The Henson Journals

[156]

Thursday, March 7th, 1929.

Mr Hulton, Lazenby's deputy, arrived in good time to administer the oaths to my new Chancellor. The little ceremony took place in the chapel. We all motored to Durham after lunch. There I presided at the annual meeting of St Catherine's Home for Friendless Girls. Then we had tea with Bayley. He had set out his books on Avignon, & gave us much advice on our projected tour. We returned to Auckland. Lionel and I motored to Tudhoe, where I confirmed 108 persons in the parish church. These came from four parishes viz: Tudhoe, Tudhoe Grange, Spennymoor and Merrington. The population of these parishes exceeds 22,000. There could hardly have been less than 400 persons who reached the age of 14 in the course of last year. There are Roman Catholics and Nonconformists to be reckoned with. The four Incumbents – Perrott (Merrington), Marsh (Tudhoe Grange), Bates (Spennymoor), and Bell (Tudhoe) are all rather senior men, and none is of unusual ability or attractiveness!

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