| Secondary Performers | Architectural Society,
Central School of Arts and Crafts,
Royal College of Art,
Slade School of Art,
Westminster School of Art,
St.Martin's School of Art,
Chelsea Polytechnic,
Architectural Association,
Clapham School of Art,
Grosvenor Art School,
Portsmouth Municipal School of Art,
Royal Academy of Art |
| Orchestra or Band | The Embassy Band,
Jack Harris's Grosvenor House Band |
| Set List | Fox-Trot: 'How's Your Uncle?',
Fox-Trot: 'Making Faces At The Man In The Moon',
Fox-Trot: 'Why Did It Have To Be Me?',
Fox-Trot: 'I Can't Write The Words',
Waltz: 'Faites Vos Jeux',
Waltz: 'When The Moon Comes Over The Mountain',
Fox-Trot: 'It's Great To Be In Love',
Fox-Trot: 'To-night Or Never',
Fox-Trot: 'Got A Date With An Angel',
Fox-Trot: 'That's My Desire',
Fox-Trot: 'Pardon Me',
Fox-Trot: 'My Song',
Fox-Trot: 'What Is It?',
Fox-Trot: 'Guilty',
Stomp: 'This Is The Missus',
Fast Fox-Trot: 'Me'
'Goodbye To All That' (Royal College of Art),
'The Bells Of Westminster' (Westminster School of Art),
'The Ministry For The Use of Colour', (Central School of Arts and Crafts),
'A Rocket From The Moon' (Slade School of Art),
'A Rocket Airship' (Chelsea Polytechnic),
'The Ministry For Rubbing Out Blots' (Portsmouth Municipal School of Art)
Fox-Trot: 'You Call It Madness-I Call It Love',
Fox-Trot: 'I Don't Want Love',
Fox-Trot: 'I Found A Million Dollar Baby',
Fox-Trot: 'Close Your Eyes',
Fox-Trot: 'The Ministry For Speed', (Architectural Society)
'The Ministry For Tha Abolition of Ugliness' (Royal Academy of Art),
'The Ministry To Encourage Brightness' (Architectural Association),
'The Circle Of Time' (St.Martin's School of Art),
'A Clean Sweep' (Grosvenor Art School),
'The Martian Ray' (Clapham School of Art)
Fox-Trot: 'When It's Sleepy Time Down South',
Fox-Trot: 'I Found You',
Waltz:'Blue Danube',
Waltz: 'Vienna Blood',
Fox-Trot: 'You Forgot Your Gloves',
Fox-Trot: 'Whistling In The Dark',
Fox-Trot: 'Just A Blue-Eyed Blonde',
Fox-Trot: 'At Your Command',
Waltz: 'Rosenkavalier',
Waltz: 'Wine-Women-Song',
Fox-Trot: 'Sing A Little Jingle',
Fox-Trot: 'Peanut Vendor',
Fox-Trot: 'Yes.Yes',
Fox-Trot: 'Just One More Chance',
Fox-Trot: 'The Thrill Is Gone',
Fox-Trot: 'Sweet And Lovely',
Fox-Trot: 'I'm Thru With Love',
Fox-Trot: 'Life Is Just A Bowl of Cherries',
Fox-Trot: 'Blues In My Heart',
Fox-Trot: 'You Can't Stop Me From Lovin' You',
Stomp: 'Ho-Hum',
Fast Fox-Trot: 'The Changing of The Guard',
Fox-Trot: 'After You're Gone',
Fox-Trot: 'Nevertheless',
Waltz: 'Merry Widow',
'Medley of Old Time Waltzes',
Fox-Trot: 'I'm Keeping Company',
Fox-Trot: 'Were You Sincere?',
Fox-Trot: 'Time Alone Will Tell',
Fox-Trot: 'Take It From Me',
Fox-Trot: 'Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams',
Fox-Trot: 'On The Beach With You'
'God Save the King' (The National Anthem) |
| Performance Notes | The event used the great floor.
Ticket prices included supper and refreshments.
The set was designed by A R Thomson with Thought Waves by Tome Webster, Strube, Poy Low and Will Dyson.
Fancy dress was essential for men, but Venetian cloaks were permitted.
Guests included American film actor Adolphe Menjou.
Associated Press Archive hold British Movietone B&W footage of the event (Story No. BM1590).
Founded in 1891 The Chelsea Arts Club is a members club for artists, which for 50 years from 1908 held an annual costumed New Year's Eve ball, which was an infamous part of London's social calendar. After two years at the Royal Opera House the extravagant ball proved so popular it moved to the Royal Albert Hall where it stayed until 1958. The balls attracted media attention with their lavish theatrical sets, multiple orchestras, raucous midnight carnivals and balloon drops and crowds of up to 10,000 socialites, bohemian artists, actors, and ordinary Londoners in elaborate and often scandalous fancy dress dancing until 5am.
Each year a theme was chosen such as Egyptian, Dazzle, Noah's Ark, Prehistoric and Sun Worship around which guests could create flamboyant costumes. London art schools participated by decorating huge carnival floats, which were driven around the auditorium floor and which, at the stroke of midnight, would be destroyed by revellers. The balls were well-known for reports of public nudity, drunken displays of affection, fighting and unadulterated fun. In the vastness of the Hall with its gas lit corridors, curtained boxes and dark staircases naughtiness was the order of the day.
Similarly to the annual Lady Malcolm's Servant's balls (1930-1938) these events were a safe space for the queer community to meet and express themselves with unbridled creativity and little inhibition. There were no scrutineers denying entry or undercover police. LGBTQ+ party goers could feel (relatively) free to be themselves without the scrutiny and surveillance they underwent in their daily lives. For many men especially they could wear drag, dress outrageously, and socialise unashamedly while never appearing to be anything out of the ordinary.
It was New Year's Eve 1958 that was to be the final Chelsea Arts Ball at the Royal Albert Hall. As well as minor damage to the building fabric, a partygoer dispatched a smoke bomb that exploded on the dance floor and ultimately became the straw that broke the camel's back. The Chelsea Arts Ball was asked to take out insurance indemnity against further damage to the Hall and they didn't return. The Ball has returned three times since - in 1984, 1985 and 1992 - although the elaborate costumes and floats didn't make the return trip. The extravagant, eccentric originals remain part of the history of the Capital's social calendar. |
| Related Archival Material | Programme (RAHE/1/1931/91),
Handbill (RAHE/6/1931/8)
Photograph |
| Ticket Prices | 6s (gallery viewing only)-30s |