The Henson Journals

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Friday, July 28th, 1922.

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A most brilliant morning. Brilioth went back to Oxford by the early train. He is silent and rather melancholy, a mood which I interpret as disclosing regret at the termination of his visit to Auckland Castle!

Clayton and I worked through the letters before breakfast, and hardly had I settled to work afterwards before the new bookshelves arrived from Durham, and my study became a scene of noisy activity & infinite dust. I spent the whole day in the fatiguing and comfortless task of arranging my books. Meanwhile William laboured at the motor, & called in the aid of the mechanic from the local Automobile Works. But they failed to put the tiresome thing right, and in the end I was told that I must hire a car for my Sunday duties Could anything be more annoying just now when economy is specially needful, and I am pledged to a series of visits in Scotland, arranged on the assumption that I had the car in use?

Lady Eden came to lunch. She tells me that her second son who has just gained a First Class in the honour school of modern languages, & who is standing for Parliament in the Spennymoor Division, is a good speaker, and has been holding very successful meetings in the Division. Sir Timothy Eden, the present baronet, is taking up the "Church Lads' Brigade" with considerable zeal. These young men appear to be disposed to play their part worthily in the county and in the diocese.

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July 28th, 1922.

Dear Canon Tristram,

I will answer your two questions at once:

1. If the usual conditions as to character, health, & examination are satisfied by your Son, I shall be willing to accept him for Ordination in this diocese after he has spent a year in a Theological College.

2. I should advise him to spend a year at Ripon hall, Oxford. He would have the advantage of attending the lectures of the University Professors.

I understand your feelings with respect to what must needs appear the indifference of the Church of England to the dreadful situation into which the Irish clergy have been brought. But it is not so much indifference that keeps some of us silent as a total inability to see how help can be given, & a fear lest giving voice to our indignation might even worsen the lot of our friends. Personally I am an "impenitent Unionist", & I have seen no reason for thinking that self–government is possible in any tolerable sense in Ireland.

I just met the late Canon Tristram of Durham, but he had passed away before I became officially connected with the diocese.

Believe me. Yours very faithfully.

Herbert Dunelm:

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