The Henson Journals

[141]

Friday, October 26th, 1928.

A woeful day, wet & comfortless. Lionel and I motored to Edmundbyers, a little parish far up on the moors with less than 300 inhabitants, where Dolphin has reigned for the last 14 years. There, in pitiless rain, I consecrated an addition to the churchyard, improvising the service, as through some blunder, no printed forms had been provided. In spite of the rain a considerable body of the parishioners had collected, & the service in the Church, when I delivered an address from St Paul's words "Glorify God, therefore in your body", was not unimpressive. We had tea in the adapted Barn which, having let his rectory house, Dolphin inhabits, & then returned through the rain to Auckland.

I wrote to Messrs Arthur H Godfree & Co. Ltd. 3 Adelphi Terrace, Strand, ordering a supply of port wine. The last supply appears to have been paid for on Jan. 6th 1928.

Earl & Countess Grey arrived in their motor about 6 p.m. and were soon followed by Canon Partridge. Sybil, Lady Eden, joined us at dinner.

Before going to bed Grey & D. Partridge talked with me at length on ecclesiastical matters. It appears that the number of men ordained last year was 8 fewer than the year before.

---