Nanteos Book
Fancy Dress Ball held at Nanteos
Aberystwyth Observer 1875
Saturday September 11 1875
The generous hospitality of Colonel Powell is justly famed throughout the County and indeed beyond its boundaries. Pleasurable anticipations were in consequence generally rife when it became known that he was about to give a fancy dress ball at Nanteos, the reminiscences of past enjoyment there making the announcement highly welcome to the wide circle of Colonel Powell’s friends.
The ball was held on Thursday evening, and was one of the most brilliant gatherings that has ever been witnessed in Cardiganshire, the elite of the County being assembled under Colonel Powell’s roof.
The invitations were issued some weeks ago, in order to allow of an interval for the preparations of the costumes. The result on Thursday evening was a scene of the most animated and picturesque characters, the ball being thoroughly enjoyed by all who were present.
The guests began to arrive shortly after nine o’clock, carriage after carriage depositing its “bevy of beauty” at the mansion. The drive from the lodge to the hall door was illuminated by a series of coloured lamps, their lights producing highly lurid effects amid the dense foliage.
On arriving at Nanteos, the company were received in the morning room by Colonel Powell, who was attired “to the life as an old Chelsea veteran, duly furnished with a crutch, and decorated with medals. Communicating with this apartment was the library, which served as a withdrawing room, and from thence access was gained to the dining room, which was fitted up as a salon de danse.The large window was covered with the flag of the Royal Irish Yacht Club, and here the musicians were stationed. The band of the Leicestershire Militia, in which Captain Phelp holds a commission, played the dance music admirably, under the leadership of Bandmaster Nichols, fully sustaining their reputation as one of the best bands in the country. Dancing was commenced at about half – past nine o’clock, the following being the programme: -
1 Quadrille . . . . La Belle Helene
2 Valse . . . . . Journalisten
3. Galop . . . . . Cherry Ripe
4 Lancers . . . . Original
5 Valse . . . . . Silver Wedding
6 Galop . . . . . Bohemian
7 Valse . . . . . Manola
8 Quadrille . . . . Pres St. Gervais
9 Valse . . . . . Consortein
10 Valse . . . . . Die Fledermaus
11 Lancers . . . . Knight of St. Patrick
12 Valse. . . . . . Doctrinen
13 Galop . . . . . Fox Hunters
14 Valse . . . . . Tout a Vous
15 Quaddrille . . . . La fille de Madame Angot
16 Valse . . . . . Promotionen
17 Galop . . . . . Wirr Warr
18 Valse . . . . . Vergissmeinnicht
19 Lancers . . . . Lord of Lorne
20 Valse . . . . . Blue Danube
21 Galop . . . . . Imitation
Among those present were: -
Colonel Powell, Nanteos (Chelsea Pensioner); Captain Phelp, Nanteos (Uniform Leicester Militia); Colonel Pryse, Gogerddan (Uniform of Lord – Lieutenant of the County); Mrs. Holford, Papillon Hall (Barrister); Miss Loveden, Gogerddan (“Mr. Plimsoll’s Protest”); Miss Entwhistle (a Lancashire witch); Mr. A. J. Soden Corbet, Ynys-y-Maengwyn (a Courtier of the time of Louis XIII); Mr. C. Elliot (Uniform of Lieutenant Royal Naval Reserve); Mr. John Vaughan, Llangoedmore (Ne Perce Chief); Major Lloyd Phillips, Mabws (Chamberlain to Mary Queen of Scots); Mrs. Lloyd Phillips (Mary, Queen of Scots); Mrs. Bunbury (Spanish Lady of rank); Miss. Gwynne, Monachty (Spanish young lady); Miss. Lloyd Mathias (Spanish peasant); Mr. Langford (Tyrolese peasant); Mr. H. C. Fryer, Lodge Park (Neapolitan fisherman) Capt. E. J. Fryer (Uniform of Rifle Brigade); Mr. Lewis Pugh Pugh, Abermaide (Welsh Gentleman of the 18th century); Mrs. Pugh (Queen Berengatia); Mr. G. H. P. Evans (Sportsman of France); Mrs. Evans (Lady of the time of George III); Miss. F. Paul (Zuleika maid of Athens); Miss. P. Edwards (the Princess Lalla Rookh); Miss. M. S. Edwards (the lady Leila, her sister); Mr. H. P. Edwards.
