13 April 1914; Easter Monday

13 April 14April 1914Charlie, Map, Photo, Sunderland, Willie Marshall, Willie WhittakerArthur Linfoot

Got up about 8 o’clock. Went up and met the two Willies¹ with Charlie. Car to Sea Lane. Walked to Marsden. Willie took some photos². Had lunch at Marsden and walked on up the banks to Shields³. Came back in the train. Heard 9 bands at South Shields. A drunken man in the train. Got back shortly before 3. I read a good bit and played. Went out again at night. Walked to Roker.

At Marsden & Shields.

L to R: Charlie Linfoot, Willie Whittaker, Arthur Linfoot at Marsden Easter Monday 1914 — Photo: L to R; Charlie Linfoot, Willie Whittaker, Arthur Linfoot at Marsden Easter Monday 1914.

“The two Willies”: Presumed to be Willie Marshall and Willie Whittaker, depending on which Willie “took some photos”. ↩
The photograph accompanying this entry appears to be one of those taken by “Willie” on that day (presumed to be Willie Marshall and explaining his absence from the scene). The cliffs in the background would be recognisable by anyone familiar with Marsden today. The photograph was probably taken somewhere near point (A) on the map. See also Sunderland map. ↩
Shields: South Shields (B on the map), a coastal town on the south side of the mouth of the River Tyne, about 3 miles up the cost from Marsden. There is also a North Shields on the north side. ↩

12 April 1914; Easter Sunday

12 April 14April 1914Chapel, Charlie, Willie Marshall, Willie WhittakerArthur Linfoot

Got up at 7 o’clock. Went to the sacrament at 8 o’clock. Fair turn-out. Pretty good services all day. Mr Shawcross preached at night. Willie Marshall, Willie Whittaker, Charlie and I, with Willie Peake, Mr Whittaker, and Tom Hugill, were at the station at night seeing Mr Shawcross.

11 April 1914; Saturday

11 April 14April 1914Father, SunderlandArthur Linfoot

Got up about 8. Rather late for work. Finished about 1.30. Cleared up a few things at home. Went to Roker at night with Willie. Ordered Hutchinsons’ “History of the World”¹ at the branch. Had short walk with Father in the evening.

Correct name “History of the Nations” used in 17 April entry; quite a well-illustrated, glossy production, apparently published in weekly or monthly numbers, subsequently bound in 4 volumes and retained by ALL. ↩

10 April 1914; Good Friday

10 April 14April 1914Chapel, Charlie, Library, SunderlandArthur Linfoot

Got up about 9 and had a bath. Went to Roker with Charlie. Very windy. Went to the chapel in the afternoon. Mr Shawcross preached in the afternoon and spoke again at the evening meeting. Stayed to the tea. A pretty good turn-out. Stayed to evening service, and afterwards at supper. Morley spoke to Mr Shawcross. Charlie sang at night and Mr Newrick spoke well of it.

Missionary Anniversary Services.

Commenced to read “Anna Karenina.”¹

See also: Anna Karenina and Arthur Linfoot’s Library ↩

Anna Karenina

Cover Image Anna Karenina is a novel by the Russian writer Leo Tolstoy, published in serial installments from 1873 to 1877 in the periodical The Russian Messenger. The novel’s first complete appearance in book form was in 1878.

Arthur Linfoot started to read it on Good Friday 1914. He evidently found it hard going, or was diverted by other matters, as he did not finish reading it until 12 December 1914.

9 April 1914; Thursday

9 April 14April 1914WorkArthur Linfoot

Got up well after 7 o’clock. At work in good time. Finished about 5.30. Went up town. Hilda¹ Fraser rather bad².

See Hilda disambiguation page. ↩
“Bad”: in North-Eastern English idiom means ill or unwell. ↩

8 April 1914; Wednesday

8 April 14April 1914Charlie, Father, MusicArthur Linfoot

Busy all day. Finished in good time at night. Tried a bit voice production and then went over to North Bridge Street Church. Crucifixion¹ at North Bridge Street. Mr Oliver met the Durham Cathedral tenor. Charlie Ramsey bass. Tom Leydon did the odd men’s parts. It went off all right. Only a few there. Father a little better, but rather depressed.

Stainer’s Crucifixion: see note on 5 April. ↩

7 April 1914; Tuesday

7 April 14April 1914Charlie, Father, Gertie, WorkArthur Linfoot

Got up at 7 o’clock. Fine morning. Directors’ meeting. I didn’t get away for my dinner until 2 o’clock. Did 3 letters for Mr Lawson. Finished in good time. Went over to the practice at North Bridge Street at night. Sang rather well. Came over with Charlie and Tudie†¹. Father not well. Dr Blair in and he is coming again on Thursday.

“Tudie”: Could this be “Trudy”? – ALL’s sister Gertrude is always “Gertie” elsewhere. ↩

6 April 1914; Monday

6 April 14April 1914Chadwick, Father, Gertie, Joe, WorkArthur Linfoot

Busy at work. Finished about 5.30. Got missionary money squared up. Sat with Joe with his pupil. A letter in the paper referring to George’s and saying that the baths were to be opened as usual. I went along to Chadwicks’ last thing. Talked with him until after 10 o’clock. Read an interesting article on Frederick the Great and Voltaire¹. Father ill again. Gertie went for Dr Blair and he came down again.

“Frederick the Great and Voltaire”: although – or perhaps because – he had had only very basic formal education, ALL made efforts throughout his life at ‘self-improvement’; as shown in notes at the end of his diaries on his ‘progress’ in various studies and activities, and notes on authors to be read. ↩

5 April 1914; Sunday

5 April 14April 1914Chapel, Charlie, Mullens, MusicArthur Linfoot

At chapel and School as usual. Mrs Fred¹ asked me to take Arthur Mullens’ children’s service for him as he was unwell. I had his class too. Rather stormy day. Didn’t get any walks. Charlie at Williamson Terrace hearing Pike singing Stainer’s Crucifixion².

Mrs Fred: presumably Mrs Waggott, wife of Mr Fred Waggott, butcher. ↩
“[The] Crucifixion”: oratorio for tenor & bass soloists, composed 1887 by Sir John Stainer (1840 – 1901), professor of music at Oxford University 1889. ↩

The Diary of Arthur L. Linfoot

58th Field Ambulance, R.A.M.C.