The Henson Journals

[62]

Wednesday, December 8th, 1920.

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We motored from Sunderland to Hartlepool arriving at the Town Hall about 10.30 a.m. Here the Mayor & Council presented an Address, & I made a speech. Then we were taken [to] the great ship–building works of Messrs Wm Gray & Co. Ltd; where Mr Maurice Gibb received us, and showed us over the works. After this we went to the Municipal Buildings of West Hartlepool, & here the Mayor & Corporation of that Borough presented an address, & I made another speech. Then the Incorporated Chambers of Commerce entertained me at Luncheon in the Grand Hotel. The President, Mr Sydney Hogg, presided over a company of important business men numbering about 100. Col. Thomlinson proposed my health: & the toast was "supported" by Mr Gibb & Councillor Carter. The last, a working man, spoke very simply & movingly about unemployment giving his own experience in illustration. I made a speech in reply. It was very closely listened to, and will (possibly) do good. At least I spoke very plainly & earnestly about the industrial situation, & the inefficiency of the clergy which resulted from their poverty. From the Grand Hotel I was hurried off to a bazaar in St James's parish, & here I made a fourth speech. Then I went to Christ Church Vicarage, & rested for an hour, after which I was taken to a reception of "Church–workers", and talked to them severally. After that, a "square meal" as Macdonald called it (one of those hideous hybrids known as "high tea"). We all went to the Town Hall for the final function of the day. Macdonald presided over a considerable audience, which included about 150 lads of the Hartlepool Boys Brigade, who had formed my "Guard [63] [symbol] of honour" through the streets. Here a series of addresses were presented viz:

1. From the Chapter & Conference of Hartlepool Deanery

2. The Ministers of the Sister Churches.

3. The Hartlepool Employment Committee.

4. Trade Unions, Shop Stewards, & members of the Works' Committees.

5. Hartlepool Boys Brigade.

6. The League of Nations Union.

7. Welcome to Mrs Henson

These I took as the 'heads' of my speech which occupied about an hour in delivery, but was listened to without signs of fatigue. I took occasion to urge the careful preparation of the electoral rolls, if the "National Assembly" was to be worthy of its name. I dwelt at some length on the phenomenon of unemployment – "A mass of unemployed men is so much loose powder lying about ready for the revolutionary spark to kindle"; '"ca canny" only enlarges the mischief' – I took up, & developed a phrase from the Trade Union member's address, which spoke of "true partnership between Capital & Labour", & elaborated the old parallel between the "pontifex = bridgemaker", & the Bishop. I spoke with some energy in defence of the League of Nations to the great delight of its supporters, a small but ardent group, but rather to the disgust of old Colonel Robson! We returned to the Castle after the meeting, and arrived a few minutes before 11 p.m. I hope my five speeches will have done no harm!

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