The Henson Journals

[50]

Wednesday, February 4th, 1931.

I walked to Westminster, and attended the funeral of Archdeacon Charles, sitting in the stall which I occupied as Canon. The ceremonial was simple but stately: but the array of copes & candles, not to mention the prayers for himself would have startled, perhaps angered, his Protestant spirit. Charles was a genuine, though, perhaps, an erratic scholar. His enthusiasm for learning, his tireless industry in its pursuit, and his eager desire to communicate it were admirable. I shall ever count it to myself for righteousness, that I urged on the Prime Minister his appointment to the canonry, saying that it was really scandalous that so distinguished a scholar should have received no Crown preferment.

I attended the Assembly where an energetic debate on the Staffing of the parishes had been introduced by the Bishop of Southwark. It had been my intention to make a speech, but, when I observed how many members were eager to hold forth, I changed my mind, & said nothing. Most of the speaking was very poor stuff indeed, especially the orations of "Jix", Mitchell, and Canon Hinde.

[51]

As I was leaving Dean's yard, I fell in with Sir Charles Trevelyan, who pressed on me the importance of getting the H. of L. to pass his precious Education Bill. I said that, if it were thrown out, it would be on the general ground that we must ^not^ place fresh financial burdens on the country at the present time. I fell in also with Kate Pearce, the sister of the late Bishop of Worcester.

I wrote letters of condolence to Mrs Charles and to Colonel Greenwell. The death from pneumonia on the same day of both Sir Francis & Lady Greenwell is really very tragic. I sate beside the old lady at lunch in the deanery, Durham, on January 27th when we gathered to the cathedral for the Commemoration of founders & Benefactors.

I dined very pleasantly at Grillions. There were eleven members present viz:–

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1.	Lord Fitzalan	7.	Owen Seaman
2.	" Lock Lloyd	8.	Lord Edward Eustace Percy
3.	" Darling	9.	Lord Bridgman
4.	" Londonderry	10.	Sir Richard Cavendish
5.	" Hugh Cecil	11.	The Bishop of Durham
6.	Sir Austen Chamberlain

[52]

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Ld Darling told me that the Scotch verdict "non proven" set the prisoner ^free^, but that he could be re–arrested and tried again in certain circumstances. Ld Bridgeman agreed with me that, had he been on the jury in the Rouse case, he could not have agreed to bring the wretch in "Guilty", and, I think, that was the general opinion, but all agreed that his aspect and conduct in the witness box might have been decisive against him.

Austin Chamberlain raised the question whether we ought to maintain the traditional non–party character of Grillions by electing the present Prime Minister, but there seemed a doubt whether he would accept election. Should he "sound" him on the point before formally proposing him? Several members urged objections to this course; it was finally decided that he should be nominated in the usual way without his knowledge. I wonder whether there is any other country in which such a Club as Grillions exists, wherein no divergences of Church or Party are allowed to affect the frankness of social fellowship, where even the deeper cleavages of birth, wealth, professional habit are not given any recognition. A single "black ball" excludes from election.

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