The Henson Journals

[338]

Wednesday, April 30th, 1913.

I attended the college chapel, breakfasted pleasantly in the coffee room, & got away by the 10 a.m. to London. Having deposited my bags in the cloak–room at King's Cross I walked to Westminster, & seeing the door of S. Margaret's open, entered the church which had been central to my life for 12 years. Scholes & Ramsey were in the vestry: & Fedarb chanced to come in. They all seemed very content with themselves & their new chief. Then I called on the Dean, & had some little talk with him. Pearce was not at home, but I fell in with Carnegie as I was leaving Dean's Yard, & we walked across the Park together. He is evidently putting his back into the work, & likes the prospect of playing a great part at the centre of things. I lunched at the Athenaeum, where I saw Raleigh, Headlam & Pember. Also the Bp. of St David's. I remained in the Club until it was nearing the time for me to go to King's Cross, had tea, & so took myself off. I travelled to Durham by the 5.30 p.m. express, indulging in the senseless extravagance of a first class ticket.

[339]

Installation of the D. of N. as Chancellor.

The great function, which had monopolized everybody's thought for so long, passed without incident or accident. The weather was brilliantly fine, but sultry & thunderous. My own enjoyment of the proceedings was marred by a splitting headache. Our guests arrived on Friday – the Warden, the Dean of Christ Church, Sir Henry Craik during the afternoon, & Curzon after dinner. We had dinner parties in the large dining room on Friday & Saturday. The Chancellor's Installation & the giving of the honorary degrees took place in the Castle Hall. I was well received by the undergraduates, when I came forward for my degree. After this function there followed the Thanksgiving Service in the Cathedral. Old Sir George Philipson read the lesson: I preached, & the Bishop gave the Benediction from the Throne. Everything was most impressive. Then followed the lunch in Hatfield Hall – rather tiresome. After lunch I took the Prime Minister, Lord Haldane, Curzon & Rayleigh, & shewed them the cathedral. We went through the Library, & so came into the Deanery, where Ella gave them tea, & I shewed them the Kitchen.

On the next day, I preached at Mattins a special sermon addressed to the undergraduates. They attended in considerable number, & appeared to be impressed. Strong & Craik stayed until Monday, the 5th May, & returned to town by the early train. Ethel Gore–Booth went back to Scotland the same morning.

[340]

On Thursday, May 8th 1913, Ella & I travelled to Sunderland, where I was pledged to address a public meeting in protest against the Welsh Disestablishment Bill. The weather was desperate – violent & continuing deluges of rain. In spite of this, however, a considerable company came together in the Victoria Hall. I was the first speaker, Mr Forasgue Bradley the second. As we had to catch the 9.18 train, I did not hear his speech. Mine was sufficiently dull. For 35 minutes I examined the various arguments by which Welsh Disestablishment is recommended & justified, leading to the conclusion that none of them would hold water.

This was the third meeting I addressed since Sunday. On Tuesday, the 6th, I spoke for the Diocesan Fund in a very sparsely attended meeting presided over by the Bishop. On Wednesday evening Ella & I attended a meeting of the Band of Hope children. Tucker presided, & his wife distributed prizes to the children. I made a speech in which I observed that much drunkenness came from indigestion, the result of bad cooking. Therefore I urged the girls to learn cookery. This harmless platitude was reported in the local papers, & even found its way into the august columns of the "Times"!

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Issues and controversies: welsh disestablishment