The Henson Journals

[152]

Monday, March 5th, 1928.

Lionel went with me to Darlington, where I took the 8.55a.m. express to London. My journey was relieved by Colonel Headlam & the Bishop of Newcastle, who paid prolonged visits to my compartment. On arriving at King's Cross I drove to 21 Park Lane, & there deposited my bags. Then I went to the hair–dresser, & was capitally handled: after which I drove to Lambeth, only to learn that the House of Bishops was meeting in Church House. So I arrived 15 minutes late, & missed a piquant episode, for the Bishop of Birmingham began the proceedings by announcing his intention of ignoring the privacy of the proceedings. This was not well received by their Lordships. We sate until 5p.m., and (though there was much superfluous talking,) we got over a fair amount of ground. Then I had tea in the renovated Athenaeum with the Bishops of Carlisle and Gloucester, & had some talk with Sir Thomas Barlow, who wants to 'get the Archbishop out of that house' viz. Lambeth. Then I wrote to Ella, and walked back to Park Lane.

[153] [symbol]

The only other guest at dinner was Lord Peel, whom I was particularly pleased to meet, as he is the Head of the Public Works Department, with whom rests responsibility for the maintenance of ancient monuments. I laid the case of the castle before him, & we discussed it at some length. He expressed himself very sympathetically, but I fear that sympathy is all we can hope for from him. Also we had a great talk about the Revised Prayer Book. He declared himself a strong Protestant, but owned that he knew little of the issues at stake. He was doubtful of the Book's passing, but admitted there was great reluctance to raise the question of Disestablishment. We discussed the reasons for the extreme unpopularity of the Bishops. He gave considerable importance to resentment provoked by their unfortunate intervention during the General Strike. He thought that the Bishop of London was regarded with deep distrust. I was rather surprized to hear him express strong dislike of the proposal to add a sacristy to Westminster Abbey, and something like distrust of my excellent friend the Dean.