The Henson Journals

[12]

Saturday, November 1st, 1919.

We left the Palace at 12 noon, & motored to Gloucester taking Bateman with us, as he wished to visit his friends in Oxford. We lunched with the Dean and Mrs Gee at the Bell Inn, where they are still living while the Deanery is being prepared for them. We left Gloucester about 2.30 p.m. and motored as far as Burford, where we stopped in order to have tea in the Bull Inn, and see the magnificent and interesting parish church. The Vicar happened to be in the Church, and recognized me. He shewed us the features of the Church very obligingly. I was particularly interested to see the new work of Meade Falkner. About 5.25 p.m. we left Burford, & reached Oxford about 6.15 p.m. Here we found a pleasant party collected under the Warden's hospitable roof – Geoffrey Dawson and his wife, Wilfred Green and his wife, and the Pembers themselves. A very agreeable dinner with much conversation afterwards rounded off a day, full of pleasing experiences. The colouring of the woods was really most beautiful, and lingered in the memory. Autumn, "the soul of all regret" never wore a more alluring aspect. It is no less than 35 years since Frank Pember and I were elected together at All Souls.

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