Got up about 9 o’clock. Read and played first thing. Shaved and went to Roker in the afternoon. Had a bit trouble with sore foot. Stayed in at night. Edie and Nelly Frere came up to see Mother while I was in. Charlie and I spoke to them in the town in the afternoon. They were with Jack and Hilda1 and the baby. We saw them at Roker too. I read a good bit.
1 June 1914; Whit Monday
[Written in longhand above date – ] Choir Trip to Haydon Bridge
Got up 5.15. Called for Charlie. Got 6.30 train to Newcastle. Got excursion train there for Haydon Bridge. About 27 in the party. Walked to Langley Castle and then on to the moors where we played handball. Got dinner and tea at the town hall at Haydon Bridge. Walked to Hexham in the afternoon. Played football part of the way. Visited Sele, abbey, and river side1. Got the 6 o’clock train back and had tea. Walked to the spa after tea. Left there about 9.30. Got home just after mid-night. Charlie and I set Edie Horton, and Lou Pearce home. Edie Hunter and a girl called Mary Smith sick and Jimmy Oliver. Mary Smith lost her purse with 7/9 in it and we subscribed to make it up. Charlie with us. * at Hexham. Scalded foot last thing with some boiling water.
The Sele is an open area in the centre of Hexham. ↩
31 May 1914; Sunday
Stayed in all day through cold. Read a lot of Anna Karenina. Mother still in bed unwell. Read nearly to tea. Joe took my children’s service. Felt a bit shaky through my cold but it improved as the day went on.
In all day.
30 May 1914; Saturday
Busy all day. Had only an hour for dinner and went back in the afternoon on Charlie’s bicycle. Worked until 5.30. I developed bad cold. Charlie got me a bottle at the doctor’s at night for himself and for me. Went up town and looked in shop windows a bit. Papers full of disaster1.
The Empress of Ireland disaster; see yesterday’s entry. ↩
29 May 1914; Friday
Got up at 6 o’clock. Went to the baths with George , his brother and Edward. Edward had a little boy there who was afraid. Charlie got his bicycle at night. I had a ride on it. Felt a bit jaded. Had short walk. Mother still unwell.
Got to know of the disaster to the “Empress of Ireland”. Storstad1 ran into Empress of Ireland in the river Saint Lawrence and sank her. About 1000 lives lost. Accident happened at 1.45 a.m.
28 May 1914; Thursday
Busy at work again. Played and read a bit. Charlie got offer of a bicycle off a man called Joicey at work and bought it.
Charlie & bicycle.
Mother still unwell.
27 May 1914; Wednesday
26 May 1914; Tuesday
Got up 7.45. Fine morning. Busy all day. Went to practice at night after playing for Mr Lawson’s class. Decided, after a lot of discussion to go to Haydon Bridge and get our teas there. Called up station at night and tried to get to know something about the trip. Mother in bed bad1.
“Bad” is North-Eastern English vernacular for “ill”. ALL’s mother suffered from angina. ↩
25 May 1914; Monday
At work as usual. Charlie called in and we talked over the trip. Played a little bit. Went to the Theâtre des Lunes and saw the picture David Copperfield. It was very good and raised some of my old idols. Went to bed about mid-night. The Lodge money didn’t turn up1. Father rather low about it. Mother in bed all day.
“Lodge” may refer to the Rechabites: see footnote for 15 January 1914. ↩
24 May 1914; Sunday
At chapel and School as usual. Rather fine day but cold. Mr Bacon sang at night. Rev A L Broadfield preached and was very good, the best we’ve heard for a good while. Read some of Anna Karennina. Had walks as usual. Played a little bit. Another meeting about the trip and decided to go to Haydon Bridge.