Got about in decent time. Busy all day. Had big discussion about the lessened trade and †industrial improvements†. Finished in decent time. Stayed at home and filled in Pelman papers. Went to post office last thing. A lot of strangers calling. Joe sat up with Father until about 4 o’clock. Father still improving. Minnie Bell called.
Category Archives: 1914
10 February 1914; Tuesday
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.
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
[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
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.
7 February 1914; Saturday
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.
“Trinity”: possibly Holy Trinity Church, Bishopwearmouth. ↩
6 February 1914; Friday
Got up at 5 o’clock and watched by Father a bit. He is slightly better first thing. Busy all day at work. Called for Willie at night and we stayed a short time at the chapel. Sat up until about 12 o’clock. A good many people in.
5 February 1914; Thursday
Got up about 7.15. At work as usual. Joe went to Leeds in the afternoon. Received letter from Manchester asking him to set a salary. I telephoned to him and then wired it to Manchester. Father very bad at night. Aunt Esther1, Bella Spain, and Uncle George in. I got the fiddle music and tried it through. Fred Wells called for Joe, and I talked to him a long time down stairs. Joe didn’t get back until 11 o’clock. Dorothy2 unwell and sick. Aunt Esther caused the water to run over and through the ceiling down stairs. I wrote to Ernie. The “Sack” murderer3 condemned. Appeal from Sumner. Eltoft 4 years. At Liverpool.
Aunt Esther: Father’s sister, b. 1862; married to John Lindsay Wilkinson – possibly Mother’s brother, and possibly the source of ALL’s middle name, which is otherwise unexplained. ↩
Dorothy: only child of Marmie and Joe Wiseman (b. 07.09.1912.) ↩
The “Sack” murder was a case in Liverpool, December 1913. The principal culprit, apparently George Sumner was hanged; Samuel Angeles Eltoft, mentioned by ALL, was aged 18. ↩
4 February 1914; Wednesday
[In shorthand above printed date - ] Wrote to New Zealand.
Got <up> at 4 o’clock and watched Father while Mother rested a bit. Dr Blair admits it to be pneumonia. Went to Band of Hope1 meeting at night and stayed to Mr Chadwick’s meeting. Mr Chadwick down. I played for the meeting. Felt pretty jaded at night. Joe got a reply from a Leeds firm asking him to go and see them. A good deal of anxiety caused by Father’s illness. Pneumonia. Wrote to New Zealand first thing and posted it.
Band of Hope: See footnote on 13 January. ↩
3 February 1914; Tuesday
Got up about 8 o’clock. Father pretty bad1 in the morning. Read a bit and played a bit at night. Went down literary† meeting, but Mr Chadwick was not there. Came up with Blaikie and talked a bit. Jim Wilkinson went to talk to Misses Galloway and Hunter at the top of Vine Place. Father seriously ill.
“Bad” is North-Eastern English vernacular for “unwell”. ↩
2 February 1914; Monday
Got up about 7.45. At work in decent time. Got work well up to date. Fine and windy. Busy all day. Father better, but became worse towards late night. Went out with Charlie and called at Mr Chadwick’s. Talked with him until after 10 o’clock. He told us about Wee Georgie Wood1 calling at their house, and we talked about theatres etcetera for a bit. Went to bed rather late.
Wee Georgie Wood (b. Jarrow 17.12.1894, OBE June 1946, d. 19.02.1979) was a music-hall, pantomime and later a film artist, usually appearing as a child on account of his height (1.45m). Wrote a weekly column in The Stage, was a member of the Savage Club. Coincidentally, was a 2nd or 3rd cousin of the Thatcher (ALL’s wife’s) family. ↩