The Henson Journals

[11]

Wednesday, December 14th, 1927.

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The day was wet and "muggy", I had a sleepless night, & felt a poor creature. After breakfast I walked to the Club, & spent the morning in arranging my speech. I lunched, &then walked to the hair–dresser, & was made respectable for my performance in the House. Then I walked to Westminster, & at 3.25 p.m. began my speech. I spoke for exactly 45 minutes, and was well listened to throughout The House presented a magnificent spectacle, for the benches, Lady's Gallery, Public Gallery, Bar, & Throne were all crowded. I received many congratulations when I sate own. The Archbishop of Canterbury said it was a 'great speech'. Lord Salisbury said the peroration was 'magnificent. Many others, including Margot, were equally complimentary. I don't know what may be the truth, but the general verdict seemed favourable. The Bishop pf Norwich was not effective. Lord Cave made a short but useful speech. Then the Archbishop of York would up. He spoke well, but was, perhaps, a little too long. The division was taken at 7.15 p.m. There were 241 in favour of the resolution, and no more than 88 against – a notable triumph.

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Lord Durham was there. He & I voted together. Lords Londonderry, Barnard, Ravensworth, Gainsford, & Scarborough also voted in the majority, so that the diocese did its duty

Lord Scarbrough took me with Lady Scarbrough to dine with Mrs Rockford Maguire. Lord Stanmore was the other guest. Mine hostess told me that Lord Birkenhead had expressed great approval of my speech. Some peer paid me the dubious compliment of saying that I was 'the Birkenhead of the Episcopate'!! Old Lord Halifax, aged 88, was in the House. I helped him to his seat, for he is very infirm: & he said some kind things about my speech, but himself abstained from voting. After the division, Lord Ernle, formerly R. E. Prothero, congratulated me on my speech, and, pointing at Lang, said, "To think that I examined both of you for Fellowships!" It is a wonderful way that both of us have been led – an unknown Scotch lad from Glasgow, and a still more unknown lad from Broadstairs, & in one of the greatest debates of modern times in the House of Lords, playing leading rôles, the one speaking as the selected representative of the English Episcopali, the other summing up the debate!