Yearly Archives: 2014

14 June 1914; Sunday

Sunday School Anniversary. Fine day. Mr Blaikie leading. Willie Marshall playing. Charlie sang a solo at night and a boy from St John’s Wesleyan choir sang two solos. He was very good. The service was successful. Good dinners at night. Decided to continue the service next week. Had walk at night with Ernie, Willie Whittaker, and Charlie. Sang the anthem “Send out thy light.”

10 June 1914; Wednesday

Got up about 7.40. Tried a few of Charlie’s things through first thing. Not much to do at work. Got off a bit extra to go to the wedding. Merely saw them married and went back to work. All the rest of the family on the job. Father gave Lily away. Charlie sang a song. Little bit stiffness between the two families.

Willie Marshall married to Lily Linfoot1.

Mr Chadwick officiated. They went to Alnwick for their honeymoon.
Went down to chapel at night and hurried to finish off putting up the platform. Fine day.


  1. See note on 8 May

9 June 1914; Tuesday

Got up about 7.40. Wet morning. Foot a lot better. Directors’ meeting. I had no letters. Finished early. Went down to practice. Played organ for good part of it. Stormy wet day. Carried some plants down from Pickell’s† to the chapel last thing for Willie’s wedding.

8 June 1914; Monday

Got up late. Wet morning. Not much to do. Finished at 5 o’clock sharp. Played a bit. Read one or two of W.W. Jacobs’ short stories1. Went down to the annual teachers’ meeting2. Came round with Willie Whittaker. Made some hair restorer. Went to bed late.


  1. W W Jacobs: very popular writer of comic short stories and novels, mostly on low life in sea‐ports, but with some exceptions, e.g. his best‐known story “The Monkey’s Paw”, a ‘suspense’ short story. See also: Arthur Linfoot’s Library 

  2. “Teachers’ meeting” would be Sunday School teachers. 

W. W. Jacobs

Cover ImageW. W. Jacobs was an English author of short stories and novels. Although much of his work was humorous, he is most famous for his horror story “The Monkey’s Paw“.

Arthur Linfoot noted, in his diary entry for 8 June 1914, that he had read “one or two of W.W. Jacobs’ short stories”. Clearly we cannot know which.

Arthur Linfoot also noted, on 17 May 1917, what appears to have been some kind of stage adaptation of The Monkey’s Paw, performed by the Merry Mauves at Bailleul.

W. W. Jabobs’ complete works remain available as an Amazon KIndle book.

7 June 1914; Sunday

Stayed off chapel in the morning through bad foot. At Sunday School and chapel at night. Stayed to sacrament. Had short walk afterwards with Willie, Charlie and Dora’s Charlie. Talked with Blaikie too. No lesson in the School. The weather a bit showery. Got wet in the afternoon. Read a bit. Played a bit.