The Henson Journals

[463]

Tuesday, October 26th, 1915.

449th day

Compton's death, reported in yesterday's "Times", removes one of the decisive factors in my career. For the late Warden told me that it was Compton's influence in the "Common Room Meeting" on Nov: 3rd 1884 that determined the College to elect me to a Fellowship. What my career would have been if that election had not been made, it is difficult to image. Certainly it would have been less easy at the start, & more obscure in the process. Whether it would have been more serviceable, who can tell? I attended Evensong, and afterwards went with Hughes on a short motor run, in order to test the chauffeurs whom Laidler had sent. We decided that the younger, a lad of 17, named Percy Elliot, managed the machinery best, and accordingly I retained him as driver for tomorrow.

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