The Henson Journals
Sun 4 August 1907 to Sat 10 August 1907
Volume 16, Pages 237 to 238
[237]
10th Sunday after Trinity, August 4th, 1907.
A close, warm day but overcast with clouds. I celebrated in S. Margaret's at 8 a.m., when there were but 19 commts, including my wife & the one–armed Harold.
At Mattins, the Choir being absent, their places were taken by volunteers of both sexes, whom Fedarb had recruited. The ladies sat on chairs in the floor of the nave, hard by the pulpit: the men were in the Choir–stalls. They managed the chants & hymns very creditably, & we dispersed with the anthem. I preached to a curiously 'strange' congregation on 'Holidays'. The only politician whom I recognised was Sir H. Fowler.
An American clergyman, the Rev. Milo Gates, of New York came to lunch with his wife: also Peile & Geordie & Signorina. I attended service at 3 in the Abbey & heard Peile preach. There was a moderate congregation in S. Margaret's at Evensong: I preached on the 1st lesson – the old prophet & his victim.
Miss Cockerell came to supper.
[238] [symbol]
On Monday, the 5th of August 1907, the day was yet young when a telegram from Reichel told me that Doyle died yesterday morning, and asked me to tell the Warden. So I sent a telegram to Pusey, and a note to the House of Commons.
The latter caught the Warden, & brought him across in the afternoon. He plainly feels Doyle's loss deeply: & so do I, for he had shown me much kindness ever since the days of November 1884, when I first encountered him at All Souls. We have always maintained a friendship, which though never intimate, might at any moment have become so, and was always affectionate. His death following so closely on Rutherford's makes my life very consciously an emptier thing.
On Tuesday, Raleigh & Sir Kenneth Muir Mackenzie dined here.
On Wednesday, I was much in the Triforium, anent the Vacuum Cleaner which has been set to work there. Barnett & Beeching dined here, & we arranged an inspection of the Triforium on the following day. Then we spent most part of the morning there, & decided to attempt large clearances of ancient rubbish.
On Friday, I met Lethaby in the Triforium, & spent 2 hours with him in going carefully over whatever therein has accumulated. We agreed on much.
In the afternoon I shewed a party of foreign delegates over the Abbey. Signorina interpreted.