Sherry Party
I am still looking for ways to celebrate 110 years of Ginner-Mawer.
Several people have commented that a meet-up would be nice. While it is a good idea, I don’t have the energy to organise anything, or at least nothing big. However, yesterday, while deep in to my Miss Mawer research, I came across a fun idea. (To be read with tongue placed firmly in cheek, or ???)
The Ginner-Mawer School produced a newsletter. At different times it had different names and different formats. In the early 1930s it was called The Link. Much of the information came from and was about the ‘Old Girls’. Old Girls being former students, of course. The April 1931 edition recounted one of the social events held by the Old Girls Club, in honour of their ‘Chiefs’ (Miss Mawer and Miss Ginner). The event in question was a sherry party!
It was held on a Sunday (15 January), in Miss Ginner’s flat.
I believe the School would have been in the Philbeach Hall at this point. (Philbeach Gardens, Earls Court, London, SW5)
I had never heard of a sherry party before, and assumed it was just a one-off. However, a quick web search revealed that it was a ‘thing’, in the same way that a ‘tea party’, or a ‘cocktail party’ are ‘things’. Much of the following information is taken from the Guardian newspaper, originally issued on 8 February 1936 and re-issued on 8 February 2010.)
A sherry party is an intimate gathering of people, with the aim of consumption and enjoyment of sherry. Usually, the sherry would be paired with tapas (small, savoury Spanish dishes). Guests would engage in relaxed conversations about the wine.
Sherry parties are intended to be places for mingling, sharing ideas, and discussing the nuances of sherry, and its pairing with the food. Apparently, it was not unusual to be asked to two on the same day, they were so popular (or maybe that’s just me, lol).
Why were sherry parties popular? Well, according to the internet, sherry glasses take up less room than cups of tea, of course! “Further, if one does not sit down to tea, it is almost impossible to eat and drink while balancing a cup of tea and a saucer and at the same time conveying cream cake to one’s mouth. ” And “Finally, the sherry party brings more men. It is later than tea and can be well fitted into the gap between tea and dinner. Men can come after six, and the difference is great between the former tea party of one sex and the later sherry party of the two.” I bet is it!
So, who’s up for a sherry party, then? Ha ha ha, only joking. But I do like the idea of a small, informal gathering to celebrate the 110th anniversary in 2026. Perhaps somewhere central in the UK? Afternoon tea, perhaps, sherry optional? Any ideas for where? I don’t have the energy to plan a performance event, but if someone else would like to do it, I would love that.
(As an aside, I have been in touch with the Royal Albert Hall, which is where Ginner-Mawer began. There are tours inside the building, and, separately, of the Archive, with the possibility of a bespoke one. I don’t know costs. For a formal event, rooms can be booked, but often get booked up 3 – 5 years in advance. That isn’t something I have the energy to undertake, but am happy for someone else to do it if they would like to.)
In general, though, the thought of a mini-meet-up sounds appealing. Please let me know (email/Messenger/comments, etc). Thanks.
