The Washington herald., 1910-11-27

alleys. making new sewers pulling down
is now the fitting accessory to pretty
toilet in the draWing-room.
Times have indeed changed among the
fair sex. II Is not considered nowadays
by any means ban to the ranks of the
upper circle" to be associated in any
way with trade There are quite a num-
Der Of women of the best families ''in
trade" in Washington. and instead OF
having lost caste. they have gained in
social prestige il anything. The same
tendency prevails In New York. Boston.
Philadelphia, and other social centers.
Indeed. the number of women well up in
the English ranks Of society who are
taking TO trade either as means OF add
ing to their depleted purses or from the
pare love of it, grows every year.
The most recent recruit 10 the ranks OF
fashionable shOpkeepers is Lady Angela
Forbes. who has followed in the foot
steps OF Mrs. Patrick Heron Maxwell
and Mrs. Wellesley, a relation through
marriage with the Duke of Wellington.
and opened a flower shop In George
street. Portman square. over which she
has for a sign My Shop" written in
neat gilt letters. Lady Angela has al
ways been praised for her business skill
in achieving great success at baZaars or
ganized for the sake OF charity, and she
uoes not leave her new shop TO hired
saleswOmen. She superintends every
thing herself. and is there 10 wait on her
customers, who are, Of course, mostly of
her own circle.
But the English women belonging to
aristocratic families who either serve or
have served behind the counter are by
no means few. Indeed, II is just about
twenty years ago since Lady Granville
Gordon created bit Of a sensation and
set the example for others by opening a
hat store in Park street, Grosvenor
square, under the name of "Lierre,"
which. standing for ivy. Is the badge Of
her family Attending to her shop her
self, she soon set up a big custom. Mrs
Jack" Comming, a very popular hostess
in London, also made a big success as a
fashionable milliner, her hats being for
time all the rage. The well-known
hat shop in Dover street which goes by
the name OF ''Levena" was founded by
Lady Rachel Byng.
For several years Lady Warwick kept
shop in Bond street and did a great
business in the most exquisite lingerie,
froCks. artistic tea gowns. and garden
hats. made by her own workers in Es-
sex Lady BessborOugh. when she was
ViscOuntess Duncannon, kept a shop OF
the same sort in the West End. There
are other society women who have even
made laundering their trade. There are
others who have registries for servants.
Mrs. Granville Knox opened a mani
cure establishment. and other well-known
society women followed her example with
fr nd MA nafT
friends. The Duchess OF AbercOrn has a
creamery near her Irish home, Barons-
court, near Belfast. from which she sup
plies many of the West End mansions, as
well as some OF the big Atlantic liners.
Miss Frances Wolseley keeps a school
for women gardeners In Sussex, while a
Well-knOWn old curiosity shop in the
Brompton road is also the property of a
society woman who keeps her name a
secret.
The Countess Fabbricotti is another
noble woman who is in trade, and she
operates a fine millinery shop in South
Motion street, In the ultra-aristocratic
Mayfair district. AID her name and title
are written upon and above the shop
windows in largo letters. The countess
comes of an old Irish family and married
Count FabbricOtti, who belongs to one
%
families at the Italian court They are,
however. divorced. Lady Duff Gordon Is
unquestionably the most original and en-
terprising dressmaker in London. She
conducts an establishment under the
name of Lucille" in Hanover square,
London. Her strong point is furnishing
emotional gowns" She can supply a
woman with a gown that will match her
character or arouse any emotion she
wishes TO inspire.
Lady Wimborne, an aunt Of the Duke
Of Marlborough. conducts a nice little
book shop in Dover street. PiccadiIly,
London. The Hon. Mrs Charles For
ester, whose husband is heir TO Lord
Forester. who enjoys the hereditary priv
ilege of wearing his hat in the presence
of the King, is interested in an embroid-
cry shop in Bond street, although her
name does not appear over the door The
daughter of Lord Inchiquin, now Lady
HerVey- Bathurst, has built up a profit
able millinery business that enables her
to entertain her aTistocratic friends
handsomely. The Countess de Grey sells
vegetables and fruits from her estates in
little shop in Curzon street, Mayfair,
near the Duchess of MarlbOrough's new
house.
In addition TO these noble persons who
openly engage in shopkeeping there are
a vast number of others who are secret
" interested in IT, There is hardly
prominent shop in the West End of Lon
don organized as a stock company that
does not have titled persons among its
directors or stockholders.