Charlie, Willie Whittaker and I went to Seaside Lane on the car1 and walked from there to Marsden and on to South Shields. Crossed the ferry and walked to Tynemouth2. Car back to the penny ferry3, got the train to Sunderland and arrived about 6 o’clock. Fine day and pleasant time. Saw the defending† arrangements at Frenchman’s Bay4, South Shields, and Tynemouth. A large quantity of parapet wired off there†, and the wall in front of the guns levelled to the ground.
International affairs much worse. Grave conjecture as to what England5 will do.
Went to Whitburn at night with Willie Whittaker.
Car means tram-car, as usual. ↩
Curiously, the vowel-signs in the shorthand clearly indicate the pronunciation “Tinmouth”. ↩
“Penny” ferries were for foot-passengers. In the 1947/8 Ordnance Survey revision, there were still a foot-ferry and a vehicle‐ferry from North to S. Shields, and another foot-ferry from Whitehill Point to S. Shields. ↩
Frenchman’s Bay is between Marsden Bay and the mouth of the Tyne, adjacent to modern South Shields. ↩