26 July - 1 August 1914 "We went to France."

This week of the diary begins in its usual low-key way, as Ted's cold continues, and even the start of the trip to France is not the cause of great excitement

 

26 Sun

I stopped in bed nearly all day.

27 Mon

We had a half holiday at school.

28 Tues

We broke up at school. Mr Gaskin/Gashin and Mr Dunningham left the school.

29 Wed

We went to France and we stayed the night at Folkestone.

30 Th
We crossed over to France by boat. We started camp.
[I had understood that the party stayed at Wimereux , but it seems to have been Wissant,  a town a few miles further north in the Pas-de-Calais, see the postcard text below].

31 Fri

I bathed in the morning and in the afternoon played rounders.

[A postcard from the Sir John Deane's headmaster, Mr Weedon was sent on this day:

 

E S Wissant (P-de-C) – La Pecaille – Retour de la Peche au Bar

[3 fisherman with fish]

To: Mrs Buckley, The Cottage, Weaverham, Cheshire, England

Wissant

Thurs night
[postmark 31/7/14]

All arrived safely. Fine weather. Mrs Fruit and I have been shopping and all are tired.

Yours sincerely

F Weedon

1 Aug Sat

I had a very bad cold. The others bathed. We went fishing.

19-25 July 1914 - news from Austria

The diary entries continue as normal until Friday 24 July. This is the first entry in the whole diary which relates to life outside Ted's local world. Was he prompted by a parent to record the declaration of war? 

 

 

19 Sun

I went for a walk with Albert.

20 Mon

The examinations started at the school.

21 Tues
It rained very hard in the evening.

22 Wed

I played cricket in the afternoon at school.

23 Th

I had a cold. The examinations ended at school.

24 Fri

Austria declared war on Servia because a Servian killed the Archduke and his wife of Austria.

25 Sat

I went to Philip Tricketts for tea. We played trains. My cold grew worse.

 

1914 school boy diary, July Week Three

The diary continues in the same vein with no hint of the excitement to come.

 

12 Sun

I went for a walk

13 Mon

I stopped to play cricket at school.

14 Tues

I played cricket with Albert.

15 Wed

There was a cricket match on at school.

16 Th

I stopped to play cricket at school.

17 Fri

I played cricket with Albert in the evening.
 
18 Sat

I went to Winsford baths in the morning. Albert came to play with me.

 

Second week of July 1914

5 Sun

We went to church.

6 Mon

I stopped to play cricket at school.

7 Tues

It was a very nice and sunny day.

8 Wed

I stopped to play cricket at school.

9 Th

I went into Northwich for Mother.

10 Fri

I played cricket with Albert in the evening.

11 Sat

I went to Winsford Baths in the morning. Albert came to play with me.