'A Tea in Time' planned to honor boro's 100th Museum Committee to host an English tea party to celebrate centennial BY DANIEL HOWLEY Staff Writer West Long Branch is going back in time to celebrate its centennial year with "A Tea in Time" event planned for Saturday. PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff Many items of memorabilia from throughout the last 100 years in West Long Branch were on display at the "A Tea in Time" centennial event hosted by the West Long Branch Museum Committee on March 22. The event featured displays of various items collected over the years in the borough, including mannequins with antique clothing, signs, certificates and a piano. The West Long Branch Museum Committee is scheduled to host a classic English tea party as part of a series of events planned this year to celebrate the borough's 100th year anniversary. "A Tea in Time" is planned to be held at the Old First United Methodist Church on MonmouthRoad on Saturday fromnoon to 4 p.m. "It's a pleasure to be able to help celebrate the 100th year of West Long Branch," said LindaDennis, event organizer andmuseum committee member. "Wewill have a typical English tea lunch with finger sandwiches,muffins, scones, various desserts and, of course, tea. "We are asking anyone who is coming to wear a hat and clothes from the last 100 years," Dennis added. The event will include a classic English tea party, as well as a display of items collected from the past 100 years, including clothing and other antiques that residents have loaned to the museum for the event. "Wewill havemannequins dressed in different outfits fromthe different time periods, West Long Branchmemorabilia and the rest of themuseumthat is normally there,"Dennis said. "[Residents] will come in at around noon and be given a placemat so they can reserve their seat," Dennis said. "Then they are going to go down to themuseumto view the items. "Tea will start being served at around 12:30 p.m.," she added. Dennis, who proposed the idea of a tea party, said that residentswill drink tea from various collectable teacups fromthroughout the century. "We want to do our bit for the centennial," Dennis said. "We redecorated our hall in anticipation for the event. It's all spruced up. "All West Long Branch residents have been invited to the party," Dennis said. Dennis said she is anticipating anywhere from 80 to 100 people to attend the gathering. "We have done tea parties before with the museum and they have always been successful," she said. Originally founded in 1971, the 10-member West Long Branch Museum Committee tasks itselfwith collecting historic memorabilia fromthroughout the borough. The church stores a collection of items at its hall, which encompasses three rooms in the basement of the Old First United Methodist Church. "Most of the committee members are members of the church, but you don't have to be," Dennis said. The committee is headed by West Long Branch resident Ruth DeBruin, one of its original charter members. "We are open with special events about three times a year and whenever groups request to come in," Dennis said. The museum features hundreds of historical items throughoutWest Long Branch's 100-year history. "We have a variety of items,"Dennis said. "When we are open, we usually feature one particular topic and then call on church and community members to bring items to exhibit according to the theme." Of particular interest are several pieces of antique clothing, items fromtheNew Era shipwreck and information about Dan Rice. Rice is a widely recognized 19-century humorist who is believed by many to be the model for the popularUncle Samcaricature. Rice's family resided in the area and he is buried in the cemetery at the church. Also included in the museum's collection are items from the New Era, a ship that sank in 1854 off Deal Beach inAsbury Park. According to Dennis, the 286 German immigrants who died in the wreck are buried in a mass grave in the church's cemetery. In 1891, a group if German descendants raisedmoney to put up a marker in the cemetery to memorialize the victims, Dennis explained. The majority of the museum's regular collection will be on display during the tea party in order to give residents an up-close look at the borough's history, according toDennis. "This is our main contribution [to the centennial]," Dennis said. "The church is also going to do an antique luncheon in November, whichwill be affiliatedwith the centennial." Reservations are required to attend the event, Dennis said. Residents interested in participating in "ATea in Time" or tomake a reservation, call the Museum Committee at (732) 229-4913.