The Henson Journals

[120]

Monday, July 21st, 1924.

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I came away from Liverpool by the 9.30 a.m. train, mine host accompanying me to the station. On the platform, Knight joined me, and travelled as far as York. At Darlington, Leng met me with the car, and I was at the Castle by 2.30 p.m.

Welldon is reported to have made a rather indecent attack on me on Saturday, at the miners' Demonstration in Durham. He said that I had earned the name of the "Liquor Bishop"; that no one would seek Temperance under my leading, &c. It is still sufficiently unusual for a Dean thus publicly to insult his Bishop, that the morning papers all give prominence to his insolent vapourings. It is, of course, only what I expected. There is a gallery ready to applaud any rudeness to the Bishop of Durham, & that is enough to make Welldon "play up". Nevertheless it is annoying.

Carissima was so much worse, that I decided to cancel the annual meeting of the Archdeacons & Rural Deans. The doctor reports that she might pass away at any time, though she might possibly linger for some days. It is infinitely repugnant to me thus to let my personal distress thrust itself into the course of public duty, but what else can be done?

Williams & Norgate write to ask me to write "a little volume of 50,000 words on the Reformation for the "Home University Library"!

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