The Henson Journals

[29]

Friday, May 23rd, 1930.

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The Times reports the deal of Lord Muir Mackenzie at the age of 84. I made his acquaintance soon after my arrival in Westminster in 1900: and we were closely associated in connexion with Harold Knowling. He was extraordinarily kind to the boy, and, indeed, treated him with an almost paternal solicitude. He steadily supported him in the matter of his marriage with Elsie Graham, and, indeed, without his support that marriage could hardly have taken place. He provided him with an excellent employment in the Lord Chancellor's office, and, if Harold had been worthy of his benefits, I think he might have almost adopted him as a son: devotion to music was a link between them, & the unhappy history of his only son did, I conjecture, dispose him towards Harold as, in some sense, filling the void. But Harold was base metal. He had no gratitude, and, I fear, no depth of character. His subsequent career was disappointing & dishonourable. Something must be ascribed to the War, and something to the difficulties of his situation, so different from that to which he was bred, but the principal fault was in himself.

[30]

I received my Scottish sermons, & wrote letters. Four young women, touring the county with a van in the interest of the Girls' Friendly Society arrived to stay the night, having left their van at Windlestone.

Caröe arrived on one of his lightning visitations. He is evidently "off" the fine scheme for pulling down my stables, & building cottages etc. So my certificate for dilapidations is as remote as ever. I must needs think that there are grave (perhaps too grave) disadvantages about an arrangement which makes one man quite indispensable for a mass of building work all over the country, and withal allows him for reasons of health to winter abroad. He loses touch with his numerous jobs, and these are unreasonably delayed. He rushes about too quickly, and often forgets his own previous instructions, moreover, Caröe grows old, and neither his temper nor his efficiency is improved by the fact. He is older than I, but all that I say of him is becoming true of me, except his wanderings!

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