The Henson Journals

[81]

Friday, August 6th, 1926.

Rain fell most of the morning. I spent most of the time in the Library writing letters. Among others, I wrote to Spooner, Cruickshank, and William.

In the afternoon we visited the parish church, a large pretentious galleried structure built about 100 years ago to replace an older structure, which the masterful & wealthy rector pulled down in the teeth of parochial protests. The present bishop has just caused a vast pretentious episcopal throne erected in the nave to be removed, & has replaced it by a demure conventional wooden cathedra in the chancel. Then we walked up the hill, and had tea with Miss Brown, who was so frequent a visitor to the Gows in Dean's Yard that we used often to meet her when she lived in Westminster. She has adopted a small boy – 21/2 years old – and plainly doats on him. Intelligent conversation is rendered almost impossible by the affectionate exchanges between the two! On the whole, I prefer the ancient custom of relegating such children to the nursery.

John Bailey has a well–expressed letter in the Times on the mining situation. He describes as "important" and "untrue" the claim of Messrs Kirk and Carter to represent themselves as the mouthpieces of "the Churches". To some extent this letter relieves me of the necessity of writing myself, as I should have done if Welldon had not again "butted in" and "spoiled the pitch".

The weather, though cooler, was curiously "heavy" and exhausting.

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