The Henson Journals

[53]

Saturday, July 24th, 1926.

I received from Sir Theodore Morison a request that I would deliver the Earl Grey Memorial Lecture for 1927. "This Lectureship was established in 1918 to perpetuate the memory of Albert, Earl Grey, and the conditions prescribed by the Trust deed are that the lecture shall be delivered annually at the College during the Epiphany Term on some subject of educational or social importance & that the honorarium to the Lecturer shall be £40." I did not see my way to refuse what I do not see my way to accomplish! Accordingly I wrote to accept the invitation, & reserved for the present my choice of subject.

I sent on to Dr Jackson the list of names which the Bishop of Jarrow prepared for me, indicating that in my own judgment the order of preference was: (1) Cutts. (2) Rudd. (3) McCready.

In falling rain we left the castle shortly after 3 p.m., and motored to Sawley, stopping at Ripon for tea & to look at the cathedral. We called at the Deanery, & found the Dean still talking of his dilapidations and Mrs Owen in a state of advanced convalescence. The Dean told me that the finances of the Lichfield Diocese are in a bad state; as the richer folk resent the Bishop's Socialism, & will not contribute to maintain an institution which plots their ruin! We arrived at Sawley about 6. 30 p.m. & were received by Sir John Bannon, Lady Gurney & her son, & daughter and Mr & Mrs Heathcote were here. The weather continued wet and thunderous.

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