The Henson Journals

[242]

Saturday, November 11th, 1916.

831st day

I wrote to Carissima before breakfast, and attended Mattins. Both Ella and I attended the Meeting at the Shire Hall on Maternity & Child care, and I made a short speech. There was a considerable company present: a good many of the women were, I suspect, suffragists. The medical officer of Newcastle, ^Dr Kerr^ read a paper, and the Medical Officer of Durham County, Dr Eustace Hill made an useful speech. After lunch the High Sheriff, Mr Houston, called. He is a dapper little pleasant man, who once attended my History Lecture at All Souls. He was, however, then called Hopkins. He said that I hadn't changed my appearance at all. A host of the Social Science people came round the Cathedral: & then came to tea. Between 40 and 50 had announced their intention of coming to tea, but it was nearly twice as many who actually came. After they had taken their departure, I walked into the city & brought some cigarettes for tomorrow. Taking a large party (that which followed me this afternoon contained more than 100 persons) over a cathedral is really tiring. To improvise or rehearse for an hour on end is itself fatiguing: but when there must be added the petty bothers of the marshal to the serious anxieties of the teacher, the fatigue is greatly increased. It certainly was the case that, after we had at last succeeded in getting rid of the party (a process wonderfully delayed by old Galbraith who insisted on pouring out upon me all his choicest quotations, besides a detailed account of his own manner of life, and elaborate Biblical studies!) I felt quite extraordinarily tired, and after a vain attempt at reading, betook myself to the sanctuary of my bed at 10.30 p.m.!

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