29 June 1915; Tuesday

June 1915, , , ,

Got up about 8 o’clock. Walked round town and sea front. Read a bit of Omar Khayyam1. Walked round The Braes 2 in the afternoon. Had walk with Hilda and Ernie at night. Saw Ernie’s shop and got a few things there. Spent a pleasant day. Had walk with Ernie at night.

  1. Omar Khayyám (1048-1131 A.D.) was a Persian mathematician, astronomer, philosopher, and poet. He also wrote treatises on mechanics, geography, mineralogy and music. It is not clear from this diary entry which of his writings had engaged ALL’s interest, but it may have been his most famous work, The Rubáiyát. See also Omar Khayyám at Arthur Linfoot’s Library. ↩

  2. “The Braes”: Kinkell Braes, near the site of a castle which was a noted venue for conventicles in the period following the restoration of the House of Stuart. The Braes are now occupied by modern structures including a caravan park and camp site (position of map marker).

    ALL evidently visited the Braes on several further occasions during his 1915 visit to St. Andrews.

    See also St Andrews map. ↩

Omar Khayyám

Cover ImageOmar Khayyám (1048-1131 A.D.) was a Persian mathematician, astronomer, philosopher, and poet. He also wrote treatises on mechanics, geography, mineralogy and music. While it is not clear from the diary which of Omar Khayyám’s writings had engaged Arthur Linfoot’s interest, it was almost certainly his most famous work, The Rubáiyát.

The image here is of Arthur Linfoot’s own copy, which is still held in a family collection and is clearly marked “second edition”.

Arthur Linfoot wrote that he had “read a bit of Omar Khayyam” while on holiday in St. Andrews on 29 June 1915.

28 June 1915; Monday

June 1915, , ,

Got up about 7 o’clock. Drew pound at the bank and wired to tell Ernie I was coming. Got the 10.30 train. Uncle George travelled with me as far as Newcastle. Edinburgh express late and I missed the connection at Edinburgh. Walked round centre of the town. Had a cup of tea. Went up Scott Memorial1. Fell in with a little chap who invited me to have a drink. Arrived at St Andrew’s2, at 6.20 and Hilda met me at the station. Had walk at night with Ernie. Very nice clean town.

Went to St Andrew’s.

  1. The Scott Memorial (B) is a Victorian Gothic monument to Scottish author Sir Walter Scott which stands in Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh, near to Edinburgh Waverley Railway Station where ALL would have arrived from Sunderland (A) and caught his train to St. Andrews. ↩

  2. St. Andrews (C): a town on the east coast of Fife in Scotland, famous for its University, and for golf.

    See also St Andrews map. ↩

26 June 1915; Saturday

June 1915, , ,

At work as usual. Finished about 2 o’clock. Saw funeral of soldier from infirmary. Went down to Jenny Mason’s with Joe at night and took refrigerator1 to Wanless’s. Met Charlie and Willie Whittaker afterwards. Rather wet and unsettled.

  1. Refrigerator looks a straightforward interpretation of the shorthand outline, though it is not the form given in New Era Pitman’s dictionaries; but it would have been a new word in 1915 -­ ALL himself had two shots at the outline in this entry. If correct, it would refer to some kind of commercial equipment, not a domestic fridge as we know them. ↩

25 June 1915; Friday

Abridged, June 1915,

At work as usual. Busy all day. Played the piano at night and had short walk.

Lemberg1 recaptured by German-­Austrian Army about this time.

  1. Lemberg: the Ukrainian city of Lviv (Ukrainian: Львів, Polish: Lwów, Russian: Lvov, Latin: Leopolis, or German: Lemberg). The battle of Lemberg, 20-22 June 1915, was a short-lived Russian attempt to defend the great fortress of Lemberg against advancing German and Austrian troops during the aftermath of the great German victory at Gorlice-Tarnow. ↩

22 June 1915; Tuesday

Abridged, June 1915, , , , , ,

At work as usual. Called in the town at dinner time at Hills’ to see about a new typewriter ribbon. Called at Stewarts’ at night to get jacket altered. Played, and Charlie sang. Wrote up diary and shop books. Had walk with Joe.

Father bought some chickens. Mr McKenna1 introduced his new finance bill. Lemberg2 in danger.

  1. “Mr McKenna”: Reginald McKenna, 1863 – 1953, MP 1895 – 1918, Home Sec. 1911 – 15, Ch. Of Exch. 1915 – 16; issued second War Loan June 1915, at higher rate of interest than first (which was made convertible to second); this is said to have committed the UK to higher rates of interest than elsewhere, not only throughout WW1 but during the inter-­war Depression. The “McKenna Duties” of 33⅓% on luxury imports, “to finance WW1”, lasted until 1953. McKenna married a niece of Gertrude Jekyll. He was Chairman of the Midland Bank (now owned by HSBC) after 1918. ↩

  2. Lemberg: the Ukrainian city of Lviv (Ukrainian: Львів, Polish: Lwów, Russian: Lvov, Latin: Leopolis, or German: Lemberg). The battle of Lemberg, 20-22 June 1915, was a short-lived Russian attempt to defend the great fortress of Lemberg against advancing German and Austrian troops during the aftermath of the great German victory at Gorlice-Tarnow. ↩