The Henson Journals

[144]

Friday, February 28th, 1930.

I motored to Middleton S. George, and had an interview with Sykes in his 'nursing home'. It was rather painful, and I doubt whether it did not injure rather than assist the poor man. How pitiable is the disintegration of personality! On my return I wrote to Mrs Sykes, & told her what I had done.

Dr McCullagh came at my request to see me about this new, & most unpleasing experience of dyspepsia, which threatens to damage my efficiency.

A dense fog came on as evening approached. It was fortunate that we had no more distant engagement than a Prize distribution at Spennymoor. The Town Hall was filled with the boys and girls of the Secondary School, whose parents crowded the gallery & back part of the Hall. I was amused by the obvious nervousness of the Chairman & other members of the Education Committee, all hot Labourites. They obviously expected me to jump on their educational corns, & were suitably relieved when I delivered myself in a series of the mildest platitudes! We crawled back to the Castle in a fog that seemed to grow ever denser.

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