The Henson Journals

[291]

Friday August 30th, 1929.

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Jack Clayton went away after breakfast, & I fell to work on the letter for the "Bishoprick". After lunch I motored to West Hartlepool, and saw Knowlden. I found him in a woeful state, unable to speak plainly, & plainly obsessed by the notion of resignation, & worrying over the prospect. His sister, who has been with him, had just been summoned home by telegraph so that the poor man is again alone. There is nothing for it but to wait developments. I suspect that he might drag on forlornly for a long time, & what to do with him, & with the parish is hard to say.

A fresh cargo of guests arrived, friends of Ella, heavy, elderly, and inexpressibly dull! I am not naturally either unkind or inhospitable but I become both so in presence of plain women and dull men!! It is deplorable but it is true.

Temple replies to my letter. He pleads that that (sic) the omission of all reference to the Crisis in the Pastoral was due to an 'almost unanimous' decision of the Bishops. I have no recollection of any such decision.

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