Tag Archives: Work

Arthur LInfoot was employed as a clerk at the Hendon Paper Mill in Sunderland prior to joining the RAMC. He rejoined the company after demobilisation and remained there until his retirement, rising to become a Director of the company by that time.

29 March 1915; Monday

At work as usual. Snow in the morning but got out fine. Did a bit shorthand1 at night from Macauley’s Essays2 and played a bit.

Received news of the Falaba3 disaster also the Aquila.


  1. See Pitman’s Shorthand

  2. Thomas Babington Macauley, now best known for his poem Horatius (“Then out spake brave Horatius, The Captain of the Gate:…”) whose essays, originally published in the Edinburgh Review, were collected as Critical and Historical Essays in 1843. See also Arthur Linfoot’s Library

  3. Falaba: See footnote yesterday

25 March 1915; Thursday

At work as usual. Went to recruiting office at night arranged to call in tomorrow night to see the doctor. They say I can arrange to go to Haltry† on Easter Tuesday. Went down and saw Mrs Furley about Luke who was not at Sunday School last Sunday.

U29 announced as sunk1. Father at the Court and the case settled.


  1. U29 was sunk with all hands on 18 March 1915 (i.e. a week earlier than this diary entry) in the Pentland Firth after being rammed by HMS Dreadnought, the only German submarine known to have been sunk in this way. 

20 March 1915; Saturday

At work as usual1. Finished about 1.30. Came up with the chemist’s assistant. Went into town in the afternoon, for my papers and called at John Wilson’s and got a file and a cord† from the shop. Went down to Dr. Blair’s and got a bottle. Had walk out to Grangetown2 at night with Willie. Felt a bit better but still off form.


  1. Saturday morning working was of course normal – as it remained until the 1960s. 

  2. Grangetown is a suburb of Sunderland two miles south of Sunderland City Centre.