The Henson Journals

[348]

Wednesday, May 21st, 1913.

Ella & I went to South Shields, & there attended a meeting organized by the clergy of the Rural Deanery to protest against the Welsh Disestablishment Bill. The chairman briefly proposed a resolution, which I seconded in a speech of an hour's length. There were no other speakers, so the proceedings were kept within an hour & a half. The Hall was confidently affirmed to hold 2000 people, & I was assured that even as many as 3000 had been squeezed into it. But my own estimate, based on a rapid but careful survey, rejects these figures, & concludes that 1000 or at most 1200 would fill it. On this view the company at this meeting numbered about 700 persons, mostly men. My speech was listened to with attention: & applauded with fervour. The Resolution was carried with 3 dissentients. We travelled back to Durham by way of Sunderland, arriving in the house about 11.45 p.m. It is the weary journeying to & fro which is the really tiring factor in all such speaking & preaching performances.

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Issues and controversies: welsh disestablishment