The Henson Journals

[308]

Easter Day, April 19th, 1908.

A bitterly cold day with alternations of sunshine & snow–storms! The statue of Lord Beaconsfield in Parliament Square was elaborately adorned with primroses, and probably assisted to attract the huge congregation, which came together at 11 a.m. The communicants numbered 351 distributed thus:–

At 7 a.m. 41: at 8 a.m. 115: at 11 a.m. 195. This is 40 more than last year, and 20 more than the year before that. The numbers never seem to have recovered the last General Election.

In 1902 there were 380.

" 1903 " " 382.

" 1904 " " 387.

" 1905 " " 395.

" 1906 " " 331.

" 1907 " " 311.

" 1908 " " 351.

The weather steadily (or rather unsteadily) worsened as the evening drew on: the congregation at Evensong was large, but not equal to former years. I preached on the Worship of Christ.

[309]

Statement sent to the Surveyor of Taxes on May 2nd 1908.

	Ecclesiastical Commission	1453.
	2.A.B.	14.6.8
	Easter Offerings	20.
40 x	Surplice Fees	60.
	Rents – Anker House, S. John's	24.
	Rectory	233.
	Payment fr. Christ Church	95.
x	Literary earnings	40.
		1939.6.8
	Less Payment to Curate	50.
		£1889.6.8

All these particulars were sent again (together with a mildly expostulatory letter) on 15th of Sept. 1908 to Mr James Reith, Surveyor of Taxes, 54 Parlt Street, S.W.

[310]

On Easter Sunday, April 20, 1908, Mr Dennistoun carried me in his motor car to Cheltenham, stopping at Oxford on the way, there being entertained at luncheon in All Souls by Raleigh. Fletcher was of the party. I was received as a guest at Balcarras House, Charlton Kings, which is a suburb of Cheltenham, by Major–General Smith & his family. The weather was utterly odious – snow, blizzards, hurricanes, rain. But we managed to see Fairford, Daglingshurst, Tewkesbury, Deerhurst, and Bibury.

Deerhurst is the only church now surviving, in which the chancel is arrange^d^ for reception of the Sacrament, in the Presbyterian fashion. There is an 11th century Saxon chapel in a farm–house, recently identified.

On Friday I returned to Westminster, & went on the same day to Birchington where I remained until Thursday the 30th April, being entertained by Mother & Marion.

I came up to the Abbey on Monday, the 27 th inst: to attend the Funeral of the late Prime Minister, which was an impressive function. M. Clemenceau, the French Premier, attended. It was observed that he had a curious resemblance to C.B.

The weather suddenly became almost oppressively warm. "The Heat–wave" replaced on the paper–boards the 'April Snowstorms' of last week.

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