These are the January entries for Sheilah Doherty’s diary, from 1918. You can learn more about how I came to have this diary here.
| 2nd January, 1918 |
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| Skated all the morning on the Bury Pond. Absol Park would not bear. Getting on beautifully. Went down to Daves with Father in the afternoon. Finished writing out for competition. Mrs Stains got two boys killed now third & last missing. Picked up a halfpenny in the Chelmsford Rd. going to Dunmow if fine tomorrow. |
| Note: 1. Father was Rev. Edward John Doherty (1854-1929), who was vicar of Holy Cross, Felsted, for 13 1/2 years from 1911 to 1924. 2. Mrs Staines may have been the mother of Serjeant Austin Ewart Staines. She lived in Chelmsford, which is south of Felsted. |
| 3rd January, 1918 |
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| Went to Dunmow this morning, rotten skating. all the afternoon on Bury Pond, very good ice. There is a sharp frost to night. 8 degrees at 5 o’clock pm. To my joy there was a letter in the Telegraph wanting women transport drivers. address The Commandant Women’s Legion Motor Transport Section 15 Pall Mall East, S.W.1. |
| 4th January, 1918 |
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| I have at last written up for particulars about the Womens Transport. Mr McCombie has been teaching one the outside edge, it is rather difficult. Tomorrow Terence is going. I’m going to Leez Priory to skate. Mother had letter from Uncle Charlie. He went to Halifax 3rd Dec. explosion 6th |
| Note: 1. Mother was Lilian née Bousfield (1856-1953), daughter of Rev. George Benjamin Richings Bousfield, was the second wife of Rev. Edward. His first wife, Eliza (Lily) née Gartside, died in 1895. 2. Uncle Charlie is her mother’s unmarried youngest brother Charles George Bousfield (1867-1951), an architect. |
| 5th January, 1918 |
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| I had a try at skating on the Bury Pond this morning, but it was too wet. I posted letter to Commandant also aunt Bertha. Terence went by 1/4 to 9 (or 7) train. I’ve been a naughty bad girl this week. I did so want to be good. I am anxious to be a lady dispatch rider now. |
| Note: Aunty Bertha is Bertha Mary Gambier Bousfield (1958-1933) one of her mother’s unmarried younger sisters. |
| 6th January, 1918 |
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| Went to Sunday School & Church morning & evening. Read by the fire & ate 4 apples in the afternoon. Special day of intercession set aside for the war. Also Uncle Charlies birthday. I do so hope he is all right for mummy’s sake. I’m getting excited at the thought of getting particulars about the Motor Driving. |
| 7th January, 1918 |
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| Helped Mummy in the morning. Went to Braintree in the afternoon on Daddy’s motor bike. It froze in the night & was bitterly cold, is freezing now. I had a letter from Eveleen this morning. Skating again tomorrow I hope. Bury Pond perfect to day. I didn’t skate though. |
| Note: Eveleen is probably her first cousin Evelyn Croudace (1891-1950), daughter of William Pemble Doherty (1855-1938), one of her father’s younger brothers, who later appears as Uncle Willie. |
| 8th January, 1918 |
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| Bury pond covered in snow. I went to Dunmow yest [crossed out] to day & bought a top hole pair of Acme skates. Cost 7/6 (?). Had letter back from War Office with a form to fill up. I’m going in to it when I’m 17. Went to the Vaizeys party in the evening, very dull. More than 22 degrees of frost to night |
| Note: 7/6 7s/6d (7 shillings 6 pence) about £10.90 in 2017. |
| 9th January, 1918 |
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| I swept Bury Pond this morning, very cold & snowing fast, Skated all the afternoon with Smallpeices Andrea borrowed my big boots for duration of skating. Qeer [sic] thing to borrow your boots one day & cut you the next wrote to Terence. I hope Bill is’nt [sic] frozen to death. |
| 10th January, 1918 |
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| The frost is all broken up & I can’t skate now. I saw in Motor Cycle that the Women’s Legion now provides free training and accomodation [sic] during training. So I hope I’ll soon be able to go. Mr Dyer of Grancourts (?) stopped us to day to speak to Daddy. Jack Pulford killed last Sunday Week. I walked up to the Council Schools with Daddy this afternoon. Saw Sonny. |
| Note: It doesn’t appear that Jack Pulford was killed in WW1. Perhaps a local man killed another way? |
| 11th January, 1918 |
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| Uncle Charlie quite safe. I had a Christmas card from him. My holiday to day, read by the fire all morning. Went to Braintree this after-noon with Daddy. Bought Beau Brocade with Aunt B’s 1/. Thought I saw Terence. Cistern went over in kitchen cupboard & made horrid mess on the floor. No choir practice |
| Note: 1. Beau Brocade is a 1907 novel by Baroness Orczy. 2. Aunt B is presumably Aunty Bertha (Bertha Mary Gambier Bousfield, 1858-1953). One of her mother’s four unmarried sisters, she had moved to New York on the death of their mother, Georgiana Mary Floyer née Gambier, in November 1902. 3. 1/ = 1s (2017 about £1.45) |
| 12th January, 1918 |
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| I went up to Danby in the morning & I rowed him about the Perfection stove. He came & did it. Did my mending then in the sideroom. Father & Mother altered the dining room. Put the piano where the writing table was, & that where the piano was. My p came in the afternoon I did not have to lie down at all. |
| Note: 1. “p” is most likely period. 2. Charles Frederick Danby (known as Fred?) and Lucy Danby ran the Yew Tree Public house in Causeway End. They also ran the Blacksmiths yard which was a short distance away from the public house (possibly in Causeway End Road). The Danby’s also owned a row of cottages near to the public house (including No.4 Ladysmiths Cottages). |
| 13th January, 1918 |
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| I got up to go to the Early Service & was late. I went to Sunday School & Church afterwards. Nick Radley wept bitterly because he could not find his hat. Not very many people at church. Frost last night & going to be another tonight sky clear. Bell ringing, worse luck! Bitterly cold so not many people in Church I expect. |
| Note: It was Sheilah’s father who was responsible for getting the church tower restored and the bells re-cast in 1914-15. |
| 14th January, 1918 |
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| I helped Mummy in the mornning & cleaned my skates. In the afternoon I walked up to Danby’s with Daddy. I was very cold, wind south. It began to snow. Boys not coming back till the 24th. Pat went to Banister Green with Mummy & killed Mrs Youngs rabbits. Bad dog. Glass has fallen, going to be snow |
| Note: “Glass has fallen” was an old phrase meaning that the thermometer temperature had fallen. |
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| 15th January, 1918 |
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| All thawed last night. Germans bombarded Yarmouth, k 10.ih [indecipherable] Rained & snowed alternately all day. Had letter from T yesterday. I do so wish Bill would come home. Mummy has got bad neuralgia to day. Stayed indoors all day, too wet to go out. I am making little pair of blue socks. I’m nearly all right again now. |
| Note: neuralgia is a sharp, shooting pain, that can feel like electric shocks. |
| 16th January, 1918 |
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| Helped Mummy in the morning after dinner I swept paths in the snow. & . then went to the Congregational School room where Dad & Mr Cooper? were getting ready. The lantern lecture was very good. I am going to have a War Savings certificate book. Mr McComb? said it was going to freeze. |
| Note: 1. Could this be what Sheilah meant by Lantern Lectures? Lantern lectures were a common form of diversion and education from the 1870s through the early 1900s in Britain. The magic lantern illustrated scientific lectures, entertainment, current events discussion, political campaigns, missionary fundraising, and humanitarian causes. 2. Cooper could possible be Thomas Cooper. |
| 17th January, 1918 |
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| I built a snowman in the front of the house. Swept paths. There is about 10 ins of snow. In the afternoon it thawed very much & rained. I finished the man & put a basket on his head. The roads are simply awful. I’m reading Donald Ross of Heimra. I like it very much |
| Note: “Donald Ross of Heimra” was written by William Black. Year of publication to be determined. |
| 18th January, 1918 |
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| My snowman has fallen down. Thawing very fast. Conservatory roof broken & two trees. Mr Sparham has got a commission in a Labour Batt. going to the front. I went calling with Mummy this afternoon. Now its pouring with raid. I wish My Vaizey would bring back my book. I want it. |
| Note: No (commissioned) Mr Sparham died in WW1 according to the CWGC. |
| 19th January, 1918 |
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| My holiday to day. Covered the summer house with branches from the fallen trees & made it pretty. Overtired myself & felt bad in the evening. Mr Farrow said there was going to be bell ringing, no one turned up. |
| Note: Mr Farrow is possibly Mr Frederick Farrow who lived with his family at Richards Farm, Felsted. A Coalman & farm labourer. |
| 20th January, 1918 |
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| Sunday school in the morning, church afterwards. Father went to Little Dunmow this afternoon in Hick’s horse veicle[sic]. 2 eggs to day. Someone else at last got to help Mummy with the organ. Very mild day to day. Aconilc up in the garden. Boys come back on Thursday. |
| Note: Mr Hicks ran a coach company in the village (the horse vehicle would have been before my mother’s time). Hicks’ business was located centrally in the village on a site that later became Woodley’s Garage (Woodley’s ran a car maintenance garage and coach company). Today the garage has been replace with a house named Woodleys. |
| 21st January, 1918 |
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| I went to Dunmow this morning on Dad’s bike. & this afternoon I went to Braintree. Met Barbara Shildrick. Swank. Chauffeur did my brake for me. People do stare at me so when I’m riding. I’m afraid I like it. I wish I could be more grateful for all God has given me. I feel quite guilty sometimes. |
| 22nd January, 1918 |
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| I went up to Burrows for 1/2 lb of butter to day. Such a treat? Very heavy gunfire this afternoon. Evidently been a raid on to night. Bombs not far away. I am very much afraid I love Mr McCombie, I know it’s wrong. I am determined not to love him in that fashion but only in a friendly way.[crossed out] Mother has a bout of neuraligia(sic). |
| 23rd January, 1918 |
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| I went to Braintree this afternoon. it was marketday & very crowded. The Sunday School treat is over at last. Mr McCombie gave a gallon of milk. I think it was very kind of him. A fleet of aeroplanes went over this morning. Arthur Willis came & helped at the Sunday School treat. The boys come back tomorrow |
| Note: Arthur Willis was born in 1891 and lived at Causeway End, No3 Ladysmith Cottages, in 1901 with his family. |
| 24th January, 1918 |
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| Cleared up the old Schoolroom this morning. Went up to Pulfords for flour this afternoon. The boys have come back & Mr Evans. It was a mistake my thinking I loved Mr McCombie in that fashion it is really Mr Evans I think. I went to the dress rehearsal of Andrea’s play this evening. I’m glad he has come back. |
| Note: 1. Could this be Mr Evans? “EVANS, S.J.A. (s 1917-1919). Assistant Master; Roll Call in Herefordshire B.A., Kings Coll, Camb.” from this source. 2. The old Schoolroom still exists and is used by Felsted School, right in the centre of the village. 3. There were two flour mills in Felsted. One in Mill Road and the other in Cock Green. On the 1910 census there is an Arthur Lewis Pulford listed as Miller and Corn Merchant at Cock Green Mill. Arthur Pulford was still the Miller at Cock Green in the 1930s. |
| 25th January, 1918 |
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| 10 o’clock service this morning. I sent off my woolly things. A big baloon came down behind the workhouse cottage this afternoon. The boys pulled it down. There was an officer in it. P.C. Surridge came, of course. I saw Mr Evans going for a walk with Bogey Winsor (or Wenson?). Andrea’s play went off very well. Grace Hatley was very good |
| Note: The old workhouse cottages where the balloon was located would be Nunties in Garnetts Lane, Felsted. |
| 26th January, 1918 |
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| My holiday to day. The boys took the fire engine down to the waterworks to day to fetch water. One boy got hurt poor fellow. He was brought up in Wilson’s cart. Adeleine Burns is a nice girl. I’m glad Mummy doesn’t mind my being friends with her. I do love him. I saw him to day |
| 27th January, 1918 |
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| I went to early service & then to Sunday School & church. I only had three children. It is the Kaiser’s birthday, also Sonny Bohanon’s. I went for a lovely walk over the field to day it has been a topping day. Not many people at Church to night. The moon is full & simply glorious. It will be lovely tomorrow saw him at 10 pm at night going up home. |
| 28th January, 1918 |
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| Tremendous airraid to night. The guns started about 1/2 past 8. They have been awful & the bombs. Not quite finished yet & it is now 11 o’clock. |
| this morning the men came to put in the new range. I tried to start the motor bike, but for a long time it wouldn’t. Curly haired boy pushed me off. I saw him going down to football. |
| Note: the range is a range cooker. |
| 29th January, 1918 |
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| Very bad air raid last night. 15 Gothas 1 brought down in Essex don’t know casualties yet. Dad saw Gotha pass over garden made terrible noise. Raid lasted from 8 pm to 1.30 am. To day I went up to Burroughs for butter on Dad’s bike. Expecting raid to night. Saw him in the distance. Walked up to the Willis’ with Dad. Mr Vaizy came in at tea time. Another awful raid tonight stil on of? past |
| Note: 1. Gothas were German planes which started bombing the UK in June of 1917. 2. Willis might be referring to Mr Thomas Willis (76), father of Arhthur Willis - see above. |
| 30th January, 1918 |
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| 216 casualties on Monday night. They did not get to London last night, a few casualties. This morning I was busy fitting up the attic as my sanctum. I went to Braintree this afternoon on Dads bike, it was lovely, as the roads are drying up. I just caught sight of him to day going into the Old School House gate. Dad gone down to Vaizey’s. |
| 31st January, 1918 |
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| Daddy not well to day. I went to Dunmow to get him some fish on the bike. |
| I haven’t seen him at all to day. I am very much afraid he is ill as he never takes the boys down to footer now. The casualties on Tuesday night were 2 killed & 10 injured. Daddy did n’t come home till 12 o’clock last night. I wish I could do something for him. |
Ready for some more? Read February’s Diary Entries.
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