The Henson Journals

[285]

Tuesday, February 18th, 1913.

The High Sheriff & his wife came to breakfast – both very pleasant people. He told me that the Antarctic hero, Scott, was staying at his house just before he left England on his last & fatal enterprize, & that the last words he said were "Be sure that I shall either find the Pole or die in the attempt." At Mattins the Judge and the Commissioner attended service in the Cathedral. The National Anthem was played after the Psalms – an odd arrangement. I shook hands with the Judge at the North door, & then his procession went before the choir & was placed in the stalls. Similarly after service we bowed the great man out.

We (i.e. the Archdeacon & I) went to York by the 2.10 p.m. train arriving at 3.48 p.m. or thereabouts. Here we parted. I went to Bishopthorpe, where Woollcombe received me kindly, & we had tea comfortably. Lang took me for a walk. A squad of Bishops – Ripon, Carlisle, Wakefield, Newcastle, Manchester – arrived for the Convocation.

The Archiepiscopal house is large & well–appointed. It has been continuously occupied since the 13th century, & represents the successive architectural styles which have flourished between the 13th and the 18th centuries. The river Ouse flows under the dining room windows.

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