Got up rather late. At chapel and School as usual. Sacrament at night. Had walk in the afternoon. Raining at night so we didn’t go far. Played the piano a bit. Read a bit Everyman1. Father keeping a bit better. Mr Whittaker very unsatisfactory.
Everyman: I cannot trace a periodical published in 1914-18 under this name; ‘Everyman’ may have been a column in a weekly magazine such as ‘John Bull’; ALL had a letter published in ‘Everyman’ in November 1917. See also: Arthur Linfoot’s Library ↩
Got up about 8 o’clock. Joe went to Huddersfield. He got back at night and said he was to hear next week. Charlie off work on holiday. He went up and saw Mr Pike and he promised to sing. Played piano a bit at night. Went down to see Mr Briggs, but he was not in. Father still improving. Received rather alarming news with regard to Mr Whittaker.
At chapel and School as usual. Managed very well. Mr Chadwick preaching. A young lady sang at night and we sang the anthem “Seek ye the Lord”. Charlie took the tenor solo and did very well. Had usual walks. Willie out but went straight home. Uncle Jack, Aunt Esther, Jack and Hilda1 in at night. Fine day. Rather windy. Father still improving. Doctor missed again.
Very busy at work. Didn’t finish until about 6.30. Called at Chadwicks’ and saw Mrs and then went up to see Mr Rutherford. He said he never went to any meeting on Sunday afternoon, but stayed at their place always. Went to post last thing. Charlie called at Willie’s. Willie getting well again. Father still improving. Joe got word from Huddersfield to say that he may go there and see them early next week.
Huddersfield & Joe.
At work as usual. Finished in good time. Father slightly better again. Went to Grangetown1 social at night. Charlie with me. George and the girl there but we stood apart. Pretty decent but too many children taking part in it. Got home very late. Read some “Defendant” by G.K.C[hesterton].
“Grangetown”: then the southernmost suburb of Sunderland, inland from Hendon Paper Mill. ↩
Got up about 7.45. Busy at work. Signs more peaceful. Father’s pain still bad and I telephoned for the doctor in the morning. George had to go to Newcastle in the afternoon. Went down to annual choir meeting. Mr Chadwick presided. A meeting not very businesslike and nothing satisfactory done. Decided to commence the ½d per week. Played ping-pong for a minute or two.
Dr Blair said Father had gone back a few days, but that he hoped it was nothing serious.
Got up about 7.45. Drilled a bit. Busy all day. A row with Willie and Tom† with regard to * and the masks†. Mr Aitken showed some temper about it and blamed us for making too much nonsense on the invoices. I told Tom and Willie off for swearing and using bad language. Row in the Office. Father’s pain came on bad last thing at night. Went to bed about 12.30. Edward’s brother died at 8 o’clock on Saturday.
Got up about 7.45. Busy all morning. Finished about 2 o’clock. Sunderland versus Derby County and won 1-0. Had short walk in town in the afternoon with Charlie. Went to lecture on Mohammed. Called at library and went up to see Willie. He was in bed but was up a little bit in the afternoon. Talked until nearly 10 o’clock and then went to the post office again. Bought a rubber horse for Dorothy as she was far from well. Father keeping a bit better. Wrote postcard in reply to the answer we received with regard to the business for sale in Wear Street. Mr Aitken returned from London and in a bad temper.
Got up about 7.20. Fine morning. In a bit trouble at work. Father shows signs of having got over cold. Dr Blair misses the morning. Went to the library and got out G.K. Chesterton’s “Defendant”1. Went to get hair cut. Played a bit and then went to Chadwicks’ and stayed until 10 o’clock. Called at General Post Office with parcel for Ernie. Wrote enquiring about business for sale2 in the Echo3.
G K Chesterton (1874-1936), St Paul’s School & Slade, writer & R. Catholic; best known now for Father Brown detective stories (as seen on TV, 2013). See also: The Defendant and Arthur Linfoot’s Library ↩
“Business for sale”: the family planned to run a corner shop because Father had no wage since his accident. ↩
“Echo”: the Sunderland Echo & Shipping Gazette, the Monday – Saturday evening paper. ↩