Yearly Archives: 2015

5 April 1915; Easter Monday

April 1915, , , , ,

Got up about 8 o’clock. Went by train to South Shields, car1 to Tyne Dock, ferried to Albert Edward Dock, trammed to Wallsend, and then to Walker, ferried to Hebburn, walked to Bill Quay, and train from Pelaw home. Saw some light cruisers and destroyers, one submarine, and the Malaya. Walked to Penshaw Hill2 in the dark with Willie Whittaker. Charlie back at work. Had some music at dinnertime. Fine day.

The King proclaimed3 that alcoholic drinks are prohibited after today.

  1. “Car” means tram-car, as usual, although ALL uses “trammed” here too, meaning the same thing. ↩

  2. Penshaw Hill: See note on 2 April. ↩

  3. This was not a formal proclamation by King George V – in fact he publicly supported a campaign against the consumption of alcohol begun by Lloyd George by promising that no alcohol would be consumed in the Royal household until the war was over. This promise failed to influence even the Cabinet, let alone the public, but the King observed it himself. ↩

2 April 1915; Friday

April 1915, , , , ,

Went down town to meet Willie and went to Durham Road Wesleyan church. Didn’t care much for it. Went to Penshaw Hill1  2 in the afternoon with Willie Whittaker and Charlie and hurried back to go to the chapel tea. In time for the second sitting down. Mr Scroggie† preached in the afternoon but we didn’t hear him. Stayed to service. Reverend W. T Harding preached and was very good. Mr Hood spoke and was rotten. Had short walk round last thing.

Anniversary Services & Tea at Chapel.

  1. Penshaw Hill: landmark 4 miles from Sunderland on the Chester-­le-­Street road; referred to in the folk song “The Lambton Worm”; since 1844 crowned with a replica of the temple of Hephaestos in Athens, built as a tribute by his tenants to John George Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham and 1st Governor of Canada, known in his time as “Radical Jack.” It is said that it was to be completed with an equestrian statue of the Earl (a life-­size maquette which was formerly in the Baron’s Hall at Lumley Castle), but that the tenants changed their mind after the Earl’s agent put their rents up. ↩

  2. Some descriptions of Penshaw monument, for example that at Wikipedia, state that it is a half scale copy of the temple of Hephaestos and others, for example at the web site of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle, that it is twice the size of the original. In fact neither is true, although the topological similarity between the two buildings is deliberate and undeniable. ↩

1 April 1915; Thursday

April 1915, , ,

Carred1 to work both in the morning and dinnertime. Busy all day. Finished about 6 o’clock. Called round by Hopkirk’s and had a haircut and a shave. Saw a boy fall of<f> van and picked him up. Received £75 from Heath as Compensation for father’s accident. Mother received it at the office. I hurried down on the car and banked £50 of it. Did a bit shorthand2, Pelman3 and played. Went to bed very late. Successful day in the shop.

  1. “Carred” meaning “I rode on the tram-car.” ↩

  2. See Pitman’s Shorthand. ↩

  3. Pelman: See 6 January 1914. ↩