Got up at 9 o’clock. Joe working until tea time. At chapel in the morning and Billy Marshall set me up to Vine Place. Walked to Uncle George’s after dinner-time. Went to chapel at night and stayed to sacrament. Came up with Joe. Jack and Hilda1 to tea. Played the piano at night. At home.
Tag Archives: Willie Marshall
28 March 1915; Sunday
Went to the Royalty Church in the morning. Nice church, good music and pretty good sermon. At Sunday School in the afternoon and had 3 classes. At North Bridge Street at night to hear Penitence, P[ardon] & Peace1. Miss Brackwill took the soprano and Tom Leyden the baritone solos. Billy Marshall and Billy Whittaker with me and Charlie in the choir. Had usual walks. Rather wild weather and some snow. The Falaba2 torpedoed and over 100 lives lost.
“Penitence, Pardon & Peace”: oratorio by John Henry Maunder (1858-1920), organist in Sydenham and Forest Hill; better known for oratorio “Olivet to Calvary.” ↩
RMS Falaba was the first passenger ship torpedoed in WW1, and an American engineer L C Thrasher was among the 104 lives lost, causing an international incident as the Kaiser had declared British waters a war zone as recently as 18 February; but Falaba was carrying explosives, which duly exploded. The submarine was U28. Location probably S. of Ireland, as Thrasher’s body is said to have been found after the Lusitania sinking. ↩
8 November 1914; Sunday
At chapel and School as usual. Mr Kettle preaching and preached well in the morning. Had usual walks. Billy Marshall playing all day. A lot of excitement about recruiting.
9 August 1914; Sunday
At chapel and Sunday School as usual. I had Esther Mullens’ class and played for the last hymn. My turn for the children’s service. Mr Riddell preaching in the morning and Mr Victor Ingleson at night. Willie Marshall playing again. Had special prayer meeting at the close of the service for the war. Cruiser “Birmingham”1 sunk German Submarine U15 in the North Sea.
“Birmingham”: Tyne-built 1914, scrapped 1931; U15’s engines had failed off Fair Isle, Birmingham shelled her but missed, so rammed her and she sank with all hands: the first submarine ever sunk by an enemy warship. Birmingham was later at the battles of Heligoland and of the Dogger Bank. ↩
14 June 1914; Sunday
Sunday School Anniversary. Fine day. Mr Blaikie leading. Willie Marshall playing. Charlie sang a solo at night and a boy from St John’s Wesleyan choir sang two solos. He was very good. The service was successful. Good dinners at night. Decided to continue the service next week. Had walk at night with Ernie, Willie Whittaker, and Charlie. Sang the anthem “Send out thy light.”
10 June 1914; Wednesday
Got up about 7.40. Tried a few of Charlie’s things through first thing. Not much to do at work. Got off a bit extra to go to the wedding. Merely saw them married and went back to work. All the rest of the family on the job. Father gave Lily away. Charlie sang a song. Little bit stiffness between the two families.
Willie Marshall married to Lily Linfoot1.
Mr Chadwick officiated. They went to Alnwick for their honeymoon.
Went down to chapel at night and hurried to finish off putting up the platform. Fine day.
8 May 1914; Friday
Got up 7.30. Busy all day. Finished about 5.30. Played a bit. Did some Pelman1. Had a walk. Wet stormy night. Charlie up all day. Willie went to meet Lily2.
Willie was William Wormold Marshall; Lily was Elizabeth Jane Linfoot, second of the six surviving daughters of ALL’s uncle, Charles Poulter Linfoot, who with his youngest brother William Gaylard Linfoot and their respective families had emigrated to New Zealand in July 1912 (a 7 weeks’ voyage in the 11,500-ton SS Remuera). Recent (2020) information from descendants in New Zealand reveals that Willie had gone to see Lily in New Zealand, probably in 1913, and Lily, by then aged 22, had travelled back alone for the marriage recorded in ALL’s diary on 10 June. The Remuera had sailed from London’s Albert Dock (a Mr & Mrs Gaylard of Worthing were among those seeing it off), so perhaps that is where “Willie went to meet Lily”.
See also Family page and all posts tagged Willie Marshall. ↩
13 April 1914; Easter Monday
Got up about 8 o’clock. Went up and met the two Willies1 with Charlie. Car to Sea Lane. Walked to Marsden. Willie took some photos2. Had lunch at Marsden and walked on up the banks to Shields3. Came back in the train. Heard 9 bands at South Shields. A drunken man in the train. Got back shortly before 3. I read a good bit and played. Went out again at night. Walked to Roker.
At Marsden & Shields.
“The two Willies”: Presumed to be Willie Marshall and Willie Whittaker, depending on which Willie “took some photos”. ↩
The photograph accompanying this entry appears to be one of those taken by “Willie” on that day (presumed to be Willie Marshall and explaining his absence from the scene). The cliffs in the background would be recognisable by anyone familiar with Marsden today. The photograph was probably taken somewhere near point (A) on the map. See also Sunderland map. ↩
Shields: South Shields (B on the map), a coastal town on the south side of the mouth of the River Tyne, about 3 miles up the cost from Marsden. There is also a North Shields on the north side. ↩
12 April 1914; Easter Sunday
Got up at 7 o’clock. Went to the sacrament at 8 o’clock. Fair turn-out. Pretty good services all day. Mr Shawcross preached at night. Willie Marshall, Willie Whittaker, Charlie and I, with Willie Peake, Mr Whittaker, and Tom Hugill, were at the station at night seeing Mr Shawcross.
1 April 1914; Wednesday
At work as usual. Went to Philharmonic Concert in the Victoria Hall1. All the principals were good. The Leeds Symphony Orchestra played. They rendered Rossini’s Stabat Mater and a miscellaneous programme. Gertie and Marmie, Willie Marshall and I were to go. Heard Toreador’s Song. Called in at Mr Chadwick’s with missionary money on the way to the social.
Victoria Hall: see note on 10 January. ↩