Got up about 7.45. Drilled a bit. Busy all day. A row with Willie and Tom† with regard to * and the masks†. Mr Aitken showed some temper about it and blamed us for making too much nonsense on the invoices. I told Tom and Willie off for swearing and using bad language. Row in the Office. Father’s pain came on bad last thing at night. Went to bed about 12.30. Edward’s brother died at 8 o’clock on Saturday.
Tag Archives: Work
14 February 1914; Saturday
Got up about 7.45. Busy all morning. Finished about 2 o’clock. Sunderland versus Derby County and won 1-0. Had short walk in town in the afternoon with Charlie. Went to lecture on Mohammed. Called at library and went up to see Willie. He was in bed but was up a little bit in the afternoon. Talked until nearly 10 o’clock and then went to the post office again. Bought a rubber horse for Dorothy as she was far from well. Father keeping a bit better. Wrote postcard in reply to the answer we received with regard to the business for sale in Wear Street. Mr Aitken returned from London and in a bad temper.
13 February 1914; Friday
Got up about 7.20. Fine morning. In a bit trouble at work. Father shows signs of having got over cold. Dr Blair misses the morning. Went to the library and got out G.K. Chesterton’s “Defendant”1. Went to get hair cut. Played a bit and then went to Chadwicks’ and stayed until 10 o’clock. Called at General Post Office with parcel for Ernie. Wrote enquiring about business for sale2 in the Echo3.
G K Chesterton (1874-1936), St Paul’s School & Slade, writer & R. Catholic; best known now for Father Brown detective stories (as seen on TV, 2013). See also: The Defendant and Arthur Linfoot’s Library ↩
“Business for sale”: the family planned to run a corner shop because Father had no wage since his accident. ↩
“Echo”: the Sunderland Echo & Shipping Gazette, the Monday – Saturday evening paper. ↩
12 February 1914; Thursday
10 February 1914; Tuesday
Busy all day. Father still improving. Went down to clear work at night. Willie not there. Willie Whittaker and I called for him. Went in to see him. His father told us, rather reluctantly, that he had not *. Got home shortly after 10 o’clock. Mr Marshall was putting gramophone records on to amuse Willie, who was in bed. Poor practice. I was the only bass. Directors’ meeting1.
Directors: this would be the Board of the Hendon Paper Works – noted because of the extra work the meeting would have caused for the office staff. ↩
9 February 1914; Monday
[In longhand above printed date - ] Joe out of work
Got up about 7 o’clock. Pretty busy at work. Finished in good time. Went up to meet Jack. He waited for me at the Salem Hotel† ever so long through a misunderstanding. I played for him and for Mr Briggs. Managed Jack’s last song best. Got a bit mixed in Briggs’ first piece and Jack’s first song. Prior† on the job and played for Tom Weir. Professor Almay and Mr Bevan helped to provide the entertainment. Got home around 10 o’clock. Father still a little better. Played at Bishopwearmouth Church social.
6 February 1914; Friday
Got up at 5 o’clock and watched by Father a bit. He is slightly better first thing. Busy all day at work. Called for Willie at night and we stayed a short time at the chapel. Sat up until about 12 o’clock. A good many people in.
5 February 1914; Thursday
Got up about 7.15. At work as usual. Joe went to Leeds in the afternoon. Received letter from Manchester asking him to set a salary. I telephoned to him and then wired it to Manchester. Father very bad at night. Aunt Esther1, Bella Spain, and Uncle George in. I got the fiddle music and tried it through. Fred Wells called for Joe, and I talked to him a long time down stairs. Joe didn’t get back until 11 o’clock. Dorothy2 unwell and sick. Aunt Esther caused the water to run over and through the ceiling down stairs. I wrote to Ernie. The “Sack” murderer3 condemned. Appeal from Sumner. Eltoft 4 years. At Liverpool.
Aunt Esther: Father’s sister, b. 1862; married to John Lindsay Wilkinson – possibly Mother’s brother, and possibly the source of ALL’s middle name, which is otherwise unexplained. ↩
Dorothy: only child of Marmie and Joe Wiseman (b. 07.09.1912.) ↩
The “Sack” murder was a case in Liverpool, December 1913. The principal culprit, apparently George Sumner was hanged; Samuel Angeles Eltoft, mentioned by ALL, was aged 18. ↩
2 February 1914; Monday
Got up about 7.45. At work in decent time. Got work well up to date. Fine and windy. Busy all day. Father better, but became worse towards late night. Went out with Charlie and called at Mr Chadwick’s. Talked with him until after 10 o’clock. He told us about Wee Georgie Wood1 calling at their house, and we talked about theatres etcetera for a bit. Went to bed rather late.
Wee Georgie Wood (b. Jarrow 17.12.1894, OBE June 1946, d. 19.02.1979) was a music-hall, pantomime and later a film artist, usually appearing as a child on account of his height (1.45m). Wrote a weekly column in The Stage, was a member of the Savage Club. Coincidentally, was a 2nd or 3rd cousin of the Thatcher (ALL’s wife’s) family. ↩
30 January 1914; Friday
Got up about 8 o’clock. Busy all day. Mr Deakin found some buff copies in the waiting room which had been put there accidentally a night before through a row with the lads. It nearly ended in a row between George and me1. Finished in good time. Called for Willie and went to the organ. Got on pretty well. By-election in N.W. Durham Division. The Liberal, Mr Aneurin Williams returned2.
George: probably George Crawford, colleague at Hendon Paper Works from before 1914 to the 1950’s; his only son Geoffrey was lost in the evacuee ship City of Benares, torpedoed 17.09.1940 in the Atlantic. ↩
The North West Durham by-election of 30 January 1914 was triggered by the resignation of Llewellyn Atherley-Jones, Liberal. Aneurin Williams, also Liberal, was returned with a reduced majority after the Labour party fielded a candidate for the first time. ↩