ТОП просматриваемых книг сайта:
Tommy’s War: A First World War Diary 1913–1918. Andrew Marr
Читать онлайн.Название Tommy’s War: A First World War Diary 1913–1918
Год выпуска 0
isbn 9780007389414
Автор произведения Andrew Marr
Издательство HarperCollins
This is the Glorious 12th.36
Saturday, 9 August
The wee man’s birthday. Two years old now, bless his little heart.
Thursday, 14 August
Dull sort of a day, cooler.
Not out a night. Agnes’ eyes annoying her. Gave my music stand a coat of varnish.
Thursday, 21 August
Wet all day and extra special wet at night. The doctor got paid tonight (12/-).37 Got myself a new pair of boots today (10/6).
Monday, 25 August
Bought a book tonight called The Evolution of Man for some deep study.38
Friday, 24 October
Got a notice from our beloved factor raising our rent 6/- in the year. Heard two revolver shots about 11.30 p.m. A man round the corner shot his girl and then committed suicide. Foolish fellow.
Saturday, 25 October
Man that shot himself last night is dead. Girl is not dead.39
Wednesday, 5 November
This is Guy Fawkes day. The factor was here for his rent. Not having any gunpowder handy, he got it.
Monday, 10 November
Agnes’ birthday.
Saturday, 15 November
At library in afternoon for an ‘Annie S. Swan’40 and a book for myself.
Wednesday, 19 November
Working late, home 9.30 (stocktaking). New carpet for kitchen tonight (5/11).
Sunday, 23 November
Wet forenoon, cleared up in the afternoon. After dinner, just to enliven up proceedings, we took the car to Cathcart Cemetery and admired the tombstones etc., and came back in the car.
Wednesday, 3 December
Rained in buckets all day long. Think I’ll make an ark.
Wednesday, 10 December
Agnes and Tommy at Ibrox.41 They got home at 10.15 p.m. I sat in and enjoyed myself in divers ways.42
Monday, 22 December
Nice day. Addressed all the Christmas cards tonight.
Thursday, 25 December
A Merry Christmas. Got away [from work] at 12.35. Took Agnes and Tommy into the town and admired the shops.
Wednesday, 31 December
On holiday today. After dinner we took 3.22 train to Coatbridge via Blairhill, and spent the time in the bosoms (collectively and allegorically) of the Crozier family. I went down to the hotel and had a glass of milk? with Mr Crozier.43 Tore ourselves away in time for the 10.12 train via Glasgow Cross. Sat up and saw the New Year come in, and so ends this year.
1 Langloan was a village in Old Monklands.
3 Dinner was the midday meal. The car was a tramcar, rather than a motor car.
4 Until around 1920, young children of either sex wore dresses over their nappies.
5 Thomas detested the factor, who represented the owner of the property. Tenants paid rent to the factor, and relied on him for repairs. The ‘whirly’ was a metal cowl on the chimney pot, with small ‘sails’ that spun in the wind and drew smoke up the chimney. If it malfunctioned, the whirly could force smoke and soot back down the chimney and into the house.
6 Govanhill was one of the wards, or electoral districts, of the city.
7 Licensed grocers were the only businesses, except public houses, that were allowed to sell alcoholic drinks for use off the premises.
8 In 1913, the parliamentary voters’ roll was made up of men aged 21 or over who either owned or lived in property with an annual rental value of £10 or more.
9 Flitting is a Scottish word for moving house.
10 An affectionate name for a child. Its use may come from Thomas’ Irish relatives, or his own upbringing in Scotland by an Irish immigrant family.
11 The National Insurance Act 1911, which took effect on 13 January 1913, provided insurance for workers against ill-health and injury. Registration with a family doctor was compulsory. Thomas appears to have beaten the deadline for registration by seven hours. Under the scheme, each worker contributed 4d a week, his employer added 3d and the state 2d.
12 The apartment on the second floor, with the door on the left of the second floor landing.