Masquerade ball and ‘grand supper’ was holiday ‘event of the season’ in Newton 150 years ago

Christmas banquets and entertainments have been an essential part of holiday celebrations since as far back as the Middle Ages.

A “grand supper” and masquerade party put on by the ladies of the First Universalist Church at Union Hall on Christmas Eve was the talk of Newton at Christmastime 1874. The Newton Free Press and Republican considered it the “event of the season.”

Union Hall was the opera house on the east side of the square. Admission to the hall and supper was 50 cents; children were admitted for half that amount. Tickets to the dance were $2. “Persons en masque must present invitation at the door to secure admittance.”

The weekly paper gave the ladies high marks “for shrewd management.” The reporter noted “a great anxiety” among the populace “to see the masquerade dance, and especially to see the masques removed. To let the crowd make a free entrance would discommode to dancers, and to admit upon a trifling fee would give a large show for a small aggregate of dollars.

“An excellent supper was prepared in fine style, served gracefully, and the ticket purchased for the banquet was good for an admission to the Hall. Many were the half-dollars pocketed by the committee that could not have been gathered upon the inducements of the supper alone, excellent in all respects as it was.”

The Free Press and Republican regarded the masquerade as “a complete success.” “Some of the costumes were really fine, many appropriate and suggestive, while a few were absolutely ludicrous [!], though probably none the less representative on that account.”

The paper said it could not give “any thing like a complete list of the masques nor the characters represented, and even those we give may be in some measure incorrect, owing to faults of the catalogue” as well as last-minute changes. It published a list of some of the partygoers, “trusting that all who are overlooked may feel that they successfully eluded the vigilance of the reporter.”

E. E. Ainsworth, Venetian Gentleman.

M. M. Ford, Neapolitan Captain.

Ed Kirtland, Prince of Wales.

H. S. Winslow, attorney at law, of the firm of Winslow & Wilson, Hamlet; Mrs. H. S. (Sarah) Winslow, Spanish Princess.

J. B. Eyerly, of the firm of Blanchard & Eyerly, land agents, Spanish Senor.

Thomas Arthur, cashier, First National Bank of Newton, George Washington.

J. J. Vaughan, in the grain business, Italian Brigand; Mrs. Cornelia Vaughan, Winter.

S. E. Zinn, Captain Jenks; Mrs. Zinn, Bandit’s Bride.

L. C. Blanchard, Turkish Noble.

William and Myra Vaughan’s children were prominently costumed as follows: F. W. Vaughan, Gay Cavalier; Ella Vaughan, Minnehaha; H. M. Vaughan, English Sportsman. Mrs. F. W. Vaughan (Mary) was Undine, a girl whose name means “little wave” or “of the waves.”

D. Maltby was Polonius, a character in William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet; Mrs. Maltby, Gypsy.

Ed. Morrison, Horatio, a character in Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet.

G. S. Plants, Chinese Merchant.

D. S. Couch, Fireman; his daughter, Hattie, Swiss Peasant.

Jay Clark, Sir Walter Raleigh.

R. B. Lamb, Jack of Diamonds.

Ed. Lindley, Brother Jonathan, forerunner of our Uncle Sam.

Grant Townsend, Scotch Highlander.

J. W. McLaughlin, Paddy from Cork.

W. R. Manning, Fat Boy; Mrs. Manning (Emma), Desdemona, a character in William Shakespeare’s play, Othello.

Mr. & Mrs. A. M. Hinsdale, Yankees.

Robert Burns, of the general merchandise firm of Burns & Condit, Louis XIV.

R. A. Sankey, attorney and counselor at law, Chinese Mandarin; Mrs. Sankey, Mary Queen of Scots.

Charles Armstrong, Comic Actor.

Mrs. D. G. (Hannah) McCalmont, Turkish.

Mrs. J. W. (Mollie) Wilson, Goddess of Liberty; her daughter, Dell, Highland Costume.

Mrs. J. B. (Lida) O’Neall, Biddy.

Mrs. W. D. Bodley, Polish Princess.

Mrs. John A. (Lou) Wilson, Nun.

Flora Herron, Queen of Clubs.

Mary A. Ferrell, Italian Princess.

Ella Treman, Joan of Arc; her sister, Anna, Snow Flake.

Edith Sage, Florence Nightingale.

Gulia Zollinger, Anaker, a German nickname for a day laborer.

Annie Stone, Old Lady.

Kate Osborn, Flower Girl.

Rosa Piper, Night.

Cynthia Lindley, Grecian Princess.

Mamie Vaughan, Shepherdess.

Rue Townsend, Venetian Fortune Teller.

Emma Connelly, Scotch (Highland).

Emma C. Stanton, Morning.

Lizzie Dennison, Rebecca at the Well.

Mary Horine, Be 1 Girl.

“The supper went successful[ly] forward during the evening, and the dance went on with unabated interest till eleven o’clock,” the paper reported.

“Very many were the mute salutations of the masquers to the spectators, and many unmeaning nods and gestures given and returned. The fact is, it is almost useless to attempt to be sociable without saying a word, and with a person you cannot identify. We never try.

“At eleven the master of ceremonies announced that the supper for the party was about ready, and that all should form on the floor.” At the count of 3 the revelers unmasked, “which was all accomplished promptly and in good order.”

After some refreshment “the dance was resumed with vigor, and was continued to a late hour.”

This remarkable holiday affair was a success financially as well as socially; the ladies of the Universalist Church reported the net proceeds to be over $200. The church, organized in 1865, was located where the United Presbyterian Church is now.

“Christmas day was perfectly delightful, clear and moderate. Everybody was smiling, and it appeared to be to all a Merry Christmas.”