Moving Day at Lambeth Palace Near

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 479, 8 October 1928, Page 14

Moving Day at Lambeth Palace Near

Primate of England His Many Treasures VAST LIBRARY TO SHIFT Lambeth Palace Is soon to witness a “moving day” for the first time in 25 years. With the resignation of Dr. Thomas Randall Davidson, the 80-year-old Archbishop of Canterbury, the palace staff already has been notified of the impending change. The retirement of his Grace of Canterbury, who is bitterly disappointed and saddened by his defeat at the hands of the House of Commons in the now famous "Prayer Book” controversy, involves the uprooting of a staff of more than 30 assistants and domestic servants. Staff of Servants The Primate’s successor, the Archbishop of York, is not likely to reengage many, if any, of them, as he will probably want to bring with him the personnel who have served him in his former diocese. The changes at Lambeth Palace in the near future are, therefore, likely to be drastic, and will entail the severing of many personal and domestic bonds. Moving out for Dr. and Mrs. Davidson, aside from the sentimental rupture, is not a simple matter. Although much of the furniture and furnishings of Lambeth Palace have been made into a national trust dnr ing his incumbency, both he and his wife have collected personal treasures which will have to be removed when they leave. One item alone, his books, represent a herculean tass for any housewife, for in the vast technical library at Lambeth Palace are thousands of volumes which ans Dr. Davidson’s own property, collected during his quarter-century as Primate, and which he must either take with him or give away upon his departure. Difficult Problems The Archbishop’s successor, in his turn, faces no easy task in taking over Lambeth Palace and its many entailed duties at a period which is the most difficult in the history of the Church of England since the ReformationApart from the internal crisis in the Church, the position is at any time an onerous one. The patronage of the Archbishop alone includes two canonrles at Canterbury, the honorary canonries, two archdeaconries and the presentation to more than 200 livings- - upkeep of the palace is a tremendous responsibility. The bishop is accountable for the interiodecorations, whe or in part, nnle* 4 he can show a surveyor’s certificate for having decorated any part of within five years, and constant restor ations make heavy demands on salary of £15,000 a year. The gardens and grounds extend to 18 acreA and in turn require constant eaP 6 care. mt Lambeth Palace has been the *** of the Archbishwps of Canterbu. since 1190.