Tag Archives: Music

24 January 1914; Saturday

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Got up about 8 o’clock. Finished work about 2 o’clock. Hurried up with Father to see Dr Robinson and he was pretty reasonable1. Went to the Picture House [Picture House written beneath] and saw some decent pictures. We were in the 3d2. seats. Hurried up to Trinity3 and heard a good lecture on Zoroastrianism. Went to Roker with Willie. Finished off with a midnight meeting at the chapel and I played. Midnight Meeting. Joe Speed led and Blaikie and Dick sang. Nearly all the people drunk.

  1. Dr Robinson was presumably advising (but which side?) about the workplace accident. Other names not identified. ↩

  2. “3d.” is three old pence = 1¼p. For the post-­decimalisation generations: there were 12d. to the shilling (s.), and 20s. to the £; thus 6d. = 2½p., 1s. = 5p., 2s. 6d. (written 2/6) = 12½p., 10/-­‐ = 50p., 15/6 = 77½p., 30/-­‐ = £1.50 etc. Decimal equivalents are not generally given hereinafter. ↩

  3. Trinity: see note on 10 January. ↩

20 January 1914; Tuesday

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Got up about 8 o’clock. Got work well up to date. Mr Jesse Collings expressed his intention to retire from Parliament at next general election1.

Finished in good time. Mother, Father and Gertie at a * lecture on Canada. I finished off some Pelman 2 papers and took them to the post. Mr Chadwick called to see about Ernie’s reply to his letter. Willie Whittaker called in and we went up the town way. Played the piano a bit. Went to bed late. Had a bath last thing. Took 2 letters for Mr Lawson and didn’t get away to dinner until late.

  1. Jesse Collings was MP for Ipswich, later for Birmingham Bordesley; best known as mover of the “three acres and a cow” amendment to the Queen’s Speech, January 1886, following which Lord Salisbury’s government fell and Gladstone became Prime Minister. ↩

  2. Pelman: See footnote on 6 January and all diary entries tagged Pelman. ↩

14 January 1914; Wednesday

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Frank still off. Busy at work. Jack in at night. He and Hilda1 stayed to supper. We played ping-­pong between 10 -­ 11 o’clock.

Got Swan Fountain Pen for birthday present. Ernie sent 4 on to choose from. I wrote to him at night and returned 3. Father, mother and Charlie buying it. Jack and I tried them at night. Charlie working late. Played the piano a bit. Went to boss. Jack gave me the forms duly drawn out, and full instructions what to do.

  1. Presumbly wife of Jack (probably son of Uncle Jack and Aunt Esther -­ but see fn. on 12 January); had child, 4 April 1914. See Hilda disambiguation page. ↩

12 January 1914; Monday

January 1914, ,

At work as usual. Pretty busy all day. Went to organ with Willie. Had to wait for him until 8 o’clock, left again at nine and called for Jack1 and discussed the form to be filled in2.
Old Mr Robson3 died.

  1. Jack: apparently son of Uncle Jack, but which? – cf. 8 February: probably of John Wilkinson and Esther (father’s sister), but could be of Uncle Jack and Bella – was this John Linfoot, b.1866, or was this Jack or Bella a sibling of ALL’s mother? ↩

  2. The “form/s” may have been to do with Father’s accident; but maybe not. ↩

  3. Mr Robson: a Jno. T Robson is on record as joint “Superintendent” at the South Durham Street United Methodist Free Church, in April 1905; alternatively, or also, he might have been owner of Robson’s Saw Mill, where ALL’s father worked. ↩

7 January 1914; Wednesday

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Got up at 8 o’clock. Fine day. Felt pretty fresh. Finished in good time. Went along to Willie’s about 7.30. Willie Whittaker called for me. Charlie followed us. A good number there including Chris Beresford, Misses Boyce, Dick and May, Billy Rawson and Miss Douglas, Willie Peake and Edie, Natty and his girl, a Mr Bannister and his wife. Stayed until Nearly 2 o’clock. I got the booby prize. Charlie sang 2 songs. I played for one. Chris Beresford sang, and Miss Boyce. Natty and Willie played. Charlie and I set Edie Hunter along home. Went to bed about 2.30. Enjoyed it pretty well.

Marshall’s Party.

6 January 1914; Tuesday

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Got up about 8 o’clock. Got work well up to date. Cold and frosty. Finished early. Read a bit. Did some Pelman1. Went down to meeting. Called at Furley’s and got to know that Mr Furley was at work again. Played2 for the class meeting. Had break for a few minutes. Mother, Father and Gertie3 at the pantomime. Said it was pretty decent but not of much account†. Went to bed about midnight.

  1. Pelmanism was a popular system of memory training, using association of things and ideas. ↩

  2. “Played” without a direct object generally means “played the piano” or according to context “-­ the organ”. Like many Victorian and Edwardian families of all classes, ALL’s family were ‘musical’. His father played the ‘cello, ALL and his two sisters were competent pianists, Ernie learned to play the violin, and Charlie was a popular bass-­baritone soloist and chorister. ALL also played church or chapel organs throughout his life. ↩

  3. Gertie was ALL’s younger sister. See also Family page. ↩