At work as usual. Finished in decent time. Got papers in the afternoon and had walk at night with Willie Whittaker up to the foot of Penshaw Hill. Mrs Blaikie called to say that Ted†1 is ill and asking Marmie to play. Mrs Marshall† very ill.
Tag Archives: Sunderland
13 July 1915; Tuesday
At work as usual. Busy all day. Finished late, about 6 o’clock. A girl fell over Hendon Cliffs and there was a lot of bother before they got the ambulance. Had walk at night with Joe, after trying to square cash for shop.
16 June 1915; Wednesday
At work as usual. Busy all day. Finished in decent time. Went over to the Tyne with Hoggetts & saw the damage done by the air raid1. Train to South Shields, walked to Tyne2 Dock, car3 to Jarrow, and train from Hebburn back again.
Visited the Tyne. Reggie Bailes4 left the Office.
Air raid: See yesterday’s entry. ↩
The shorthand clearly has “town” and “town dock”, but “Tyne” and “Tyne Dock” must be right. ↩
“Car” means “tram-car”, as usual. ↩
“Reggie Bailes”: evidently another work colleague who may have joined the war effort. As of 12 June 2015, Lives of the First World War lists only four people with that name. One of these served with the 6th Durham Light Infantry but without any further clues – and, sadly, there are none – it would be pure speculation to suppose that this was the same Reggie Bailes. ↩
13 June 1915; Sunday
Had walk in Barnes Park in the morning with Joe. At Sunday School in the afternoon. Joe Speed preaching at night so we went to the Grange Church at night. Very good service and music. Received news of Austrian Submarine being sunk in Dardanelles.
12 June 1915; Saturday
24 May 1915; Monday
At Durham1. Left by the 9.13 train with Charlie and Willie. Had a near shave to catch it. Grand day. At the cathedral service. Charlie left by the 2.4 train. We left about 4.30 and walked home. Arrived between 7.30 and 8 o’clock. Had tea at a café and a wash and brush up in Corporation lavatory. Stayed in at night and read.
20 May 1915; Thursday
At work as usual. Very busy all day. Worked until about 7.40 at night. Charlie met me and we walked round the town. Met Dora’s Charlie and talked to him. Played a bit. Saw Wearside Artillery marched into the town. Saw some cavalry too. The King visited Newcastle1.
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, some 15 miles north-west of Sunderland and about 10 miles inland, on the north bank of the river Tyne. ↩
15 May 1915; Saturday
At work as usual. Finished pretty soon. Went down the town and bought some postcards of battleships. Went out with Willie Whittaker at night. He called for me. Walked up by Offerton and back by Durham Road. Went into town last thing with Joe. Some oddment† at Youlls’† and the Special Constables called out.
8 May 1915; Saturday
17 April 1915; Saturday
At work as usual. Finished very late. Called for papers at dinner time. Went with Willie Whittaker to Shiney Row, car from New Herrington to Houghton, walked from Houghton to home. We were stopped by a picket at Grindon1 who were stopping motorcars. A picket also at East Herrington. We saw an aircraft of some sort over Newcastle way. A raid of [sic] Shields during the night but nothing done.
Grindon and East Herrington are just outside what would have been the built-up area of Sunderland in 1915; on the main roads to Chester-le-Street and Durham respectively. It would be interesting to know if there were pickets that day on the other main roads out of Sunderland - and if so, why. ↩