The Henson Journals

[208]

Friday, March 28th, 1924.

After breakfast I motored to Barnard Castle, and presided over a meeting of the Governors of the N.E. Counties School. The business was of exceptional importance, & no less than 17 governors attended. We had to co–opt 3 governors, and there were 5 candidates. I could not but feel a certain satisfaction at the fact that Bircham, the Vicar of Barnard Castle, was not re–elected. This rebuff was a reply to his recent rudeness to his bishop! But, though pleased, I could not avoid a certain sympathy for the man as he sate, at the council–board, from which his absence was so plainly desired by his colleagues. Then we went to the election of a new headmaster, and to my great surprise, a man named Coombes was elected. He was far from being the best candidate, but he let it be known that he was a dissenter, and that settled the election. The majority of the governors are also dissenters! I had not thought he was in the running, so plainly superior were at least three others. Two thirds of the boys are Church boys.

After the business was concluded, I returned to Auckland by way of Darlington in order to give Knowlden a lift homewards. He is so changed in appearance since his illness when he allowed his beard to grow, that I find it difficult to recognize him.

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