The Henson Journals

[77]

Saturday, July 23rd, 1921.

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Spencer Wade, the curate of S. Peter's, who fancies himself as an economic peace–maker, sent me an urgently–expressed note asking me to intervene in the dispute which is now raging between the Bishop Auckland Cooperative Stores & their Employees. I sent the following reply:

My dear Spencer Wade

I have learned with deep regret that the dispute between the Cooperative Stores & their Employees remains unsettled, and, of course, it needs no saying that I should readily cooperate in any reasonable way to assist in securing an agreement.

But I have no direct knowledge whatever of the merits of the dispute: & it would be obviously improper for me to intervene without ample opportunity of learning the facts. In any case I could never accept the position of an arbitrator or referee unless 2 conditions were satisfied: viz: 1. That both sides requested me to act. 2. That both sides agreed to accept my decision. There is, I apprehend, very little probability that these conditions would be satisified, &, therefore, I regret that I cannot see my way at present to intervene.

I am leaving the Castle on Monday for some weeks unless, of course, there be adequate reason for my postponing my departure.

Sincerely yours,

Herbert Dunelm

[76] [sic] [symbol]

I happened to be in the garden with a hoe "fooling round" after weeds, when an elderly man, who introduced himself to me as Mr Ferens, accompanied by two squalid–looking dissenting minsters, sought to see the Chapel, which, to their disappointment they found to be locked. One of the sectaries said that he had been resident in Bishop Auckland in the days of Lightfoot, and recalled a foolish saying about the bridge in the Park. "Why is the bridge over the Gaunless known to be unsafe?" "Because it is long past Baring, & must be trodden by a Lightfoot"!

Then four little girls came up, & one of them asked to see the Chapel. She said her grandmother had been in Bishop Maltby's service. I was complaisant enough to show them the chapel, & the Bishop's picture.

I "approved" the scheme for alienating the endowments of Stanhope to livings situate [sic] in other dioceses which are in the same patronage; but I accompanied my approval by a wrathful letter of protest addressed to Downing for the benefit of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. That dreadful man, the Vicar of St Luke's, Darlington, caught hold of me in the garden, & bothered me about that tiresome mission district. I don't feel willing to take on any financial responsibility.

I wrote my fortnightly letter to George.

William went to the station to meet the last train from Darlington but it brought no "hab slieve" from Birmingham!

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