Tag Archives: Charlie

Charlie was Arthur Linfoot’s younger brother. See the Family page for more details.

4 August 1914; Tuesday

August 1914, , , ,

Went to work. Frank off. Busy all day.

Sir Edward Grey made his speech in the House & said if Germany attacked France by sea1, we must join in. We could not stand by & see Belgium trodden down & demanded that Germany should reply to us in a given time.

Walked round town with father and Joe. Crossed Town Moor and saw carnival. Saw Willie Warren2 standing beside pub. He was an awful sight. Charlie at work all night.

  1. “by sea” is rather a mystery? – but ALL’s longhand is quite clear. ↩

  2. Willie Warren” (if the surname is correct): not identified. ↩

3 August 1914; Monday

August 1914, , ,

Charlie, Willie Whittaker and I went to Seaside Lane on the car1 and walked from there to Marsden and on to South Shields. Crossed the ferry and walked to Tynemouth2. Car back to the penny ferry3, got the train to Sunderland and arrived about 6 o’clock. Fine day and pleasant time. Saw the defending† arrangements at Frenchman’s Bay4, South Shields, and Tynemouth. A large quantity of parapet wired off there†, and the wall in front of the guns levelled to the ground.

International affairs much worse. Grave conjecture as to what England5 will do.

Went to Whitburn at night with Willie Whittaker.

  1. Car means tram-car, as usual. ↩

  2. Curiously, the vowel-signs in the shorthand clearly indicate the pronunciation “Tinmouth”. ↩

  3. “Penny” ferries were for foot-passengers. In the 1947/8 Ordnance Survey revision, there were still a foot-­ferry and a vehicle‐ferry from North to S. Shields, and another foot-­ferry from Whitehill Point to S. Shields. ↩

  4. Frenchman’s Bay is between Marsden Bay and the mouth of the Tyne, adjacent to modern South Shields. ↩

  5. England: See note on 5 August. ↩

1 August 1914; Saturday

August 1914, , ,

Very busy at work1. Didn’t finish until about 3 o’clock. Went to Roker at night with Willie and Charlie. Called round by the East End Carnival & crossed the ferry2. Fine night.

German ultimatum to Russia and note to France. King George intervenes. France mobilising and Germany declares War on Russia.

  1. Saturday morning working was of course normal – as it remained until the 1960s. ↩

  2. There was a tiny steam ferry between Monkwearmouth and old Sunderland (ie downstream from the modern bridge), still operating until some time after WWII, at 1 old penny each way. ↩

27 July 1914; Monday

July 1914, , , ,

Got <up> in decent time and went to work <in> better time. Very busy all day. Got through in good time at night. Played a bit and had short walk with Charlie. Did a bit Pelman1. Looked up a bit grammar. Trouble between Servia2 and Austria & a prospect of all Europe being concerned. Gun running3 at Ulster and 4 people killed in riot. Mr Whittaker called for Father to go and sign loan.

  1. Pelman: see note on 6 January. ↩

  2. See note on 23 July about the spelling of Serbia. ↩

  3. Gun running: See note about the Ulster Crisis on 21 March. ↩

25 July 1914; Saturday

July 1914, , , ,

Busy all morning at work. Boxed with Charlie in the afternoon and played a bit. Read a bit and went over to Roker at night with Willie Whittaker. Listened to the band and walked along to Whitburn and carred1 back. Rather cold night. Charlie at work.

Servia’s2 answer considered unsatisfactory. Austrian ministers leaving Belgrade.

  1. “Carred”: rode on the tram-car. ↩

  2. See note on 23 July about this spelling of Serbia. ↩

20 July 1914; Monday

July 1914

Got up about 6.30 and went up Cedars1 with Charlie and helped him to learn to ride his bicycle. Busy all day. Finished rather late. Lily and Willie called at night with the wedding photographs. Wrote up diary last thing.

  1. (The) “Cedars”: quiet, tree-lined, at this time rather exclusive residential road, westward off Ryhope Road, opposite Barley Mow Park. ↩