Yellow sets the fashion

Posted on July 18, 2006

Eaton Bray WI held a themed yellow colour evening, and demonstrated some very original decorative ideas on hats and dresses. The evening raised money for the Pasque Hospice, which the group has supported for a number of years.

Business was kept to a minimum, and details were finalised for a members and friends' day trip to Stratford on Avon in August. Dates were noted of various other outings and activities during the summer.

The guest speaker was Mr Parry, who gave a very insteredting talk on "Paxton and the Great Exhibition".

Paxton designed the Crystal Palace building, which stodd in Hyde Park and housed the great exhibition of 1851.

He was a "local lad", born in Milton Bryan of humble origins, who rose to great heights in the Victorian age.

The Duke of Devonshire invited him to manage and develop the gardens at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, which included designing a model village for the estate workers.

It is said that a greenhouse was the inspiration for the Crystal Palace with the original drawing doodled on a piece of blotting paper!

All that remains in Hyde Park of the Crystal Palace are the entrance gates. A fire destroyed the building in 1936.

Eaton Bray WI's next meeting is on Monday September 4 at 7.30pm in the village hall. New members and friends are always welcome.

Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer, 18 July 2006