Tag Archives: Bob

Bob Brotherston was a former colleague of Arthur Linfoot from the Hendon Paper Mill, killed in France in 1915.

7 May 1915; Friday

May 1915, , , , ,

At work as usual. Busy all day. Finished late. Wrote up some of Parson’s Weekly News. Wrote up shop books. Received word of Bob’s Death1.

Lusitania2  3 sunk, with about 1900 people on board, by German submarine4. Relations between Japan & China very strained.

  1. See Robert Thomas Brotherston on this site. ↩

  2. “Lusitania”: too well known to require much comment, but – launched 1907, briefly world’s biggest ship (31,500 tons), commandeered as armed cruiser in 1914, but unsuitable so returned to passenger use on condition she carried government cargoes; left New York 1 May 1915 (allegedly carrying munitions), torpedoed 7 May 11 miles from S. Irish coast, sank in 11 minutes; 1,195 lives lost, including 128 Americans, thus influencing American opinion against Germany. ↩

  3. Coincidentally, the departure of the Lusitania (presumably from New York) is noted in the same New York Times headline as reports the declaration of war on Germany by “England” on 5th August 1914. ↩

  4. The submarine was the SM U-20. ↩

30 September 1914; Wednesday

September 1914, , ,

At work. Not much to do. Sands and Bob came down in the morning with their uniform on. They are going to Ravensworth Castle tonight1. Got money. Went to Porteous and had two teeth extracted at dinner time. It didn’t hurt much. Fine day. Had walk out last thing after playing a good bit.

Waelhem & Wavre-­Saint Catherine completely destroyed. Waterworks behind Fort Waelhem blown up. Belgian infantry fight well.

  1. Ravensworth Castle: presumably an Army camp; there are two Ravensworth Castles, one at Lamesley in Tyne & Wear, SW. of Low Fell, the other at Ravensworth village in N. Yorkshire between Richmond and Barnard Castle; the former appears to have been used as a training camp in 1914 having been abandoned by the Liddell family in 1910. The castle is now partially destroyed as a result of subsidence caused by mining. ↩

3 September 1914; Thursday

September 1914, , , ,

Not so busy at work. The recruiting strain getting worse and lots of men joining. Had walk at night. Bob and Sandy in the office. They are going to join Kitchener’s army. Their appearance and conversation caused a lot of excitement.

Lemberg & Galicia captured by Russians. HMS.Speedy1 sunk in North Sea by a mine.

  1. HMS Speedy: torpedo gunboat, launched 1893, sunk by a mine – actually in the Humber estuary. ↩

30 March 1914; Monday

March 1914, , ,

Got up about 7 o’clock. At work in good time. Fine day. Got some boxing gloves at work. Finished in good time. Billy and Bob had a go and Billy got his eye blacked. I had a go with Bob later on. Mr Aitken came when they were just commencing. Got all missionary money in with the exception of John’s. Played piano. Had singing lesson. Played some duets. Went out last thing. Went to bed early.