All posts by Arthur Linfoot

15 February 1914; Sunday

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Got up about 9 o’clock. Shaved† and at chapel. At School as usual and my turn for the children’s service. Charlie, our Charlie, Joe and I were there, and we managed very well1. Had shorter walks than usual. Very windy. My hat blew off at the top of Vine Place. Better hymns on the sheets. Mr Chadwick preached a picture sermon on “Revelations” in the morning. Joe and Marmie out to dinner. Charlie sang in the Bible class.

  1. “Our Charlie”: ALL’s brother, so called to distinguish him from the other Charlie named – Charles Edward, usually so called in later life, also “Dora’s Charlie” in ALL’s diary: son of Father’s next brother Edward Beauman Linfoot (Beauman, after their grandfather, a local ship’s captain), “Uncle Ned”, whose death in mid-­1914 is recorded in the diary; cf. 8 July. ↩

14 February 1914; Saturday

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Got up about 7.45. Busy all morning. Finished about 2 o’clock. Sunderland versus Derby County and won 1-­0. Had short walk in town in the afternoon with Charlie. Went to lecture on Mohammed. Called at library and went up to see Willie. He was in bed but was up a little bit in the afternoon. Talked until nearly 10 o’clock and then went to the post office again. Bought a rubber horse for Dorothy as she was far from well. Father keeping a bit better. Wrote postcard in reply to the answer we received with regard to the business for sale in Wear Street. Mr Aitken returned from London and in a bad temper.

13 February 1914; Friday

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Got up about 7.20. Fine morning. In a bit trouble at work. Father shows signs of having got over cold. Dr Blair misses the morning. Went to the library and got out G.K. Chesterton’s “Defendant”1. Went to get hair cut. Played a bit and then went to Chadwicks’ and stayed until 10 o’clock. Called at General Post Office with parcel for Ernie. Wrote enquiring about business for sale2 in the Echo3.

  1. G K Chesterton (1874-­1936), St Paul’s School & Slade, writer & R. Catholic; best known now for Father Brown detective stories (as seen on TV, 2013). See also: The Defendant and Arthur Linfoot’s Library ↩

  2. “Business for sale”: the family planned to run a corner shop because Father had no wage since his accident. ↩

  3. “Echo”: the Sunderland Echo & Shipping Gazette, the Monday – Saturday evening paper. ↩

10 February 1914; Tuesday

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Busy all day. Father still improving. Went down to clear work at night. Willie not there. Willie Whittaker and I called for him. Went in to see him. His father told us, rather reluctantly, that he had not *. Got home shortly after 10 o’clock. Mr Marshall was putting gramophone records on to amuse Willie, who was in bed. Poor practice. I was the only bass. Directors’ meeting1.

  1. Directors: this would be the Board of the Hendon Paper Works – noted because of the extra work the meeting would have caused for the office staff. ↩

9 February 1914; Monday

February 1914, , ,

[In longhand above printed date -­ ] Joe out of work

Got up about 7 o’clock. Pretty busy at work. Finished in good time. Went up to meet Jack. He waited for me at the Salem Hotel† ever so long through a misunderstanding. I played for him and for Mr Briggs. Managed Jack’s last song best. Got a bit mixed in Briggs’ first piece and Jack’s first song. Prior† on the job and played for Tom Weir. Professor Almay and Mr Bevan helped to provide the entertainment. Got home around 10 o’clock. Father still a little better. Played at Bishopwearmouth Church social.

8 February 1914; Sunday

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Charlie out soon. I got up after 9 o’clock. Off chapel in the morning. Mr Crew preaching. Went down to School late. Father still improved. Willie Marshall in charge†. Charlie, Willie Whittaker and I went over to North Bridge Street1 Presbyterian church at night and heard Mr Middlemiss† preach and Mr Newrick play2. Joe Speed on at our church. Very poor turn out there. Mr Mullens called at our house. Uncle Jack, Aunt Esther, Jack and Hilda3, and Uncle Jack and Aunt Bella and Uncle George all in. And Mrs Spain.

  1. North Bridge Street: in Monkwearmouth, north of the Wear. ↩

  2. Mr Newrick: well-­known local organist and music teacher; ALL took lessons with him. ↩

  3. See Hilda disambiguation page. ↩

7 February 1914; Saturday

February 1914,

Got up about 6.30. Finished work about 2 o’clock. Went up town and got papers. Went to lecture at Trinity1. Called at home and then went down to Uncle Jack’s. Mr Blaikie turned up and I tried the pieces through with him and Jack. Got home rather late. Went to bed pretty late. Aunt Esther up all night with Father.

  1. “Trinity”: possibly Holy Trinity Church, Bishopwearmouth. ↩