Green’s Dictionary of Slang

an evening party, gathering, or social meeting; also used of the menu itself.

1836–7		Dickens Pickwick Papers (1999) cap. 37: A select company of the Bath footmen presents their compliments to Mr. Weller, and requests the pleasure of his company this evening, to a friendly swarry, consisting of a boiled leg of mutton with the usual trimmings. The swarry to be on table at half-past nine o’clock punctually.
1849		Bell’s Life in Sydney 14 July n.p.: Tim Donohue’s Second Swarry.
1851		Ballyshannon Herald 5 Sept. 3/3: A Swarry. On Monday Evening poor Young Ireland [...] testify their appreciation [...] by tripping it on the light fantastic toe.
1856		Aberdeen Jrnl 16 July 6/1: He is invited by his cousin Mrs beebe, to a ‘swarry’.
1860		Punch 22 Sept. 112/1: Last nite we gave A swarry, , whicvh was in my privit room.
1870		Burnley Gaz. 29 Jan. 2/5: The supreme contempt that Mr Samuel Weller had for what he called ‘cold swarry’.
1884		Exeter Flying Post 10 Sept. 5/5: Her Parliamentary Debating Society [...] had a kind of ‘swarry’.
1891		H. Lawson ‘The Shanty on the Rise’ in Roderick (1967–9) I 155: There is little real pleasure in the city where I am— / There’s a swarry round the corner with its mockery and sham.
1893		L. Chittenden ‘The Cowboys’ Christmas Ball’ in Ranch Verses 17: That lively gaited sworray – ‘The Cowboys’ Christmas Ball.’.
1906		Sun. Times (Perth) 8 Apr. 4/7: They had a magic lantern show at a local church ‘swarrie’ last week.
1906		Sun. Times (Perth) 14 Oct. 4/8: A shickered swarry. A wild and wolly wedding.
1922		Sheffield Dly Teleg. 27 Nov. 6/7: A friendly swarry consisting of a boiled leg of mutton with the ususal trimmings.
1938		J.B. Booth Sporting Times 63: A first night at the St. James’s might be a ‘swarry’ given by Mr. and Mrs. Debrett.
1948		Belfast Telegram 19 Mar. 4/3: [headline] Memories of a Lover of ‘warries’.
1972		M. McDowell Roses and Rainbows in Northern Windows (1987) 50: December was the school swarry .
1986		Detroit free Press (MI) 17 Mar. 3G/1: [S]warry is an English vulgarism [...] meaning soiree.