Tag Archives: Chadwick

Rev. Wm. Chadwick was minister at the South Durham Street United Methodist Church and is mentioned in this capacity on numerous occasions in the early part of the diaries, prior to Arthur Linfoot’s enlistment in the RAMC. Little else is known about Rev. Chadwick save that he suffered the loss of a young daughter to an unknown illness in early November 1914.

22 August 1916; Tuesday

Up at 7 o’clock. Kept busy all morning washing floor. Had afternoon off. Received letter from home telling me of Chadwicks’1 departure. Read some of British Weekly. Had eggs and coffee and custard for super.


  1. Rev. Chadwick had been a minister at the South Durham Street United Methodist Free Church, of which ALL had been a member prior to enlisting. Rev. Chadwick was first mentioned on 4 January 1914, and again on many subsequent occasions

4 December 1915; Saturday

Received parcel from home and one from the church through Chadwick. Wrote to Chadwick. Spent morning in going into the town to see bailiffs and going to Barton Farm. Grand morning, frost and snow. Wet afternoon and I didn’t go out. Wretched night. Went across to Green’s hut with Black and had some supper from them. Rotten night. Watson, Dunbar, Bulmer, and Shaw, drunk. Had a bit trouble and didn’t get my things off until 11 o’clock.

6 June 1915; Sunday

At church as usual. Went down to Sunday School and met John Wilkinson and stayed to talk to him. Walked up Holmeside with him. He has joined the Flying Corps and is going away next week. Had usual walks. Fine day. Mr Chadwick preaching.

Air Raid on Hull1. 24 killed, 40 injured.2


  1. Internet accounts are unclear, but Hull suffered either 8 or 12 Zeppelin raids from 1915 to 1918, with raids in 1916 -­ 18 considered the worst; as the total killed is stated as 54, 24 on 6 June 1915 seems high. Zeppelins could carry 2 tons of bombs, eg 4 x 500lb, much more than aircraft then could, and could fly above the fighter aircrafts’ ceiling. 

  2. See also: Education Resources at the National Archive. The material on this page relates to the June 1915 Zeppelin raid on Hull and suggests a somewhat lower number of casualties. 

23 April 1915; Friday

At work as usual. Got a sales book a bit further up today. Read a bit at night. Bought the “Roadmender.”1 Shipping between England & Holland stopped. Had short walk last thing. Mr Chadwick called at the shop. Edward off all day.


  1. The Roadmender”, by ‘Michael Fairless’ (Margaret Fairless Barber, 1869 – 1901), is a consolatory Christian work, written by Fairless/Barber in her last illness and published 1902. It was immensely popular (reprinted 31 times in 10 years) before the era of effective modern medicine and during WW1; old copies still abound. See also: Arthur Linfoot’s Library 

11 April 1915; Sunday

At chapel all day and at Sunday School as usual. Mr Chadwick preaching and preached pretty well. Came up with Willie Peake at night and talked a long time. Played a bit and read. Fine night. Rumour of the loss of the Queen Mary and big sea fight1.


  1. “Queen Mary…”: If referring to HMS Queen Mary, the last battlecruiser built by the Royal Navy before World War I, this rumour was clearly unfounded. Queen Mary was in fact sunk at the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916

15 March 1915; Monday

At work as usual. Called at George’s at dinner time to mend tyre. Rode up home. Did summary. George received a reply to a job and went away soon to see about it. Went down to teachers’ meeting. Mr Chadwick made a proposal about a procession on Anniversary Sunday and I squeezed it with the assistance of Joe. Anniversary business done. Fine day. Received news of the sinking of the Dresden1.


  1. Dresden: See footnote yesterday