Commonplace

In the Lent Mission of 1982 Bishop Frank Cocks (BFr 1927) suggested to us that we should start commonplace books. He did not use that phrase, and his suggestion was for rather more specifically devotional or theological notes than many commonplace books.

I still use mine - it is a hard backed exercise book I bought in the bookroom. I find I use it in fits and starts. Sometimes I will not make an entry for years, and then I take it up again and use it rather a lot. I remain grateful to Bishop Cocks for the suggestion. I wonder if others also keep commonplace books following that mission?

In his published Commonplace Book (1993) Mgr Alfred Gilbey commented acerbically that "The Indian Empire was lost on the playing fields of Haileybury." A bit unfair, but he would have ben no supporter of Mr Attlee's government.

Gilbey's family came from Harlow. A contemporary of mine from seminary served there and tells a story of conducing a family funeral and being rewarded with a fine bottle of gin. Despite the near geography, I do not know whether Mgr Gilbey ever came to Haileybury or walked across XX Acre.