Category Archives: January 1915

All diary entries written in January 1915.

7 January 1915; Thursday

Got up shortly before 8 o’clock. Ernie went back to St. Andrew’s, Charlie to Seaham. Mr Scott discovered a mistake of thousand pounds in my total and in the sales-­book. Received account of Lord Kitchener’s speech in the House of Lords and it was satisfactory. Marmie & Hilda both in bed all day. My cold a lot better. Charlie arrived at night from Seaham & said he was finished there. Dr. Scott down to Hilda.

5 January 1915; Tuesday

Charlie went to Seaham first thing to lodge there. Ernie and Hilda should have gone home but didn’t as Hilda is unwell. She got Dr Scott to come and see her. At work as usual. Finished about 5.30. Played ping pong most of the night and had short walk round the town last thing. Charlie slept at Seaham Harbour for first time.

4 January 1915; Monday

At work again. Felt pretty bad with cold. Father got me a bottle at night at Blackett’s1. Went to Willie Peake’s Party at night. A fair company and we enjoyed ourselves at night. Knocked off about 1 o’clock. I set Poppy Hugill down home. Got to bed about 2 o’clock. A report about some German ships being out of the canal2.


  1. “Blackett’s” (if correctly transcribed): department store in central Sunderland. 

  2. “Canal” would be the Kiel Canal (Kaiser-Wilhelm-Kanal until 1948), built 1887 – 1895 from Kiel in the Baltic to Brunsbüttel at the mouth of the Elbe (98km), to facilitate commercial traffic but also for German warships to avoid the unsafe and potentially opposed passage round Denmark, thus facilitating operations in both the Baltic and North Seas. It is said now to be the busiest artificial waterway in the world. 

2 January 1915; Saturday

Got up at 7 o’clock and walked with Charlie to Seaham Harbour first thing. Had rain in torrents and we were wet through. I got the 9.20 train back and was home about 9.45. Played ping pong. Went up town in the afternoon with Father. Bought new cap for 3/6. Went to Concert in Victoria Hall1 and heard Radford & Miss Edith Evans, Miss Bland, Mr John Bull and Mr Arthur E Gover2 on the organ. A fine snow. Willie back and Edie, Jack and Hilda3 to supper at Marmie’s. Charlie back at night. Finished the party at about 12.30.


  1. Victoria Hall: See 10 January 1914

  2. The artistes’ names, except the two in longhand, are fairly speculative transcriptions. 

  3. See Hilda disambiguation page.