Category Archives: 1914

All diary entries written in 1914.

6 July 1914; Monday

July 1914, , ,

Got up about 6.20. Walked in to Barnard Castle with Joe. We mistimed ourselves and had to hurry. Joe left us near to Barnard Castle and ran to the station. We were terribly hot and tired. Sat in the Bowes Museum grounds and read a bit and then walked out to Egglestone Abbey1 and had lunch there. Fine day. Crossed Abbey Bridge and paid our toll. Had lemonades and a ginger beer. Got 3.45 train back to Bowes. Had short walk at night. Fine day.

Received flower books from Ernie and sat a bit at night.

  1. The map shows the location of Egglestone Abbey. See also Bowes map. ↩

5 July 1914; Sunday

July 1914, , ,

Got up late. Had walk by Spital Way with Father and Charlie. Stayed in in the afternoon and read and wrote up diary. Rather dull. Went to Wesleyan chapel at night. Better services but much smaller choir and congregation. Preacher not so talkative and apparently more sincere. Had short walk afterwards. Fine night.

3 July 1914; Friday

July 1914, , ,

Charlie and I did record walk. Went by Gilmonby, Rutherford, T[h]waite, Scargill, Barningham over the moors, and came back by Greta Bridge and Rokeby 1. Got some lime juice and soda in Barningham and some milk at a farmhouse on the way home. Didn’t get in until 9 o’clock at night. Found Joe here when we got back. He has got off for the weekend.

  1. The map shows the walk from Bowes (A), via Gilmonby (B), Rutherford (not shown on map), Thwaite (C), Scargill (D), Barningham (E) and Greta Bridge (F) to Rokeby (G). “Record walk” seems justifiable; the distance covered would have been no less than 40 miles. See also Bowes map. ↩

2 July 1914; Thursday

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Sat by the moors in the morning with Charlie and Father. In the afternoon Charlie, Father and I walked up to Sleightholme round by Gilmonby by the moors1. Grand day and lovely scenery. Saw scores of wild rabbits. Didn’t get home until about 8 o’clock. Had short walk at night.

  1. The walk was from Bowes (A), via Sleightholme (B) and Gilmonby (C) and back to Bowes. See also Bowes map. ↩

1 July 1914; Wednesday

July 1914, ,

Family got the 12.7 train to Barnard Castle. It looked showery. Charlie and I intended to walk back but it rained heavily and †diverted us to our† train. Spent afternoon in Bowes Museum1. Got out fine at night and we went on to the top of the nearest moors again.

  1. Bowes Museum (marked on map): the 19th century château-style art gallery at Barnard Castle, now widely known and admired. See also Bowes map. ↩

30 June 1914; Tuesday

June 1914, ,

Dined out much better dinner. After dinner all the family trained to Lartington and walked to Cotherstone. Fine day. Charlie and I went up to the leap† at the top of the moors. Filled in time with bagatelle and reading Strand magazines1.

  1. Strand magazines: monthly magazine, 1891 – 1950; contributors included Conan Doyle, E W Hornung (writer of the ‘Raffles’ novels), W W Jacobs, H G Wells, Agatha Christie, E Nesbit, Dorothy L Sayers. See also: The Strand and Arthur Linfoot’s Library ↩

The Strand

Cover ImageThe Strand Magazine was a monthly magazine founded by George Newnes, composed of short fiction and general interest articles. It was published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950, running to 711 issues.

Arthur Linfoot noted, in his diary entry for 30 June 1914, that he had “filled in time” reading Strand magazines. This may suggest that Strand Magazine was something he was inclined to take less seriously than some of the other items in this list.

29 June 1914; Monday

June 1914, ,

Hottest day this summer. Walked with Charlie to Cotherstone over moors, and up by Lartington to B. Castle1. Train back from Barnard Castle home at about 6 o’clock. Had grand day and were tired at night. Began to play with bagatelle board.

  1. The map shows the entire journey, from Bowes (A), to Cotherstone (B), via Lartington (C) to Barnard Castle (D). See also Bowes map. ↩

28 June 1914; Sunday

June 1914, ,

Got up late. Didn’t go to church until night when Charlie and I went to the Wesleyan anniversary. Singing was awful. Had 3 walks, up moor in the morning, round the south side in the afternoon and at night. Met old farmer and talked with him and his wife. Fine day. Liked the place all right. Wrote to Ernie.