The Henson Journals

[314]

Friday, January 7th, 1927.

I wrote many letters; dictated a little address for the broad–casting function tomorrow, & sent the typed record to the broad–casting office in Newcastle.

The Rainbows came to lunch. Gerald is acquiring the normal English schoolboy's aspect. I tipped him a ten–shilling note. Rainbow tells me that the Communists in Shotton are, almost without exception, Irish Roman Catholicks. This must be borne in mind when the virtues of the Roman Church as the barrier against Communism are examined.

I motored to Lambton leaving Ella & Fearne at Brancepeth on the way, where a children's party was in progress. Colonel Headlam was there, & I showed him the letter which I had drafted for Lord Durham. I found that melancholy nobleman enjoying the company of his brother, D'Arcy, one of the dullest creatures ever seen on the dull earth! He accepted my draft, if not with eagerness, yet without protest: & undertook to have it sent out forthwith. I returned to Auckland, recovering my ladies at Brancepeth, & was back in my study by 6.45 p.m.

Mr Wright M. P. sends an immense letter, rather incoherent & intensely egotistic. He reminds me of the paper on "Christianity and Slavery" which I wrote in 1890. "Was there ever such a brilliant series of writers as contributed to the 'Oxford House Papers'. Reach down your volumes & refresh your memory." He half–suggests that the Bishop of Durham is an apostate from an earlier faith.

"Possibly 'the ardent advocate of Labour Policy' knows much more of the Bp. of Durham than the man who occupies the throne once held by Lightfoot[,] Westcott, & earlier by Butler, than Dr Henson knows of the unknown miner (& minor) poet & advocate of 'Labour Policy'." Have I ever met the good man in those far–off days?

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