All posts by Arthur Linfoot

16 April 1914; Thursday

April 1914, ,

Got up at 7 o’clock. Grand morning. Not very well. Easy1 day. Finished at 5 o’clock. Played the piano a bit. Read. Called at the dock at dinner time for father’s compensation money. Pupil came at night and I stayed with him. Wrote to Ernie and posted it last thing. Went to bed about 11 o’clock. Felt a bit dizzy.

  1. Illustrating the difficulties of transcription: ALL’s usual entry was “Busy day”, but the “b” and “s” strokes sometimes, as here, run together into almost a single arc: “s”. Elsewhere only a dot for the final vowel, after the stroke, is marked, though there should also be a dot before the stroke, for the first vowel; here, exceptionally, a first vowel is clearly marked, and for this reason, together with the ambiguity of the curved stroke and the fairly early finish at 5.00, I have transcribed the word as “easy”. (DL)  ↩

13 April 1914; Easter Monday

April 1914, , , , ,

Got up about 8 o’clock. Went up and met the two Willies1 with Charlie. Car to Sea Lane. Walked to Marsden. Willie took some photos2. Had lunch at Marsden and walked on up the banks to Shields3. Came back in the train. Heard 9 bands at South Shields. A drunken man in the train. Got back shortly before 3. I read a good bit and played. Went out again at night. Walked to Roker.

At Marsden & Shields.

L to R: Charlie Linfoot, Willie Whittaker, Arthur Linfoot at Marsden Easter Monday 1914
Photo: L to R; Charlie Linfoot, Willie Whittaker, Arthur Linfoot at Marsden Easter Monday 1914.

  1. “The two Willies”: Presumed to be Willie Marshall and Willie Whittaker, depending on which Willie “took some photos”. ↩

  2. The photograph accompanying this entry appears to be one of those taken by “Willie” on that day (presumed to be Willie Marshall and explaining his absence from the scene). The cliffs in the background would be recognisable by anyone familiar with Marsden today. The photograph was probably taken somewhere near point (A) on the map. See also Sunderland map. ↩

  3. Shields: South Shields (B on the map), a coastal town on the south side of the mouth of the River Tyne, about 3 miles up the cost from Marsden. There is also a North Shields on the north side. ↩

11 April 1914; Saturday

April 1914,

Got up about 8. Rather late for work. Finished about 1.30. Cleared up a few things at home. Went to Roker at night with Willie. Ordered Hutchinsons’ “History of the World”1 at the branch. Had short walk with Father in the evening.

  1. Correct name “History of the Nations” used in 17 April entry; quite a well-­illustrated, glossy production, apparently published in weekly or monthly numbers, subsequently bound in 4 volumes and retained by ALL. ↩

10 April 1914; Good Friday

April 1914, , ,

Got up about 9 and had a bath. Went to Roker with Charlie. Very windy. Went to the chapel in the afternoon. Mr Shawcross preached in the afternoon and spoke again at the evening meeting. Stayed to the tea. A pretty good turn-­out. Stayed to evening service, and afterwards at supper. Morley spoke to Mr Shawcross. Charlie sang at night and Mr Newrick spoke well of it.

Missionary Anniversary Services.

Commenced to read “Anna Karenina.”1

  1. See also: Anna Karenina and Arthur Linfoot’s Library ↩

8 April 1914; Wednesday

April 1914, ,

Busy all day. Finished in good time at night. Tried a bit voice production and then went over to North Bridge Street Church. Crucifixion1 at North Bridge Street. Mr Oliver met the Durham Cathedral tenor. Charlie Ramsey bass. Tom Leydon did the odd men’s parts. It went off all right. Only a few there. Father a little better, but rather depressed.

  1. Stainer’s Crucifixion: see note on 5 April. ↩

7 April 1914; Tuesday

April 1914, , ,

Got up at 7 o’clock. Fine morning. Directors’ meeting. I didn’t get away for my dinner until 2 o’clock. Did 3 letters for Mr Lawson. Finished in good time. Went over to the practice at North Bridge Street at night. Sang rather well. Came over with Charlie and Tudie†1. Father not well. Dr Blair in and he is coming again on Thursday.

  1. “Tudie”: Could this be “Trudy”? – ALL’s sister Gertrude is always “Gertie” elsewhere. ↩