The Henson Journals

[113]

Tuesday, August 12th, 1919.

I am interested in mine host, whom his wife describes as "only just a business man". He is, in fact, one of the great British ship owners, &, I should judge a wealthy man. But he has hobbies which have small, if any, relation to business. Last night he showed me his books, of which the bindings and illustrations expressed his own taste & labour. He takes some well–known book, for instance, Sabatier's Francis of Assisi, or Macmillan's Italy and sets to work collecting photographs & engravings to illustrate it. These carry him to the scenes of the narrative, and compel him to acquire a personal knowledge of them. He has them bound into a copy of the illustrated work at the right places, & himself designs the tooling of the binding.

The result is a series of unique copies, full of personal interest. Rawnsley's Lake District was thus garnished with portraits of the individuals – poets & others – mentioned in the book. His exercise is walking, his passion old churches. He is a total abstainer on grounds of expediency, for even moderate drinking is a disadvantage in the mercantile navy, where "you want to be sure, that a man is fit" at all times, & of health, for more than 30 years experience had convinced him that "total abstinence suited him." But he had no fanatical feelings, & gave his guest good wine, & plenty of it. He was himself a Presbyterian, & had been an elder in Ian Maclaren's[114] congregation in Liverpool: but his wife was Episcopalian, & he now attended the episcopal church, & held office therein as a sidesman. His garden, which is lovely, was his own creation, & expressed both taste & effort. A pianola in his study enabled him to "get a bowing acquaintance with the best composers." He is devoted to his wife and his hobbies, & evidently regarded with respect in his profession. He perceives the difficulties which now attach to a sincere profession of the Christian Creed, but prefers a reverent agnosticism to any definite repudiation of belief. He is regular in his attendance at divine service, benevolent to the poor, & indifferent to ecclesiastical controversy. He has a low estimate of politics & politicians. He is now 63 years old & can out–walk all his contemporaries. His dislike of Americans is, perhaps, the only exception to his general kindliness: & this is based on a fairly close acquaintance with their methods & manners. He inclines to a fairly optimistic view of economics, but is opposed to Governmental interference. "If the Yorkshire miners want to stay out for 6 months, why shouldn't they? In the long run, it is far better to leave them alone." Mr Henderson impresses me as a strong, just man, essentially religious, & with no mean artistic capability.

[115]

After lunch Mr Henderson carried us off in his motor to Tarbet where we called on Mrs McCunn, the wife of the ex–professor. The ex–professor himself and his friend Bradley had gone off for the day, so that we were "shut up" to the lady's company. Mrs M. is herself an accomplished historian, and has written a life of John Knox which I am assured is the best existing account of that distinguished but unpleasing person. The views of Loch Lomond which illustrated our drive were exceedingly beautiful, all the more, perhaps for the curtains of mist on the hill– tops. On our way home we left cards on Sir Ian Coloughon (!). Then we took our departure from Ardencaple. I dropped Ella at Seaside, and went on to Barochan, where I arrived shortly after 6 p.m. & found Lady Renshaw sen., with her married daughter & Madge. Also the 4 grandchildren. Barochan is full of memories, all kindly. We were staying here on that eventful Sunday in August 1914, when the Rubicon of human destiny was crossed, & the world took its great plunge into the bloodbath of war. How well I remember the sentiments of foreboding with which Sir Charles Renshaw and I discussed the future. We were not hopeful, though quite clear as to the necessity of drawing sword, but neither of us could have imagined then what a long course of horrors lay in front of us.

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