Definition of "kensington"

Owing to a scarcity of coal in the University, we girls had an unexpected week of vacation, and the town girls helped us make the time fly, with kensingtons and bridge parties.

1910 April, Beulah Lasher, “Tau; University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa”, in Anchora of Delta Gamma, volume 26, number 3, Menasha: George Banta Pub. Co., page 207

House-parties and kensingtons were the predominating features of the ΔΗ girls' summer.

1917 November, Ruth Ebling, “Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa”, in The Trident of Delta Delta Delta, volume 27, number 1, Lynchburg: J. P. Bell Co., page 54

Kensingtons are held the first and third Fridays of the month. They are held at the homes, are well attended and much enjoyed.Owing to the enforced quarantines due to the epidemics of influenza we have not been able to hold our regular meetings or kensingtons much of the winter.

1919 April, WM. F. Speer, “The Auxiliary: Clinton, Ia”, in The Railway Conductor, volume 36, number 4, Cedar Rapids: Order of Railway Conductors, page 190

It is refreshing to note that teachers' activities were noted in 97 per cent of the community clubs. These included kensingtons, sewing clubs, music clubs, and culture clubs.

1919, “Industrial and Social Conditions and Suggestions of Teachers”, in The Rural Teacher of Nebraska, Washington: Government Printing Office, page 59

But if you were the mother of four, if you had not been shopping in Dale City for seven months, if in that time your wildest orgies had been two or three kensingtons ("kensington" being the Meadows equivalent of "sewing circle"), the day would have taken on the nature of an event.

1926, Bess Streeter Aldrich, The Cutters, New York: D. Appleton & Co., page 29

“If you’re sure there’s nothing I can do at the office,” she said, “I’ll go on to the kensington at Mrs. Henderson’s.”

1932, Ruthe S. Wheeler, Helen in the Editor's Chair, Chicago: Goldsmith Pub. Co., page 115