The Henson Journals

[432]

Friday Saturday November 8th, 1929.

I have lived sixty–six years in this strange world, and, in the fresh consciousness of the fact, I feel baffled and incipiently senile! My "Birthday Letters" indicates sufficiently the incurable childishness of my character.

They are from the following: –

I went in to Durham, "ordained" a deaconess in the Cathedral, returning home to lunch. Pattison brought his fiancée to that meal – a little pleasant girl who plays the piano.

[433]

I walked round the Park with "Beck", who grows more matronlike daily. They over–feed her both at the Lodge in the Kitchen. The afternoon sun illumined the leaves which yet linger on the trees, and creates a scene of sombre brilliance. On returning to the Castle, I addressed and despatched copies of the 'Bishoprick' to such lay – members of the Assembly as I could identify. Then I acknowledged as many as possible of my Birthday Letters.

Mary Radford says that Kenneth had called on her, but that unfortunately she was out at the time. This information so far as it goes is reassuring, but the strange youth remain a very dark horse, and what is to become of him is hard to see. He, at least, came into the burden of my responsibilities through no partiality of my own. His mother's appeal led me to be interested in him before I had so much as seen him: and before deciding to help in sending him to Oxford. I consulted Ella, who will be the poorer for my expenditure.

Angel Thelwall	Kenneth Hodgson
Kitty Wilson	Leslie Wilson
Betty Wilson	Brooke Westcott
Mary Radford	Fosca Westcott
Olive Pollok–McCall	Nancy Wynne–Willson
Andrew Hall
Alfred Spelling
William Badham
Noel Lamidey
George Nimmins
Linetta Richardson
Jack Clayton

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