The Henson Journals

[273]

Wednesday, July 14th, 1915.

345th day

Ella and I visited the Academy, & spent an hour in looking at a very poor collection of pictures. The war has laid a stamp on everything: khaki–clad warriors & gruesome battle–scenes meet the eye on all sides. Among the portraits I noticed no less than five ecclesiastics of my acquaintance – the Bps of Worcester & Bristol (late), Archdeacon Wilberforce, Canon Livingstone and William Temple. Then we parted, to meet at lunch–time. Our hostess had collected a party for lunch. It included Bishop Mercer & Addis. Then, we packed our bags, & took our departure. Ella went to stay with Mrs Bovey, at 16 Hans Road: & I went to Canterbury to attend the annual meeting of Deans, which was to be held there on the invitation of the Dean. We dined at the Deanery to the number of a dozen. I found myself placed beside Armitage Robinson, who, perhaps shared my dislike of the arrangement. However, we were sufficiently amicable. There was nothing particularly worth remembering about the conversation. After dinner a few ladies from the Precincts came in to talk with the Deans. The Deanery–house is said to be 400 feet long, and is very magnificent. It is enriched with a complete series of decanal portraits. As the Deans of Canterbury almost always became Archbishops or Bishops, these portraits illustrate an immense tract of our ecclesiastical history. I gathered from the Dean that these pictures are purchased for a nominal sum by the Dean for the time being, to whom, therefore, they technically at least belong – a most unsatisfactory arrangement.

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