Faithful Witness: The Confidential Diaries of Alan Don, Chaplain to the King, the Archbishop and the Speaker, 1931-1946, with a foreword by Archbishop Justin Welby

by Robert Beaken (Editor)

In May 1931, Alan Don travelled from Dundee to Lambeth Palace to become Chaplain to Archbishop Cosmo Lang. During that journey he began a diary. He kept it faithfully for the next fifteen years, during which he also became Chaplain to the King and to the Speaker of the House of Commons. These positions afforded him a ringside view of some of the most momentous events in both British and world history - including the abdication of Edward VIII, the coronation of George VI, the rise of Hitler and the trauma of the Second World War. Now, for the first time, these fascinating diaries are laid open. They offer a wealth of detailed insight into the ecclesiastical, royal and parliamentary affairs of Britain and her �lite during two historically significant decades. They also open a window on the history of the Church of England and its role in the social, political and military upheavals of the 1930s and 40s. Anyone who wants to know more about how Great Britain survived those turbulent times, will be amply rewarded by this engaging, perceptive and revealing eye-witness account.

528 pages, Hardcover

Published September 17, 2020

Reviews

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rather enjoyed reading this! These are the diaries of Alan Don, a priest of the Church of England before and during World War II who, during that time, served as the chaplain and secretary to the Archbishop of Canterbury as well as being chaplain to King George V and chaplain to the speaker. Appointments which must have left him with an enormous amount of responsibility as well as with little time to himself. They are well written and the vocabulary and prose of the writer are rather good. What is contained in this book and the concerns of the writer are a mixture of the trials and tribulations of executing the offices as described above, just what was happening around him during WWII and his thoughts regarding both and more.

I think the editor of the diaries has done a commendable job of selecting those entries that best informs the reader as to what the diarist wanted to convey and as to what was going on before and during that momentous time in history. Also, the editor's introduction is well written and informative about the author and his time. Usually when I encounter an introduction it is tedious as well as mind-numbingly dull to the point that one despairs of life altogether. That is not the case here. As with the diaries themselves it was a pleasure to read. I think that Dr. Beaken should be commended for a job well done.

[Diana Cheal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating period of time to cover. And a man that witnessed so much of it through his role in Lambeth Palace, the Chapel Royal, the House of Commons, and then at Westminster Abbey. I learned a lot about the Church too and the protocols and procedures in place there too.
The diaries have been well edited and good quality footnotes, so it’s easy to follow.