The Henson Journals
Mon 29 September 1930
Volume 51, Pages 65 to 66
[65]
Michaelmas, September 29th, 1920.
THE ORDINATION
There was not so large an attendance in the Chapel as I had expected. The Communicants did not number more than 16 or 17. But the sermon was reverent & dignified. Watts brought his choir, (men, women and boys) from Shildon, and they sang very well. Rawlinson presented the candidates. Duncan Walker, Wallis, and Wynne–Willson were also in attendance as chaplains. Canon Boot's sermon was a very poor performance, only redeemed by its brevity. The service began at 10.30 a.m. and was over by 11.45 a.m. It was somewhat shortened by the omission of the Litany, which had been read at the earlier service. The ordination being limited to the diaconate was itself short. The Choir were given a "stand–up" lunch in the large kitchen; we entertained 23 persons in the dining room. After the company had dispersed, Rawlinson and I walked round the Park. We fell in with Dr. McCullagh, whom I compelled to join us. I got so wet in the "lower limbs" that I had to change on returning to the house.
[66]
I received from Bishop Eden a very favourable report on Haswell. Accordingly, I wrote to him, proposing that, if he felt disposed to consider the offer of Christ Church, Sunderland, he should come & see me.
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The Times publishes a letter from Mr Baldwin describing the new Harkness Trust, and stating who are to be the Trustees. Among these are the names of John Buchan and Lord Macmillan. I thought it worth while to follow up the letter which I wrote to Baldwin some weeks ago, by writing to both of them in the interest of the Durham Castle Preservation Fund.
I received a letter from Lord Stamfordham, from which I conclude that he proposes to ask Lord Sankey to nominate Bell of S. Hilda's, Darlington, to the benefice of Stamfordham.
The Vicar called to tell me that Greenway the incumbent of Eldon, has died suddenly. The patronage of the living is in the Crown, but the Crown almost always tries to appoint a clergyman from the diocese. It is no longer a question of good appointments, but of any appointments.