Dorothy Turnbull was a member of the Mardi Gras court for the Bards of Bohemia crewe.
We had the sunshine, you see, we had the dawn and the night. Everybody is in costume. You’re, as a member, you get so many what’s called call outs. Which means you can invite ladies to sit in a reserved place. And during the ball time when people are dancing the ushers come and call you out by name and escort you to the master on the floor. He gives you one of these souvenirs that represents the theme of the ball. You dance around with him. He brings you back to an usher and the usher seats you again and he calls another person. So it’s call outs.It’s simply social. But that was just part of my father’s interest, and mother. Mostly my father. Because the men did all the work. The women enjoyed what they were doing, of course! (laughs).
This photograph comes from the collection of Dorothy Turnbull Stewart.
Hinges of History 