The Henson Journals

Wed 30 November 1904 to Sun 4 December 1904

Volume 15, Pages 374 to 376

[374]

Wednesday, November 30th, 1904.

The dinner in Jerusalem Chamber went off without untoward incident. Our guests were the following:

  1. The Lord Chancellor
  2. The Speaker
  3. Sir W. Anson
  4. Alf. Lyttleton [sic]
  5. Sir Clinton Dawkins
  6. Sir John Earle
  7. Sir Dyce Duckworth
  8. Mackham
  9. Headmaster
  10. Coroner
  11. Chapter Clerk
  12. Gen: Baden-Powell.

[375]

To Mr A. Routledge

Coombe Lodge, Coombe Lane, Wimbledon.

Dec. 4. 1904

Dear Sir,

Harold Knowling has this morning requested me to write to you & inform you that I do not sanction your renewed intimacy with him, and that it must cease. He also has given me a letter addressed by you to him a week ago, which seems to indicate that you are not aware, either of his position, or of my wishes.

The Churchwardens, at my request, have appointed him their clerk for one year, & arranged for his instruction by the Organist. If he makes progress & acts well, we shall encourage him to prepare himself for a musical career. His father has accepted this arrangement, & delegated to me, what is quite indispensable under all the circumstances, compete control of his acquaintances in Westminster. You will therefore understand why I claim the right you seem to resent, & you will perceive how much injury you might do his career if you incited him to disobey those who are both his employers, & his best friends.

Believe me, faithfully yrs

H. Hensley Henson. P.T.O.

[376]

P.S. I have thought it well to send a copy of this letter to Mr Knowling sen., &, of course, a copy is kept for the use of the Churchwardens if, which I do not anticipate, I have to communicate further with you on this subject.

H. H. H.

I wrote this letter in consequence of a conversation with Harold, who ran after me & poured out what was evidently a very full soul. I sent a copy to his father the same evening by his hand. The letter was marked private.

For the earlier correspondence with Mr. R. see under Dec. 2nd, 4th, 7th, 8th, 24th, 1902.

Masterman preached an excellent sermon in the Abbey this morning.

Issues and controversies: grooming of choirboys

21 Nov 1904
11 Dec 1904