The Henson Journals

[149]

Friday, September 3rd, 1926.

Wynne–Willson left the Castle after breakfast. Mrs W. W. and her two elder sons came to lunch, & remained to play lawn tennis. Brooke & Fosca Westcott did the same. My miner, Francis, was true to tryst. He came at 4 p.m., bringing his weekly pay–notes, which he expounded to me not very successfully, for the complexity of the payment system in the mines is baffling. I was pleased with the candour & simplicity of the man. Before tea, he asked me to say Grace, and, when we entered the Chapel, he suggested "a word of prayer".: and he was not a dissenter. I showed him over the Castle, & tried to make it interesting to him. "I wouldn't have missed this for ten pounds", he said when we parted. If such men as he had dared to speak out, there would have been no strike.

Mr Parry Evans came to see me with reference to the situation in the parish, and his own continuance therein. He will take no hasty decision. He told me that a number of the Shildon parishioners, unable to endure their Vicar's political sermons, are now in the practice of worshipping at South Church. Watts has become so infatuated with his "Labour" opinions that he bends everything to their advocacy. Meanwhile, "the hungry sheep look up and are not fed".

Mrs Bovey and her two daughters arrived here on a short visit. They are perambulating (i.e. motoring through) the world at the usual break–neck transatlantic pace. Mrs B. presented me with the facsimile of a title recently discovered in Jerusalem inscribed with Aramaic characters which are said to mean "Jesus the Christ". My total ignorance of Oriental tongues makes it impossible for me to check the statement.

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