Lord Halsbury, the Lord Chancellor
8. Countess de Casa Valencia, wife of the Spanish ambassador
9. Mr. Chamberlain
10. the Countess of Derby
11. Prince Adolphus of Teck [? Also Table 10?]
12. the Duchess of Newcastle

Table 4

"Princess Mary Adelaide had with her the Earl of Lathom ...."

1. Princess Mary Adelaide
2. the Earl of Lathom
3. the Marquis of Zetland
4. the Duchess of Roxburghe
5. William Court Gully, the Speaker of the House of Commons
6. Mrs. J. Hay
7. Lord James of Hereford
8. the Duchess of Buckingham
9. Viscount Peel
10. Lady Harcourt
11. the Earl of Sandwich
12. Princess Edward of Saxe-Weimar

Table 5

"The Duke of York escorted Lady A. Stanley ...."

1. The Duke of York
2. Lady A. Stanley
3. the Earl of Chesterfield
4. Princess Charles of Denmark
5. the Earl of Essex
6. Lady Mar and Kellie
7. Lord C. Montagu
8. Viscountess Chelsea
9. Prince Francis of Teck
10. Lady E. Cavendish
11. Lord Lurgan
12. Princess Pless

Table 6

"Prince Christian took in the Duchess of Hamilton ...."

1. Prince Christian
2. the Duchess of Hamilton
3. Lord Kenyon
4. Viscountess Curzon
5. Lord Crewe
6. the Countess of Warwick
7. the Duke of Montrose
8. Lady Tweedmonth
9. Viscount Wolseley
10. the Marchioness of Zetland
11. Viscount Falmouth
12. Princess Victor of Hohenlohe

Table 7

"The Grand Duke Michael of Russia and Princess Christian had with them" the following:

1. The Grand Duke Michael of Russia
2. Princess Christian
3. the Duke of Westminster
4. the Marchioness of Lansdowne
5. the Hereditary Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
6. the Duchess of Marlborough
7. the Duke of Portland
8. the Duchess of Manchester
9. Earl Cadogan
10. the Duchess of Fife
11. M. de Souza Correa
12. Madame de Jaucourt

Table 8

"At the adjoining table were Count Mensdorff and the Duchess of Connaught ...."

1. Count Mensdorff
2. the Duchess of Connaught
3. the Earl of Pembroke
4. Madame de Courcel
5. the Duke of Roxburghe
6. Princess Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein
7. Count Casa de Valencia, the Spanish Ambassador
8. Countess Torbi
9. Sir W. Harcourt
10. Countess Cadogan
11. Lord Ribblesdale
12. the Duchess of Montrose

Table 9

"The American Ambassador and the Duchess of Westminster sat at the next table, accompanied by </quote> the following:

1. John Hay, the American Ambassador
2. the Duchess of Westminster
3. Lord Stanley
4. Lady Wolverton
5. Lord Rowton
6. Lady H. Lennox
7. Mr. V. Cavendish
8. the Duchess of Leeds
9. the Earl of Dudley
10. Countess Clary
11. Earl Carrington
12. Countess Spencer

Table 10

"Then came the Marquis of Lansdowne and Lily Duchess of Marlborough ...."

1. the Marquis of Lansdowne
2. Lily Duchess of Marlborough
3. Prince Adolphus of Teck [? Also Table 3?]
4. the Countess of Essex
5. the Maharajah of Kapurthala
6. Viscountess Cranborne
7. Viscount Curzon
8. Georgina Lady Dudley
9. the Earl of Dunraven
10. Mrs. Grenfell
11. Lord Elcho
12. Mrs. A. Sassoon

Table 11

"At the next table were seated the Earl of Suffolk and Lady Rothschild ...." The story in the Morning Post lists only 10 people seated at this table, which might be accurate or the informants might not have been able to make fully complete and accurate records.

1. the Earl of Suffolk
2. Lady Rothschild
3. the Earl of Harewood
4. Lady Hastings
5. Count Clary
6. Lady Ribblesdale
7. Lord Tweedmouth
8. the Countess of Dudley
9. the Duke of Somerset
10. the Countess of Kilmorey
11. ?
12. ?

Table 12

"... at the twelfth were the Earl of Enniskillen and the Duchess of Somerset ...."

1. Earl of Enniskillen
2. the Duchess of Somerset
3. the Earl of Derby
4. the Countess of Lonsdale
5. Mr. Goschen
6. the Countess of Lathom
7. the Hon. R. Lister
8. Lady Helen Vincent
9. Lord Rothschild
10. Mrs. Asquith
11. Colonel Oliphant
12. the Countess of Westmoreland

More about the Party Itself

Devonshire House: What People Saw as They Arrived and Once They Were in the House

Sophia Murphy's 1984 The Duchess of Devonshire's Ball describes the house as it was in 1897:

Devonshire House was ideal for entertaining. It had a large courtyard in front with plenty of room for carriages to enter and turn, thus facilitating the arrival and departure of guests. Many large houses in London had their entrance directly on the street, and therefore when entertainments were taking place traffic jams would build up in the street outside and the guests would have a long wait both when arriving and when waiting for their carriages to be called at the end of the party.Behind Devonshire House there was a big garden, which in the summer could be used by guests to wander in the fresh air away from the crowds inside, or, if the size of the party was such, it could hold a marquee. Gardens were always welcomed by party-goers, since at 'crushes', as big receptions were then known, the combination of large crowds of people, stifling heat, and a long wait in the queue to be received, proved for many quite an ordeal.

Spencer Compton Cavendish was the 8th Duke of Devonshire, and his house, of course, had a history that affected this party:

After the fire [in 1733], the 3rd Duke did not waste any time in planning a new residence, and selected William Kent as a designer. Kent was a Palladian architect who had made his name as the designer of the Treasury in London, as well as country houses such as Stowe and Holkham Hall. For the Duke of Devonshire he planned, as was his style, a house with a severe unadorned façade encasing a rich and luxurious interior.

Some critics considered the house too plain, and during the Victorian age, when elaborate and ornate designs were the fashion, it was little admired. James Ralph, an architectural critic and writer of the nineteenth century, said cuttingly of its elevation, 'It is spacious, and so are the East India's warehouses, and both are equally deserving of praise.'

The 6th Duke renovated the house, including adding the famous staircase used by people on their way to the reception halls: "A semi-circular apse designed by Sir Matthew Wyatt was built on to the back of the house, containing a circular staircase known as the 'crystal staircase' because of its crystal handrail."

The Times describes the house and garden decorated for the party (reprinted verbatim in the London Evening Mail):

No great alterations had been made in the house itself for the entertainment, for, as is well-known, the fine circular staircase and the great suit of rooms on the 1st floor have few rivals in London for any function of the kind. On this occasion the only changes made were that the Duke and Duchess had kindly consented to be banished from their own private rooms at either end of the building, which were thrown into the series of saloons; that the first room to the right was fitted with a daïs for the Royal party, past which at a certain period the whole company filed; and that a large supper-tent had been erected in the garden, to which access was obtained by a temporary staircase from the house. In this tent were hung three fine old Louis XIV. tapestries representing Roman scenes; these were lent by Messrs. Duveen. Nothing could be more fanciful than the system of lighting this tent — a series of festoons of flowers from which at intervals there shone the electric light, the effect upon the gay dresses and the powdered heads of the fascinating groups below being marvellously gay and sparkling. But it may be said that the electric light and the people themselves were the only modern things there, for not a guest, not a musician, not a herald, not a servant, nay, not even any of the waiting-maids who helped the ladies in the cloak-room was permitted to appear in a dress later than the beginning of the century.

Murphy describes the house as it was in 1897:

A pillared entrance hall led through glass doors to the inner hall with its beautiful marble circular staircase, which wound round and up to the first-floor landing. The impression thus far was of an interior as severe in aspect as the exterior. The floors were of stone, and the only furniture in the entrance hall was a writing-table and two ancient-looking footman's chairs by the fireplace. The inner hall contained, apart from the staircase, only a huge marble basin on a pedestal. The whole aspect changed dramatically once one reached the reception rooms on the first floor. The ballroom, which was the biggest room in the house, faced on to the garden at the back. It was a glorious room, with four long bay windows and a mirror between each one, which gave an illusion of even greater size. According to E. B. Chancellor, in his book Private Palaces of London, its 'elaborate gilding and ceiling decoration, in itself a thing to wonder at, reminded one of those Venetian Palaces in which colour is enriched by gold, and gold takes on a hundred shimmering tints from adjacent colour.' The walls were of yellow and white brocade, with the furniture upholstered in dark blue brocade in a gold framework. Two huge chandeliers of glittering crystal hung from the ceiling, with gold and crystal candelabras lighting up the walls. The floor was of polished parquet, and the heavy mahogany double doors, of which there were four sets, were highly polished and picked out in gold.

While the ballroom faced the garden behind the house, the saloon — the other major reception room on the first floor —faced the front of the house and the courtyard. Murphy says,

The Saloon in particular was lavishly decorated, reminding one visitor of 'one of those gorgeous apartments which the wealth and luxury of Venice at its great period could alone conceive'. The ceiling was painted in 'tromp l'oeil' to give the effect of immense height, and was decorated with the Devonshire ducal coronet and badge of the snake, and, in the centre, the device and motto of the Order of the Garter.

Murphy quotes Chancellor, who

described [the saloon] as like 'one of those gorgeous apartments which the wealth and luxury of Venice at its great period could alone conceive, and the pencil of Veronese was alone able to perpetuate'. He went on: [39/42]

... the massive nature of the gilding and carving, the colossal mirrors framed on Brobdingnagian principles, the domed ceiling rich with painted wreaths and festoons of flowers and a thousand arabesques, in the midst of which the ducal coronet and crest is displayed, and the 'Cavendo Tutus'*, the Cavendish family motto, seems to take on itself another significance which has resulted from the systematic following of its advice. [* Safety by caution. In fact the author is wrong: the ceiling carries the Garter motto.]

All the Dukes of Devonshire had been enthusiastic art collectors, and by the time the 8th Duke [Spencer Compton Cavendish] succeeded there was a fine collection at Devonshire House. In the ballroom alone there was a portrait by Tintoretto, a Poussin, a Rubens, a Bassano and a Le Sueur, among many other lesser masters. Covering the walls of the other reception rooms were two Rembrandts, a Reynolds portrait of Lord Richard Cavendish, a Franz Hals, a Peter Lely, a Carracci and a Tintoretto. There were also many other pictures which were then attributed to great masters, which which have now been reassessed as being by the school of, or by someone else altogether.

As well as the paintings, there was a superb collection of Sèvres and Chelsea porcelain, and a large amount of fine French furniture of the Louis XVI and First Empire periods. As was the fashion in 1897, every reception room was crammed with as much furnitures as it would hold, arranged for the most part in little groups of chairs and a sofa, often backed with a screen. Table tops and chimney pieces were covered in signed photographs and knick-knacks, while large ferns and palms were placed wherever there was space.

The walls in the reception rooms were hung with heavy silks or damask, and the curtains were of a similar material, or of velvet, usually with elaborate pelmets. But the plaster work and carvings were so fine, and the pictures and furniture were of such quality, that the rooms of Devonshire House gave the appearance of elegance and beauty, rather than the heavy, ornate impression of so many Victorian interiors.

What Occurred at the Ball

The Westminster Gazette says, "The grounds of Devonshire House were beautifully illuminated during the night, and the majority of the guests, including the Royalties, sat out of doors, where laughing, chatting, smoking, and flirtation were in full swing."

The London Evening Stardard described the garden:

Many of the guests were tempted to leave the supper-room for the garden, which stretches far back from Piccadilly. In the centre of the lawn shone an eight-point star, flanked by smaller stars at each corner,with the monogram " D.D.," and the crest of the House of Devonshire — a serpent rampant. The oak and elm trees were outlined with green lamps, while the avenues to the east and west were festooned with variegated lamps of pearl and green. Japanese lanterns were hung upon the trees, and the flower beds along the north front of the house were outlined in fairy lamps of red, white, and blue. Coloured fires were burned at intervals, and with twelve thousand lamps, made a brilliant illumination. Not until a late hour this morning did the guests begin to leave.

This description, from the Morning Post, has a narrative voice as if the reporter were there, as indeed they may have been if the Borthwicks were the source; they are mentioned specifically, although their daughter, now Lilias, Countess Bathurst, is not named (although Seymour, Earl Bathurst is mentioned in another report, so we know he was there). The New York ball mentioned is the 10 February 1897 Bradley-Martin ball at the Waldorf Hotel:

Fancy dress balls seemed to have gone somewhat out of vogue but the Duchess of Devonshire has set the example and decided to give one at Devonshire House, and after the brilliant success which attended this great Society function last night it is probable that they will once more become the fashion. A recent ball in New York given by a Society leader there was much talked about at the time, but certainly it cannot have approached in magnificence the scene which was presented by the élite of London Society assembled at the bidding of the Duchess of Devonshire.

The famous house in Piccadilly lends itself admirably to such a gathering. The great marble staircase, at the end of a large entrance hall, presented a splendid coup d'oeil as the brilliantly-attired guests passed up it, to be received by the host and hostess before passing into the spacious ball-room. From that room open out the state rooms, nine in number, all decorated in different colours, the mouldings of the panels on the walls heavily gilt, great crystal chandeliers pendant from the roof. The ball-room itself looks over the garden, but most of the state rooms run along the frontage facing Piccadilly, and these windows were a blaze of light. The portico supports a little terrace, which was covered with palms, ferns, and flowers, while in the rooms themselves, denuded for the occasion of most ot their furniture, were masses of growing flowers of all kinds, brought for the most part from the famous gardens at Chatsworth and arranged by the gardeners. These, reflected in the great mirrors, produced a charming effect, and when the rooms were full and the strains of music from the orchestra, placed in close proximity to the ball-room, could be heard, the guests had before them a scene which it would be impossible to surpass in any country, and difficult to equal. From one of the state rooms a temporary staircase had been built leading to the supper-room. This was really a marquee, but so substantially was it erected that few who were not aware of the fact would have imagined that they had left the house. Its floor was thickly carpeted; its walls were draped with valuable tapestry and ornamented by large mirrors, from its roof hung heavy crystal chandeliers. The supper was served at twelve different tables, each of them surrounding a huge palm, the [p. 7, Col. 4A–Col. 5] graceful fronds of which bent gracefully over the white cloth and the brilliant glass and plate, bearing small coloured electric lights, which threw a soft radiance over the scene. From the supper-room the guests could pass into the gardens, in which Leader's White Hungarian Band was playing. Round the house had been built out a temporary verandah, roofed in with crimson and cream striped coverings, under which were arranged, in the midst of banks of flowers and ferns, numerous chairs, making a pleasant open-air lounge. The gardens themselves presented a fairylike appearance. Each bed was picked out with coloured lamps; from every tree hung Venetian lanterns, festoons of fairy lamps marked the gravel paths, and the velvety lawn, a lawn such as England alone can equal, was a favourite promenade.

... One of the earliest arrivals was Mr. C. Wyndham, M.P., as the Emperor John Polaeologus II. on his State visit to Venice in 1438, a richly-embroidered blue dress trimmed with fur. Then came numerous Hanoverian officers; costumes, too, of Cavaliers, their wearers having long flowing locks and swaggering in their gait as if to the period born; several fine costumes of the Valois period, mostly in black satin or velvet, trimmed with jet, the rapier at the side and worn well up on the hip, the breeches puffed and slashed with silver. Some of these gentlemen added as a dash of colour the light blue ribbon of the Order of St. Esprit. Shortly afterwards appeared the stately figure of Viscount Peel as a Venetian Doge, his robes of crimson and the tippet of ermine, the peculiar pointed cap of the period being well adapted to his appearance. Then followed some Cavaliers of the time of Charles II., with cloaks and lace ruffles, stick in hand, a Portia, some fairies, the Earl of Lithom as Giovannino de Medici, a Doge, his robes of cloth of gold partially covered by the ermine cape. Lord R. Cecil followed in black velvet, then several Roundheads in armour, on curiously friendly terms with some of Prince Rupert's Cavalry in their red coats, embroidered with gold, and large jack boots, with broad-brimmed soft felt hats with large feathers. It was noticeable that the alteration of dress very often prevented people recognising one another, and when spoken to they were for a time lost until the voice helped to establish identity. A Court jester in his motley, with his bells and all the necessary adjuncts of his office, was followed by several Valkyrie in glittering mail, with winged helmets, shield, and spear, their wrist and arm bracelets joined together by golden chains. Sir C. Hall, Q.C, M.P., appeared as a rich citizen of London, and was followed by Sir W. Harcourt in wig and Lord Chancellor's gown. Earl Carrington .... Then came a Napoleon, in the traditional uniform of the Petit Caporal, dark green coat and red facings, white waistcoat, and breeches. There followed an Anthony, escorting Cleopatra, a number of yeomen of the time of Queen Elizabeth, with their halberds; a Lohengrin, resplendent in silver chain-mail, a swan on his helmet, a blue cloak over his shoulders, and a shield on his arm; a couple of incroyables or merveilleux of the Directoire period, an English gentleman of the beginning of the century, a Murat in his full Hussar uniform, with grey fur-lined dolman and huge sabretache, the shako being of the traditional enormous height; Lord Beauchamp wore the dress in which the first Lord Beauchamp was painted; Lord James of Hereford, mindful of his office, appeared as Sir Thomas More, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster; the Duchess of Portland wore a magnificent dress as Duchess of Savoy, it was silver brocade resplendent with pearls and diamonds; then came a Dante, his head encircled with a golden wreath of laurel; Lord Burghclere as a Puritan, Lord Glenesk as Lord James Murray, Lady Glenesk as Egeria, the Hon. Oliver Borthwick as Marshal Turenne; an Isaak Walton followed, preceding Lady Wolverton as Britannia; the Princess Pless appeared as Queen of Sheba with her train ....

[Supper] ...

[The Processions, which came before Supper]

The following were among the costumes worn by those taking part in the Processions and Quadrilles ....

This gossipy report of some goings-on of the Royals present was printed in the Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald, a regional newspaper for Derbyshire, which contains Chatsworth House, the manorial estate of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire:

A lady has the following remarks on the Devonshire House Fancy Dress Ball: — It would seem that the great fancy ball lately given in the ducal mansion of the head of the Cavendishes, magnificent as the mise en scene was intended to be, was by no means the social success supposed. In the first place the suite of rooms were not flushed, that is to say, they only communicated by one door, instead of folding or panel doors, so had the cramped effect of solitaires. Then a large space had been roped off for the Royalties, and the number of other guests, being enormous, the crowding was terrible. Numbers of the dresses had cost £300 and more, an expenditure wasted, as they could not be displayed, and many were completely injured by the presence of the crowd. Dancing was an utter failure. It is also whispered that the presence of one lady, no longer received by the Princess of Wales, quite annoyed H.R.H., and that a gloom fell on the immediate group round the dais. The Prince made himself agreeable to all and sundries, and was photographed several times with various persons. But it is well known that Royalty always spoils the spontaneity of a social gathering, although in the entertainments given in their own palaces everything is simply conducted, and the guests are made to feel quite at home.

Perhaps the "large space ... roped off for the Royalties" was a response to the mishap at the extremely crowded party hosted by the Chamberlains, at which Princess Louise was knocked down, and the Prince of Wales left without going in. From the Portsmouth Evening News:

Here are two three anecdotes of the Duchess of Devonshire’s ball, which, though belated, says the London Figaro, are authentic. To begin with, the men in armour at the commencement of the ball did such terrible execution on laces, frills, and complexions, that they were requested to remove themselves to the garden. This they did, forming a disconsolate, aching, and weary coterie all to themselves.

According to Jennie, Lady Randolph Churchill her sons Winston and Jack Churchill attended the ball, and Jack fought a duel with someone very late in the garden.

A story in the Westminster Gazette, by "Another Representative" (presumably of "One Who Was There"), has this description of the ball:

It is very long — long ago since the poet sung for the nursery that story of the tiny insects' hall, to which the snails and all their friends went, lit on the way by the glow-worms. That was only a fairy story. But last night at Devonshire House the unreal became real. Glow-worms in the form of carriages and hansoms lit up Piccadilly, Stratton and Berkeley-streets brilliantly from 10 p.m. till the hour when the sparrows in the Green Park were chirping their morning hymn of praise. The time to arrive was 10.30. But those wanted to see everything came at 9.30. The pageant began at 11.30. By twelve everybody had seen everybody else's dress, and the night being warm gossip was by many preferred to the trip of the light fantastic toe.

Lolling against the iron railing or chatting in the corners you noticed a Roman Emperor in a flowing white robe cap-à-pie with a brass helmet with a gorgeous cock's comb ruche of rose-pink. The man of the past was smoking, like most of the other men, that modern invention, a cigarette, and chatting to Charlotte Corday (the Duchess of Sutherland, in a red frock). Then your eye caught Izaak Walton tête-à-tête with Napoleon, and a Doge of Venice (Lord Lathom, in a wonderful golden gown[sic no closing paren]. A Duchess in a blue satin dress and powdered hair, it à la Gainsborough, a shepherdess, a Nubian, a gentleman of the Court of Louis XIII., a dragoon of the time of Blenheim, a Darnley, and a Puritan also came, besides others, into view. But if several guests came out on to the portico to air their fine feathers, the greater crowd haunted the garden at the back of the house. Here on the terrace, touching the walls of the house, a temporary verandah of red and cream canvas had been put up. Rows of Chinese lanterns, in shape like a Lancer's hat, hung at intervals, whilst underneath the umbrella of canvas a host of electric lights blazed. The flower beds were outlined with Venetian lamps, the big one in the centre of the grounds in form like a monster star in all the colours of the rainbow. In the Berkeley-street corner of the grounds was a supper room. The waiters moving about among the supper-folk were dressed as our great-grandfathers in the time of Pitt were dressed — the hair bunched in a black bag, black courtiers' coats, knee-breeches, stockings, and buckle shoes. A mandoline band under the sycamore trees killed time. Directly beneath and on the outskirts of the verandah never before was seen such an array of living pictures. If ghosts do walk, the great Druriolanus must have turned in his grave. All the millinery of centuries was here displayed — half a Million of hard cash would not have paid the bill. In the flesh most people were unrecognisable — for many had added to their appearance, a wig, extended eyebrows, a moustache, a flossy or a well-kept beard, and in this way metamorphosed the face that Mother Nature had willed to them. It was only by being acquainted with their harlequinade that you were able to realise who was who. At some points it was only for a moment that you were able to pick out a personage, for though many under the trees were rude enough to smoke a cigarette — in the darker walks a little glow of fire was all you could make out — yet others seemed to be saying as the mock turtle does in "Alice in Wonderland":

Will you walk a little faster. . . .

There's a porpoise close behind us, and he's treading on my tail.

Or

They are waiting on the shingle — will you come and join the dance?

Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the dance

So that the crowd was ever changing. It was only for a moment that your eye rested on a leading character. And there were many clad as gloriously as Mars or as brilliantly as Venus; others were as full of colour as a sunset, or draped in tints as varied as the rainbow. Under the blaze of light one dress that told the most and was fullest of fire was that of the Queen of Sheba. The effect was enough to make the rising sun blush. The dress alone, a little bird whispered to us, cost seven hundred guineas. The Princess Henry of Pless was a dream in purple and gold and diamonds. Another spot of colour between the trees was Viscount Peel in a doge's flowing scarlet cloak and ermine-trimmed horned cap. From the broad gold collar of the Golden Fleece round about his neck you recognised the Duke of Devonshire in a black velvet suit. Then you spotted Mr. Balfour with a sugar-loaf top hat, bobbing in and out between the trees, and you wondered if that gentleman constantly applying his eye-glass, in rose-coloured silk, was Mr. Chamberlain. Was that man in dark green of the year 1740 Lord Rosebery? Yes, certainly. His lordship was chatting to Marie Antoinette, Lady Warwick, and somebody else dressed as a Queen. But enough. Space forbids us to do more than give these one or two samples of living pictures of the past that last night for the nonce put in an appearance at the big house in Piccadilly. (Col. 1c–2)

After the Ball

Effects and Afterquakes of the Ball

On 3 July 1897, the day after, Joseph Harry Lukach wrote this letter to Jennie (his wife?):

Portland Club, 9, St. James’ Square, S.W. Saturday 3/7/18 My darling Jennie, I am writing under the impression of the Ball at Devonshire House which was the most overwhelmingly beautiful picture and display I have ever seen – and I am sure this century has never witnessed a display of so much good taste, beauty and wealth. As for jewellery I did not know there was so much in the world. It is described as a historical event of this century but the newspapers will give you a more graphic description than I am capable of. Besides Mr Cassel, Mr Beit and Mr Maguire I was, I think the only purely city man. It was quite a different thing to the reception and I deplore your absence for this I am sure you would have enjoyed and I should have given much to have had you present. While I was in the little tent watching people have their photos taken by Electric light (I could not get a turn) Prince George when photographed, shouted to the Princess of Wales, who was standing at the entrance of the tent “Come along Mother have your photograph taken, it’s done while you wait”. The grounds were laid out most tastefully, and the supper tent draped with beautiful tapestry. ... I left Devonshire House at 4 am .... Thousand loving kisses to you both.Joe

On 6 July 1897, the Pall Mall Gazette printed this letter to the editor:

Devonshire House: A Retrospect

To the Editor of the Pall Mall Gazette.

Dear Sir, — Looking back on the glories of a short, though exceptionally brilliant, season, the one ineffaceable memory where social functions are concerned will be the magnificent fancy dress ball given by the Duchess of Devonshire. Gracious Royalties, lovely women, handsome men were there, and, best of all, an entente cordiale that caused the whole entertainment to be a complete and unparalled success. Devonshire House with its splendid marble staircase, its lovely rooms, and extensive grounds distinctly lends itself to hospitalities, and none of the privileged guests will ever forget the effect of the gay procession passing and repassing, admiring and admired. The fancy quadrilles over, even the seductive strains of the Hungarian band could not move the guests to much dancing. How could they trip a lively measure when every moment there was a friend to greet, a new effect to admire and wonder at, and notes to be compared as to the supremacy of a costume? In these days of haste and hurry, when real hearty enjoyment is too much trouble, and the interest of the present is eclipsed by the possibilities of the future, we are apt to take our pleasures rather differently; but on Friday night animation reigned, and “all went merry as a marriage bell.” And yet as before, on a historic occasion, the mind was suddenly assailed by serious thought. What was to be the fate of the beautiful dresses? Should we never see them again, or would life for the rest of the season be one long fancy dress ball? Would our lovely Princess and her attendant Court relegate those brilliant toilettes to the depths of a dark cupboard, never, never to see the light again, or would they wear them for ever to gladden the eyes of their subjects? Would the Queen of Sheba return to her kingdom with her little pages, nor permit us to see her again in Royal state? Would Charlotte Corday go forth to seek and slay another Marat, and would Hebe grow old, or get tired of her pet bird? Was Antony somewhere in the dim distance awaiting the return of his special Cleopatra; and was France aware of the existence of a very warlike Joan of Arc? Did her Majesty Maria Theresa think the world had improved since her time, or Zenobia still grieve over the destruction of Palmyra? Had “La Lamballe” forgotten the terrible day when her lovely head was cut off, or had Maria Antoinette no fear for the future? Men, we know, keep only a fugitive hold on the properties necessary to an appearance at a ball of this order, but still they have their weaknesses, and Charles V. of German must have heaved a sigh of regret the next morning when donning the frock-coat and continuations of the period. The Indian princes were happy in their lot — no hired possessions theirs, but treasure trove, and they could play at dressing up whenever they pleased. Why did the night ever end? Suddenly, without warning, daybreak appeared, and the White Hungarian band looked like their own ghosts as they silently dispersed through the grounds, whose glowing lamps seemed suddenly to become dull and jaded. But still the guests were not tired, no one seemed to want to go — a Royal Prince was enjoying a morning stroll, courtiers were lounging on the terrace, compliments and congratulations were heard on every side. But as all good things come to an end, the Duchess’s ball could be no exception to the rule; so mimic queens and noble lords slowly and reluctantly left the scene of their triumphs, casting, like the Peri, a longing, lingering look behind. — I am &c.,

July 4, One Who Was There.

On 8 July 1897, the London Daily News reported that <quote>"The Gentlewoman" of this week contains nearly 200 drawings of the historical costumes worn at the Duchess of Devonshire’s Ball, together with letterpress descriptions.</quote>

On 10 July 1897, quoting and then answering the St. James's Gazette with a little humor, the Buckingham Advertiser and Free Press says (square brackets are sic)

["At the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball Sir William Harcourt wore a Chancellor's dress handed down from an ancestor." — "St. James's Gazette."]

Sir William hies him to the revelry
Yet once more as a "Chancellor" arrayed,
The gorgeous garment was a legacy —
We pause and murmur: "Was the duty paid?"

Yet the exception we perforce allow
Is quite in order when the point we test,
Because the robes of office on him now
Have merely an historic interest.

On 17 July 1897, with a byline that says "London, Tuesday," the St. Andrews Citizen summarizes the ball like this, perhaps alluding to the Rev. Adderley's criticisms of the extravagant costs; the rebuttal here is similar to one of the justifications of the extreme costs of the 10 February 1897 Bradley-Martin ball at the Waldorf Hotel in New York.

Now the Duchess of Devonshire's magnificent ball is an event to be numbered among those of the past, signs are not wanting to show that the London season, which has indeed been a brilliant and successful one, is drawing to a close. Society folks are feeling more or less the ill effects of a little too much festivity, and are rushing off in search of the rest and quiet they so sorely need. But to return to the Duchess's ball, to preach against the expenditure to which it led is extremely short-sighted. Such an entertainment gives an impetus to every kind of trade, for not only are many different stuffs brought into requisition, but a great deal of labour is employed in embroideries, while a considerable amount of special work was given to the jewellers, as well as to the costumiers and dressmakers, who might otherwise (what with the number of subscriptions which have been the feature of the season) have fared rather badly.

On 31 July 1897, the Burnley Express published this poem about the ball written by a Willie Bell; I see no evidence that he was a guest at the ball:

Devonshire, the fair imperious beauty, gave command
The portals of her house be opened wide,
And at her charmed word from every land
And every age the great might step inside.
All England’s best nobility obeyed,
Eager to gaze upon the wondrous scene:
To touch, perchance, the pompadour’s brocade,
Or, happier still, before our future queen
To tread some old-world measure to its close.
Ladies and macaronis bend and sway
In diamond buckle and in silken hose,
Brilliant as roses on a summer day.

Few ladies could have given such a dance;
Few palaces might such a gathering hold;
For mark the fair Zenobia’s slow advance,
In flash of diamond and in glare of gold.
She called an old-world fashion to her aid.
One heard the Link boys crying through the Mall,
Whilst Chloe, in her powder and brocade,
Heard faint afar the French horns at Vauxhall.

Here political foes, unconstrained and free,
Beneath the splendour of their gay attire;
Whilst music soft as o’er summer lea
Breathed out the old-world airs we still admire,
And beauty whispered, “’Tis a wondrous ball,”
And eyes were bright as glittering jewels round.
Ah! Honi soit qui mal y pense, didst see
The jeweled garter lying on the ground.

Good Cupid, in and out the winding dance,
Sent many an arrow to sheathe in beauty’s breast,
Whilst eyes met eyes in many an amorous glance,
And jewels heaved where love himself might rest.
See where Elizabeth, with her hair of gold,
In quilted skirt and ruffles, bends her gaze
Upon our modern maidens proud and cold,
But beautiful as those of other days.

It was a great, a grand, a glorious scene;
The lights gleamed like December’s frosty moon,
And flowers flashed from fern fronds cool and green
In all the glory of a tropic June.
We saw the courtly minuet and heard
The slow and witching music of old Spain.
Duchess, this ball the greatest was, I ween,
Within the sixty years of record reign.

Willie Bell.
60, York-road, London.

On 25 November 1897 in the Devon and Exeter Gazette, "Our Ladies’ Column" says that fancy-dress balls are back in fashion because of the success of the Duchess of Devonshire's. The photograph of Alexandra, Princess of Wales, may have been the one taken by Lafayette, or perhaps there was another one?

The Duchess of Devonshire's historic ball is to be repeated on a smaller scale at that given by the Duchess of Buckingham and Chandos and Lord Egerton and Tatton at their country seat very shortly. Indeed, this form of entertainment has obtained such an impetus from the success of the one at Devonshire House, that there will be two or three very important ones given during the coming season.

The photographs of the Princess of Wales, in the costume she wore at the Duchess's ball, are now being exhibited, and are charming.

The Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald reported on some ways in which the costumes reflected current fashion, or perhaps influenced it?

The fancy ball at Devonshire House accentuated the present fashions in a remarkable manner, almost every dress having some feature prominent to-day. There were the ruffles, fichu, gold blonde, veiling muslin of Marie Antoinette; Elizabethan collar and jewelled tablier, of 300 years ago; and even an Assyrian costume, copied from a vase in the British Museum, might, with a few modern touches, have been worn at a conventional small-and-early this season. Then the shoulder ruff and frilled short sleeves are the newest things out, although worn by our great grandmothers. The broad difference lies in our avoidance of extravagances and in our power of adaptation. It is an adaptable age. Happily so.

Production of The White Heather at the Drury Lane Theatre in London

As early as 12 July, 10 days after the ball, rumors began to appear about people selling their costumes: "According the Westminster Gazette there is a wicked rumour that more than one great lady who shone in splendour at the Duchess Devonshire's fancy ball is selling her finery to the manager of a certain popular theatre where a rather georgeous [sic] production due some little time hence." This same story also appeared on the same day, 12 July 1897, in the Lancashire Daily Post as well as in the Dundee Evening Telegraph on the next day.

On Saturday, 31 July 1897, The Queen reported details about the production itself, not just about the costumes reused or copied:

In September Drury Lane re-opens with the new spectacular drama by Mr Henry Hamilton and Mr Cecil Raleigh, and every effort is being made to make the new melodrama, practically the first presented here since the death of Sir Augustus Harris, an exceptionally fine production. Certainly the "sets" promise well, for, besides a Scotch moor over which certain of the characters are to be seen bagging game, we are to see a panic in Capel Court, Boulter's Lock on a Sunday afternoon, and a fancy dress ball representative of the Duchess of Devonshire's recent great function. A very fine cast has been engaged, including Mrs John Wood, Miss Kate Rorke, Miss Beatrice Lamb, Mr Henry Neville, and, possibly, Mr Weedon Grossmith.

The London Daily News reports on Thursday, 26 August 1897, on the bargaining for the costumes for Arthur Collins' Drury Lane production. This article is almost exactly identical to one published the same day by the St. James's Gazette:

Some of the ladies (according to the "Daily News") whose costumes, worn at the Duchess of Devonshire's historic and fancy ball, are to form part of the reproduction of that event in the forthcoming Drury Lane play, are intent on driving such hard bargains for them that there is considerable pause in the proceedings. Those of the gentlemen have been arranged for without difficulty. The ladies are apparently desirous of effecting the oft-quoted feat of eating their cake and yet having it.

The London Daily News appears to have the original article for this news about originals and replicas of costumes worn in the Drury Lane production, although the St. James's Gazette for the same date has the identical story:

The costume worn by the Prince of Wales at the Devonshire House fancy ball has been copied, by his Royal Highness's permission, for the ball scene in "The White Heather," at Drury Lane. Several others are replicas, but the following are among the original costumes: The Elizabethan dresses worn by Prince Christian, the Duke of Fife, the Duke of Roxburghe, Lord Tweedmouth, and by Lady Tweedmouth as Queen Elizabeth; the Catherine of Russia costume in which Lady Raincliffe appeared, and other dresses of the same period worn by Prince Henry of Pless and the Hon. Cecil Lambton; the Venetian robes assumed by Mrs. W. H. Grenfell and Mr. W. G. Peel; Mr. Joseph Chamberlain's Louis XVI. costume, and Sir Horace Farquhar's "Dutch gentleman of the 17th century." Lord Edward Cecil's attire as a courtier of Charles I. is also to be seen on the stage of Old Drury, as well as the Earl of Shrewsbury's "Courtier of Louis XV." and Lord Edmond Fitzmaurice's "Courtier of the Empress Marie Thérèse." Lady Gerard's beautiful attire in the character of "Night," Lady Wilbraham's Peg Woffington, Lady Ribblesdale's Duchess of Parma, Lady Alice Montagu's Juliet, Lady Magheramorne's Louis XV. Court dress, and Lady Cynthia Graham's Queen of Sheba, are all worn in the great ball scene with which the play closes.

The Dundee Evening Telegraph is among the papers reprinting or reporting part of this story.

Thus, some of the costumes copied were the following:

• The Prince of Wales's, with his permission
• "Several others"

Some of the costumes were actually the originals, including those worn by the following people:

• Prince Christian
• the Duke of Fife
• the Duke of Roxburghe
• Lord Tweedmouth
• Lady Tweedmouth
• Lady Raincliffe
• Prince Henry of Pless
• the Hon. Cecil Lambton
• Mrs. W. H. Grenfell
• Mr. W. G. Peel
• Mr. Joseph Chamberlain
• Sir Horace Farquhar
• Lord Edward Cecil
• Earl of Shrewsbury
• Lord Edmond Fitzmaurice
• Lady Gerard
• Lady Wilbraham
• Lady Ribblesdale
• Lady Alice Montagu
• Lady Magheramorne
• Lady Cynthia Graham
• Earl of Leicester
• (Queen Elizabeth)
• (Marie Stuart)

Writing for The Graphic, Lady Violet Greville addresses the idea of women selling or allowing someone to copy their dresses in her column "Place Aux Dames":

The idea of using some of the real dresses, or at any rate, the exact counterparts of those worn at the Duchess of Devonshire's ball, in the new autumn drama at Drury Lane, seems a curiously democratic idea. It shows the love of publicity that prevails now, for a former beauty would as soon have allowed an actress to copy or wear her own gown as have offered her comb and brush for public use. One of the principal conditions made by a lady of position to her dressmaker used to be that she was never to make a replica of her gowns, and I have known ladies leave a milliner because she disobeyed these stringent orders. Originality is one of the elements of beauty, and her clothes are as much a part of the well-dressed woman herself as her hair or her complexion. Therefore, each one thought out her own style, colour, and cut, and generally adhered to it. A few still affect some speciality about their toilette, such as a peculiar scent, or a favourite flower, just as the Duchess of Portland is never to be seen without her Malmaison carnations (even men sometimes wear only one sort of buttonhole,), but by degrees a terrible tameness is creeping over all things, and the most beautiful and exclusive of her sex rarely cares to distinguish herself from her commoner sisters. It is a pity, for one of the chief adjuncts to a pretty woman is her individuality, and where that special note is lost the sense of monotony is rapidly produced.

The Drury Lane closed, and the Dundee Courier reported on 30 August 1897 that it would reopen on 16 September with The White Heather:

The date of the reopening of Drury Lane Theatre with "White Heather" has been altered to 16th September. There is a widespread rumour to the effect that in the Stock Exchange scene which forms part of the play several well-known members of that eminent body will be personated. This, and the fact that one scene will be a replica, so far as the costumes are concerned, of the Duchess of Devonshire's famous ball ought to make the play a popular one.

Stories and reviews of the actual performance are on the timeline for 16 September 1897.

Princess Victoria's Dress

On 2 August 1897, the Dundee Evening Telegraph reported that the Princess of Wales gave permission for her dress to be copied for the production:

It is said that the Princess of Wales has given Mr Collins written permission to reproduce in the forthcoming Drury Lane drama the fancy costume which Her Royal Highness wore at the Duchess of Devonshire’s Jubilee ball. Hitherto Mr Collins has in some quarters found some hesitation on the part of noble ladies to land their dresses to be copied. There will now, of course, be no difficulty at all, and, indeed, in several instances Mr Collins will secure the actual costumes.

I see no evidence that Alexandra did in fact sell her dress and it seems as of 30 October 1897 in the Cheltenham Looker-On that he could not "obtain a dress from Marlborough House."

On 12 October 1897, the Dundee Evening Telegraph reported that Princess Victoria of Wales (the 2nd daughter and 4th child of the Prince and Princess of Wales) would not sell hers:

There is a good story about the Princess Victoria of Wales and the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy dress ball about which the smart world raved in the summer. The Princess was, like many other distinguished ladies, approached with respectful inducements to sell the dress she wore at the ball to the manager of a theatre. The reply was lovely. The Princess did not, she explained, feel inclined to sell the dress for two reasons. First of all, it would make a beautiful tea-gown, and then if she did sell the gown she would not herself get the money.

On 30 October 1897, the Cheltenham Looker-On also reported that Princess Victoria would not sell her costume:

Enormous sums of money are lavished upon stage dresses in hopes of attracting ladies to the stall and boxes, but in vain. To such patronesses fine clothes are not novelty, as they have had all their wishes gratified to the fullest extent since their first appearance at Court, and good taste would forbid them copying stage toilettes. The enterprising stage manager who bought up so many of the dresses worn at the Duchess of Devonshire's Ball had one crumpled roseleaf to bear. It he could but obtain a dress from Marlborough House then would all be well. Interest was made with a lady of the Court to sound Princess Victoria on the subject. She was amused, not displeased, but refused, saying that if she sold it the money would not come to her, and as the dress was it made a lovely tea gown. For even a Princess has a fixed sum allowed her for wardrobe expenses, and a certain illustrious person in authority forbids settle- [12, Col. 2C/ 13, Col. 1A] ments of accounts to be deferred beyond one calendar month.

More and Later Aftereffects of the Ball

According to the Leeds Times on 23 October 1897, Father Adderly preached a sermon "denouncing the extravagance at the Duchess of Devonshire's ball. Possibly Father Adderly was in London, as he held a prayer meeting "in a High Church and fashionable fane [sic] in the heart of Mayfair on behalf of those engaged in the engineers' strike."

The "Special London Correspondent" for the Western Daily Press had advice for people attending fancy-dress parties at Christmas:

Fancy costume is always pretty at Christmas time, and this winter it will be even more popular than usual, owing to the success of the Duchess of Devonshire's grand fancy dress ball. The period of the French Revolution, when the merveilleuses excited such attention, is always a becoming and popular one for fancy dress costumes, and there are few women who cannot succeed in finding a pretty costume about this period. It is wiser to select a character not too hackneyed, and when once the costume has been chosen use all your best energies to get it absolutely correct in all the details. Many women are apt to fancy these small details do not tell, but, believe me these are the points which are of the most vital importance, and either make or mar the success of the costume. Powdered hair always enhances the charm of fancy dress, and, if carefully done, is not nearly the trouble which so many imagine to be the case.

The Prince of Wales had a miniature of himself in the costume he wore to the ball painted by the miniaturist Miss Amelie Küssner: according to the Dundee Evening Telegraph, in December of the same year as the ball, "Miss Amelie Küssner, the fashionable miniaturist, used to charge £100 per commission but since she painted the Prince of Wales in the dress he wore at the Devonshire fancy ball she has had to raise her terms to £200."

A color portrait of the Princess of Wales in the costume she wore at the fancy-dress ball appeared in the December 1898 Ladies' Pictorial. The fact that it was in color suggests that possibly this is not the portrait taken by Lafayette for the album:

With the Christmas number of the "Ladies' Pictorial" has been given a very beautiful portrait of the Princess of Wales in the fancy dress that her Royal Highness wore at the Duchess of Devonshire's great fancy ball last year. It is a splendid example of colour-printing, the tints being subdued and yet pure and glowing.

A gallery showing of west-of-England painters included the work of the "widely admired" "H. A. Stock, who has represented one or two of the personages taking part in the Devonshire House fancy dress ball." At the 32nd Exhibition of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water-Colours that opened 12 March 1898, a Mr. Stocks exhibited a "portrait of a well-known society lady in the costume she wore at the Devonshire House fancy dress ball." (This same report of the exhibition was printed in the Diss Express, in Norfolk.)

A party at Blenheim Palace, home of the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, in January 1898 used some of the costumes worn at the ball for a tableau:

Dramatic entertainments in aid of the restoration fund of Woodstock Parish church were given on Thursday afternoon and evening in the long library at Blenheim palace. The first portion of the entertainment consisted of a series of tableaux, in which whose who took part included the Duchess of Marlborough, Lady Sarah Wilson, Lord Chesterfield, Lord Churchill, Lord and Lady Curzon, Lady Blandford, Ladies Lilian and Norah Spencer Churchill, the Hon. Mrs. A. Bourke, Mr. and Mrs. Henry White, and Mr. H. Milner. Except in two cases the tableaux were of historical character, and they were picturesquely portrayed. Many of the costumes were those worn at the Devonshire house fancy ball last June.

A shorter version of this article was published by Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper.

By the end of May 1901, Lady Granby is reported to be sitting for a bust in her costume:

Those who admired Mr. George Frampton’s beautiful “Lamia” when it was shown at the Royal Academy last year will be interested to learn that he is engaged on another bust which he intends to treat in a somewhat similar way. It is a portrait of the Marchioness of Granby, who is represented with the quaint and attractive costume and head-dress of the Eighteenth Century which she wore at the Devonshire House fancy dress ball of 1897. In the “Lamia” the face and neck were executed in ivory, but ivory has its limitations, and Mr. Frampton is not sure yet if he will be able to use it in Lady Granby’s bust. Should ivory be impossible he will use marble instead, but in any case the head-dress and draperies will be of silver and gold, and the result in the hands of an artist of such exceptional accomplishment promises to be of unusual interest. Mr. Frampton is the only sculptor to whom Lady Granby has given sittings, but painters have been more fortunate, as the canvases of Mr. Watts and Mr. J. J. Shannon, among others, testify.

Two Years Later

Two years later, the ball was still a successful joke in a music hall in Sydney, Australia, as an advertisement in London’s The Era reports: Peggy Pryde was on the program at the Grand Charity Matinée at Her Majesty's Theatre in Sydney:

when she reached the line — "Talk about the Duchess of Devonshire’s fancy-dress ball; no class, my dear, no class," she winked her merry eyes towards the vice-regal box, where Lady Hampden and her distinguished party were beaming on her fun.

Also, the Diamond Jubilee Fancy Dress Ball album of portraits given by some of the people who attended as a hostess gift to the Duchess of Devonshire is dated 1899.

Newspapers Reporting on the Ball

The longest articles about the ball are quite substantial, and some of them were reprinted by other newspapers (see Scissors-and-Paste Journalism, below). The newspapers that published the longest articles are listed below. The longest articles have been very useful for establishing the greatest number of the people who attended and what a generally limited subset of those people wore. Smaller, local newspapers have been useful in a different way because they typically focus their articles on local aristocrats and celebrities, providing detail about the presence and costumes of those outside that limited subset.

These are the longest original articles (as best as can be determined):

1. “The Duchess of Devonshire’s Ball.” The Gentlewoman 10 July 1897 Saturday: 32–42 [of 76], Cols. 1a–3c [of 3]. British Newspaper Archive https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003340/18970710/155/0032. Word count: 8,489.
2. "Fancy Dress Ball at Devonshire House." Morning Post Saturday 3 July 1897: 7 [of 12], Col. 4a–8 Col. 2b. British Newspaper Archive https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000174/18970703/054/0007. Word count: 7,719.
3. “Historic Ball at Devonshire House. Brilliant Scene.” The Daily Telegraph 3 July 1897, Saturday: 9 [of 14], Col. 6a–7c [of 7]. British Newspaper Archive  https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001112/18970703/094/0009. Word count: 7673 words.
4. “The Ball at Devonshire House. Magnificent Spectacle. Description of the Dresses.” London Evening Standard 3 July 1897 Saturday: 3 [of 12], Cols. 1a–5b [of 7]. British Newspaper Archive https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000183/18970703/015/0004. Word count: 7,048.
5. "Ball at Devonshire House." The Times Saturday 3 July 1897: 12, Cols. 1a–4c The Times Digital Archive. Web. 28 Nov. 2015. Word count: 5,675.
6. “Ball at Devonshire House.” London Evening Mail 05 July 1897 Monday: 8 [of 8], Col. 1a–4c [of 6]. British Newspaper Archive https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003187/18970705/070/0008. Word count: 5,635.
7. "Duchess of Devonshire's Fancy Ball. A Brilliant Spectacle. Some of the Dresses." London Daily News Saturday 3 July 1897: 5 [of 10], Col. 6a–6, Col. 1b. British Newspaper Archive https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000051/18970703/024/0005 and https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000051/18970703/024/0006. Word count: 3,676.
8. “The Duchess’s Costume Ball.” Westminster Gazette 03 July 1897 Saturday: 5 [of 8], Cols. 1a–3b [of 3]. British Newspaper Archive https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002947/18970703/035/0005. Word count: 2,959.

The articles in the Gentlewoman, the Graphic (two articles, 1,814 words in the longest) and the Queen also printed illustrations; the Gentlewoman printed around 200 line drawings of the costumes, the Queen about XX line drawings, many by "Rook," and the Graphic photographs as well as drawings.

The Gentlewoman and the Queen were sometimes the only newspapers printing descriptions of the costumes of some perhaps less newsworthy people. See, for example, Miss Helen Hay and Lady Doreen Long. Truth often used original language and sometimes covered people not usually covered in other newspapers.

The article in Henry Labouchere's Truth (2,340 words) appears to be an instance of a column called "Girls' Gossip," and it is written a little bit as if it were in fact one girl to another. It begins,

DEAREST AMY, — The historic and fancy ball at Devonshire House outshone, as the moon the stars, every other social event of the week. I must try to describe some of the dresses for you, and am sending a sheaf of newspapers from which you will gather some idea of the splendour of the occasion. In tissue of silver and cloth of gold, and richly jewelled from head to foot, stood the stately Zenobia, Duchess of Devonshire, at the head of her marble stairway, to receive her guests of all the ages: queens who had stepped out of history to grace the scene, queens from the idyllic stories of the long ago, queens from ancient Persia and Abyssinia, and queens from Fairyland. Was not Titania there herself, with glittering wings and lily-wand? And the beautiful fair-haired queen, before whom all bent and performed obeisance as she passed, fair Marguerite de Valois, in gleaming snowy satin and high lace collar, with silver-lined train of cloth of gold, was she not our own Princess, the Queen of Hearts?

Alexandra, Princess of Wales is the Queen of Hearts, in costume as Marguerite de Valois. The column directly mentions Monsieur Alias, the costumier

Herr von André was a splendid Benvenuto Cellini in brown and crimson, a perfect triumph of M. Alias's art. In fact, it was owing to the studious research and historical accuracy displayed by this clever costumier that so many of the dresses were so realistically pictorial. Alias dressed the Prince of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Connaught, Duke of York, Prince Christian, Lord Lathom, and about a hundred other great ones of our island for the occasion.

The column ends by returning to this more personal-sounding voice:

I have no space to tell you of any more, but you may possibly gather some idea of the splendour of the ball from these scanty notes about the gowns and jewels.

Scissors-and-Paste Journalism

We can see some of the ways newspapers were connected to each other by the ways in which the stories were repeated. Usually the reports in larger papers associated with metropolitan areas, typically but not always London, were repeated and edited slightly in smaller newspapers published for a small city, county or region outside of London. Often, the editing would have the effect of emphasizing a local aristocrat, picking them out of the stream of generally prominent peers.

Catherine Feely’s entry in The Dictionary of Nineteenth Century Journalism in Great Britain and Northern Ireland defines scissors-and-paste journalism like this:

A contemporary term, often used pejoratively, for the widespread practice of excerpting from or recyling of articles from other publications, this term actually covered a number of different editorial strategies, ranging from agreed syndication* to unacknowledged piracy. A staple newsgathering technique of provincial* newspapers, which often filled their pages with stories from national papers in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, 'scissors-and-paste' became a favourite tool of the radical un-stamped* press in the 1820s and 1830s. [asterisks refer to other articles in the dictionary]

This is a dictionary entry and thus quite general, so it is necessary to complexity a few of the assumptions. The direction from London to the “provincials” is not nearly so simple, and the notion of national newspapers in the 19th century is contested: the Times as well as several others claimed to be national, but they might more accurately be described as metropolitan London newspapers, which made them sometimes more general but rarely anything other newspaper to the London region. Also, by the end of the century copyright laws had changed and syndication increased (but become more expensive), complexifying the relationships between papers further.

Some important scholarship on this topic:

• Cordell, Ryan. "Viral textuality in nineteenth-century US newspaper exchanges." Virtual Victorians: Networks, Connections, Technologies. New York: Palgrave Macmillan US, 2015. 29–56.
• Joshi, Priti. Empire News: The Anglo-Indian Press Writes India. SUNY, 2021.
• Joshi, Priti. "Scissos-and-Paste: Ephemerality and Memorialization in the Archive of Indian Newspapers." Amodern 7: Ephemera and Ephemerality December 2017: https://amodern.net/article/scissors-and-paste/.
• Nicholson, Bob. "‘You Kick the Bucket; We Do the Rest!’: Jokes and the Culture of Reprinting in the Transatlantic Press." Journal of Victorian Culture 17.3 (2012): 273-286.
• Pigeon, Stephan. Scissors-and-paste: The labour, law, and practice of circulating journalism in the British newspaper and periodical press, 1842-1911. McGill University (Canada), 2021.
• Pigeon, Stephan. "Steal it, Change it, Print it: Transatlantic Scissors-and-Paste Journalism in the Ladies’ Treasury, 1857–1895." Journal of Victorian Culture 22.1 (2017): 24–39.
• Slauter, Will. Who Owns the News? A History of Copyright. Stanford UP, 2019.

Case Study of Reports of the Ball

This discussion below is not complete but the beginnings of a collection of data about the scissors-and-paste journalism on the Duchess of Devonshire's ball, as a case study.

Separate from the ur-articles that were reprinted in shorter, edited form here and there, there must have been an extensive but not complete list of all the costumes, as those descriptions are repeated again and again. Some of that repetition must certainly be scissors-and-paste editing, but it also seems likely there was a list from someone that somehow got sent to more than one newspaper at the same time. For example, perhaps the descriptions of the costumes printed in the Times and the Pall Mall Gazette were versions of each other, or perhaps editors of both papers got the same list, and their stories either were reprinted in scissors-and-paste journalism or based on the same list, either some or all of them. Without a copy of that list, it is impossible to know.

London Daily News

The 3 July 1897 story in the London Daily News looks to be one of the ur-articles that many papers reprinted in a more-or-less-edited form, depending on the paper. The papers that seem to have published versions very close to what was published in the London Daily News, included the Carlisle Patriot, the St. James's Gazette, the Western Gazette, the Belfast News-letter, the Dundee Evening Telegraph, the Lincolnshire Echo, and the Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald.

• The story in the Belfast News-letter, one of the major, lengthy stories, appears to be identical to, except longer than?, the story in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph. Also, this article and the one in the London Daily News have chunks that are identically worded. The description of the family of the Duchess of Roxburghe in the Belfast News-Letter, for example, appears to be identical to, except longer than?, the story in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph. Also, this article and the one in the London Daily News have chunks that are identically worded. The Belfast News-Letter is the only paper to say the Duchess of Roxburghe was dressed as Queen Elizabeth, which is not correct, so they are not identical.
• “A Magnificent Spectacle.” Lincolnshire Echo 3 July 1897, Saturday: 2 [of 4], Col. 5A–B.[1] Actual word count: 680.
• "The Duchess of Devonshire's Fancy Dress Ball. Splendid Scene.” Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald 10 July 1897, Saturday: 2 [of 8], Col. 7B–8A.[2] Actual word count: 2089.
• The London Daily News reports on Thursday, 26 August 1897, on the bargaining for the costumes for Arthur Collins' Drury Lane production. This article is almost exactly identical to one published the same day by the St. James's Gazette:

  Some of the ladies (according to the "Daily News") whose costumes, worn at the Duchess of Devonshire's historic and fancy ball, are to form part of the reproduction of that event in the forthcoming Drury Lane play, are intent on driving such hard bargains for them that there is considerable pause in the proceedings. Those of the gentlemen have been arranged for without difficulty. The ladies are apparently desirous of effecting the oft-quoted feat of eating their cake and yet having it.

  The Daily News article says "often-quoted," but the differences in the articles are negligible and likely just a matter of editing. The Dundee Evening Telegraph is among the papers reprinting or reporting part of this story.
• The description of Rachel, Countess of Dudley as Queen Esther in the Belfast News-Letter appears to be identical to, except longer than?, the story in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph. Also, this article and the one in the London Daily Newshave chunks that are identically worded.
• The story in the Western Gazette (2, Col. 7B) is almost identical to the description in the Carlisle Patriot, including the very distinct first sentence, though the Western Gazette story is longer.
• The description of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales: <quote>The Prince of Wales, as Grand Master of the Knights Hospitallers of Malta, wore a doublet of black brocaded velvet, with the white cross of the Order on the breast, and trunks of black satin slashed with grey. The sword handle, in the form of a cross, was jewelled, and the Order of St. John of Jerusalem was worn.</quote> This description from the Western Gazette is almost identical to that of the first sentence in the Carlisle Patriot.
• The first sentence of this Belfast News-Letter article is identical to the story in the Carlisle Patriot: "Anne of Austria, in a superb cream satin gown, brocaded in raised velvet leaves in delicate hues of fawn and green. This was turned back with rich gold embroidery to show a petticoat of white satin, worked over in gold fleur-de-lys. The stomacher was encrusted with jewels, and there was a high lace collar and a low crown in the hair."
• The description of Daisy, Princess Henry of Pless's costume in the Belfast News-Letter (5, Col. 9c) is almost identical to the one in the Carlisle Patriot through the description of the robe but not the headdress.

• A 2 July 1897 story in the London Daily News was also reprinted elsewhere.
• The article in the London Daily News about the Marchioness of Londonderry's use of local artisans to make all the materials for the costumes in the Marie Thérèse quadrille is repeated exactly a week later by the Peterhead Sentinel.

Other Newspapers

• The Times and the Leicester Chronicle and Leicestershire Mercury have one distinctive phrase in common in their description of the Duke of Devonshire's costume. The Times article says it like this: Duke of Devonshire was dressed "in the dress of Charles V — the Hapsburgs and the Cavendishes are curiously alike in feature — and wearing a genuine collar and badge of the Golden Fleece, lent him by the Prince of Wales." The Leicester Chronicle and Leicestershire Mercury have it like this: "At the head of the staircase stood the Duke of Devonshire, in the dress of Charles V. — the Hapsburgs and the Cavendishes are curiously alike in feature — and wearing a genuine collar and badge of the Golden Fleece, lent him by the Prince of Wales."(11, 4A)
• The Times description of the costume of Rachel, Countess of Dudley as Queen Esther is almost identical through the hem of the skirt to the story in the Carlisle Patriot. The description of Arthur Balfour is almost identical in the Times and the Carlisle Patriot as well.
• Sometimes the Carlisle Patriot reprints stories that might have originated in the London Daily News.
• A story about the wife of a brewer who was advised to go to the ball as Beersheba was repeated. The longer version was in the Portsmouth Evening News on 28 July 1897 and the shorter in the Staffordshire Advertiser on 30 October 1897.
• These two stories, from the Sheffield Daily Telegraph and London Evening Standard about an altercation between two people and two constables are very similar.
• Rumors about people selling their costumes appeared in very similar form in 3 newspapers: "According the Westminster Gazette there is a wicked rumour that more than one great lady who shone in splendour at the Duchess Devonshire's fancy ball is selling her finery to the manager of a certain popular theatre where a rather georgeous [sic] production due some little time hence." This same story also appeared on the same day, 12 July 1897, in the Lancashire Daily Post as well as in the Dundee Evening Telegraph on the next day. (The Lancashire Daily Post is called the Lancashire Evening Post now by the British Newspaper Archive.)
• A party at Blenheim Palace, home of the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, in January 1898 used some of the costumes worn at the ball for a tableau:

  Dramatic entertainments in aid of the restoration fund of Woodstock Parish church were given on Thursday afternoon and evening in the long library at Blenheim palace. The first portion of the entertainment consisted of a series of tableaux, in which whose who took part included the Duchess of Marlborough, Lady Sarah Wilson, Lord Chesterfield, Lord Churchill, Lord and Lady Curzon, Lady Blandford, Ladies Lilian and Norah Spencer Churchill, the Hon. Mrs. A. Bourke, Mr. and Mrs. Henry White, and Mr. H. Milner. Except in two cases the tableaux were of historical character, and they were picturesquely portrayed. Many of the costumes were those worn at the Devonshire house fancy ball last June.

  A shorter version of this St. James's Gazette article (minus the part beginning with "Ladies Lilian" and ending with "picturesquely portrayed") was published by Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper.
• At the 32nd Exhibition of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water-Colours that opened 12 March 1898, a Mr. Stocks exhibited a "portrait of a well-known society lady in the costume she wore at the Devonshire House fancy dress ball." (This same report of the exhibition was printed in Dundee Advertiser (quoted here) and the Diss Express, in Norfolk.)

Saved Versions

• "The Duchess of Devonshire's Fancy Dress Ball. Special Telegram." The Belfast News-Letter Saturday, 3 July 1897
• "The Devonshire House Ball" in The Graphic, written by Lady Violet Greville
• "“The Duchess’s Costume Ball," in the Westminster Gazette, made up of 5 parts: "A Magnificent Sight. [By One Who Was There.]," "Fly's Ball and Grasshopper's Feast. [From Another Representative]," "Scenes at the British Museum" (from the Times), "The Various 'Courts'" (also from the Times), "Passing before the Royal Group" (from the Telegraph), and "What the Processions Were Like" (reprinting the Queen Elizabeth Procession from the Morning Post)

Questions and Notes

1. Follow up Western in the 3rd bullet in "Scissors-and-Paste Journalism." The citation that needs to be fixed is in the description of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales's costume.