Tag Archives: Pelman

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

1 April 1915; Thursday

Carred1 to work both in the morning and dinnertime. Busy all day. Finished about 6 o’clock. Called round by Hopkirk’s and had a haircut and a shave. Saw a boy fall of<f> van and picked him up. Received £75 from Heath as Compensation for father’s accident. Mother received it at the office. I hurried down on the car and banked £50 of it. Did a bit shorthand2, Pelman3 and played. Went to bed very late. Successful day in the shop.


  1. “Carred” meaning “I rode on the tram-car.” 

  2. See Pitman’s Shorthand

  3. Pelman: See 6 January 1914

1 February 1915; Monday

At work as usual. Busy all day. Received letter from Ernie and one from Isaac1. Stayed in at night and read and looked up Pelman2. Walked out last thing. Another big British ship sunk by a German submarine in the English Channel3. Meeting in the Thornhill Hall of the athletes. Joe went but didn’t stay to the finish.


  1. Isaac: see footnote to entry on 12 October 1914

  2. Pelman: See 6 January 1914

  3. It is not clear to which “big British ship” ALL may have been referring here. Three merchant ships (SS Ikaria, SS Tokomaru and SS Oriole) had been sunk by U-20 in the English channel (near Le Havre) on 30 January 1915 and U-20 also fired a torpedo at the hospital ship Asturias on 1 February. The latter attack failed when the torpedo missed its mark. Wikipedia notes these events briefly at this page. U-20 was later better known as the submarine which sunk Lusitania

27 July 1914; Monday

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