Signed on the reverse

Josa Keyes; James Birch, Piers Gaveston Ball, Park Lane Hotel 13.05.83

Dafydd Jones has written of these pictures of the 1983 Piers Gaveston Ball:

"In 1981 I set up in a small studio space in Jericho in Oxford. My plan was to do black and white Hollywood style photographic portraits. The commissions weren't exactly rolling in but at least I was shortlisted for a photography competition the Sunday Times were running.- The subject for the photo essay was - The Return of the Bright Young Things'- .Once I got into one fancy dress party I was invited to another. It was the first time I'd photographed parties. Pointing a camera at someone at crowded party and getting something that isn't banal is difficult . - I wanted to take photographs that recorded the memorable moments and described what was happening. I learnt as I took the pictures.. I lived at the time literally round the corner from Norreys Ave where some of my first Piers Gaveston pictures were taken. My early pictures led to a job and I moved to London as did many of the club members

This was the last Piers Gaveston party I photographed. The Dress code was ' Garden of Earthly Delights' after the painting by Hieronymus Bosch."