Library was unbearable this morning owing to washing and scrubbing preparatory to Commem. Consequently we were chivvied into the Coin Room last hour with Forbes…
After Hall I had a happy time up-Library arranging the cases and writing explanatory cards for the Manuscript cases etc. My industry as rewarded for I overheard people laboriously reading out my cards i.e. ÔÇ£Two Letters from the late Lord Ebury, Old WestminsterÔÇØ etc. I simply roared with laughter owing to a bust of Julius Caesar in the Library which was covered with dirt and which I told Neill must be cleaned. Accordingly Sargeaunt got it down and laid it flat on the floor…and was ignominiously dusting it with a duster. Neil and myself were much amused. I also made Neill get down the Black Jacks and put them on the tables.
Rawson, Hobson, Tunnecliffe and myself got into the Abbey about 10 minutes to 8 and had a long wait till the service began at 8.30. ‘Amongst others we noticed in the Choir’ as the papers say, the Dean of Christ Church, the Archdeacon of Leicester, Sir Robert Hudson, Sir Gilbert Scott etc. It really had a very fine effect, the Abbey more or less in darkness except for the Choir and everyone in evening dress. The singing on the whole was good, hardly perhaps the ‘passionate ecstasy’ the Standard talked about, but quite adequate. The Dean is so blind he got badly lost once in the lesson and there was a pause till he found it again. Gow read the benefactors, an illustrious and noble list. We got out about 9 and Reed joined Boult and myself as we came out. and we proceeded up School which was crammed. Only the VII and VI and House Monitors might go down to refreshments, so, of course, I went but there was too much of a squash to get anything.