The Henson Journals

[353]

Tuesday, August 24th, 1915.

386th day

It being St Bartholomew's Day, I celebrated the Holy Communion at 8 a.m. Gregory, one of the lay–vicars, came to ask permission to go to Walsall, and do munition work for the Government. He says that he is a worker in leather by trade, & that Walsall is the main centre of that industry. The coming–in of motors has dispersed the workers in leather, & now (when an urgent & very large demand for their labour has arisen) it is difficult to find men. I told him that we would keep his place open for him. I attended Evensong in the Cathedral, and afterwards took Logic for a walk. Dugald Malcolm [Dougal Malcolm] & his wife arrived about 6 p.m., motoring from Leeds. He doesn't give a very hopeful account of affairs: but, perhaps, something must be discounted on the score of his extreme eagerness for conscription, & his strong dislike of the P.M. Mrs Malcolm, having seen both the Niagara Falls and the Victoria Falls on the Zambesi, is enthusiastically an advocate for the superiority of the latter. But she admits that the volume of water is greater in the former, & more constant.

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