The Henson Journals

[56]

Monday, July 26th, 1926.

We left Sawley Hall about 10.30 a.m., & motored to Carlton Hall, near Newark, a distance of 82 miles. We arrived at 3.15 p.m., having delayed for an hour in Doncaster for lunch at the Danum Hotel. The sun shone, the air was fresh & pleasant, the country beautiful in summer luxuriance. I expended on the way: 11/3 for lunch (4 persons), and 10/7 for petrol, a total of 21/10. We found Mrs Lawrie here with her three children. Haliburton, now a Corporal, has been improved by Sandhurst: Sidney, now a tall lad of 16, makes progress with his music; and Blanche marches towards womanhood dowered with grace and promise. Lady Ross is here. Her husband, Sir John Ross, died a few weeks ago. Our hostess, Mrs Skeffington–Craig, is unaltered &, perhaps, unalterable.

I wrote to Clayton suggesting that he should act as my Chaplain at Hereford on Friday.

I found in our bedroom a novel by Stephen McKenna, "Tomorrow and Tomorrow", and I started to read it. The emotions & excitements of the hectic period that followed immediately the ending of the War are already almost unintelligible and unmeaning to those, who, like ourselves, have become blasé with altruistic fervours, and wholly sceptical of all putters–to–rights–of–the–world, within the space of eight years! Lloyd George, reverting to the guttersnipe of genius after having companied with Chatham, is a representative figure. We are all like that.

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