The Henson Journals

[85]

Thursday, February 26th, 1931.

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Another spring–like day, but still windy. I finished the Conference Address.

The newspaper report[s] the death of Lady Frances Balfour. She was only 72. When I met her first, more than 25 years ago, she seemed to me definitely an old woman. I liked her, & she liked me, though my opposition to Female Suffrage offended her greatly. We came together over Prayer Book Revision, & when I was in Edinburgh last May for the Meeting of the General Assembly, I called on her there, & we talked about Lord Balfour and Archbishop Davidson, both of whom had just died. She was an earnest & ever enthusiastic Presbyterian, but she had her full measure of the domineering temper of the "Lords of the Congregation", expecting & receiving from the ministers and elders of the Assembly the degree of deference which her pride required, & their servility yielded.

Charles and I motored to Darlington, where, in St John's Church, I confirmed about 200 persons. There was a very large congregation, & the service was reverent & well–ordered. The clergy present were Cosgrave, Gouldsmith, Norris, Howe, Coen, and Bowen. We drove Cosgrave back to his Vicarage. On the way, he gave one an ill account of Jardine, the Vicar of St Paul's.

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Issues and controversies: female suffrage