Photostat copy of diaries of Benjamin Bennett Leane, 1915 - Part 14

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Monday June 7th - Went over Ford

works this afternoon. Am giving

you an account in my letter

this week

Tuesday June 8th - Fire Brigade Station,

Bellsize  motor works, Edge Lane

Cotton Mill

Wednesday. June 9th - Chathan College,

shown over by Mr Fielding, the

governor of the college. Back to hospital

by upon to attend entertainment given

by Leslie's Pavilion. Found visitors

to see me, so took them in to concert

too.

Thursday, June 10th - Hempel and

the others went to Liverpool today,

but as I could not afford it, and

would not sponge on them I

had a quiet day at Altringham

with friends.

Friday, June 11th - Town Hall and
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Technical School with Hempel and

Olifent. All went back to Sister W's

to tea. Operated their Player Piano for

awhile ater tea and didn't want to

leave it. Town Hall is a fine building. 

Main Hall has paintings on the

 walls to represent different phases

of Manchester history; very crude

in design. Went through the lord

Mayor's suite of chambers in the

buildings, and saw the  the corporation 

silver. Technical School

splendidly, equipped, and very

interesting, but our own School

of Mines can show them points

in many things.

Saturday June 12^th Fallowfield to see

Professor and Mrs Lamb. Also met

Mrs (Dr) Charles Mellind, formerly Miss Jay

of Adelaide. Knows Col Weir well

In the evening  at "Besses - o'- the- Barn at

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Platt Fields.
Sunday June 13^th - Chapel in the
morning. In the afternoon we _∧(Hempel & I)
went to the house of Mr Joe Ridge
In Urmstone Lane. Very nice people,
and house furnished exquisitely.
Mr & Mrs Ridge have travelled all over
the world, and have curios
and choice pieces of china
and furniture from all countries.
And everything arranged with
most excellent taste.
Monday June 14^th- The matron
(Mrs Dyson) took the four of us
(Olifent, Hempel, Kingsley and
self) to York for the day.
Had a splendid time. The
Minster is wonderful, and we
spent most of the day there.
We also climbed the spiral
stairway to the Lantern Tower
from which a most excellent 
view of Yorkshire is obtained.
Afterwards we went to the old
Guildhall, with its memories of
Cromwellian, and earlier, days.
Tuesday June 15^th - Ramsbottom
with Sister Appleby. Went over
a big cotton weaving mill, a
bleaching works, and a paper mill
Went to Mrs Bancrofts to dinner
and tea. Mrs Bancroft is an
Australian, and knows the
Australian appetite ___ the hearty
meal I ate will live long in my
memory, and the remembrance
of it will drive me crazy when
I get back in the trenches again.
and have to exist on biscuits
and bully.
Wednesday-June 16^th. Nothin' doin'.
Thursday-June 17^th. Tennis until

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3.30, then a motor drive until
7.30 pm.
Friday June 18^th - Altringham.
Saturday June 19^th - Walked along
the bank of the Mersey for some
miles. Went to Mrs Woods for tea
and to Longford Park with the girls
in the evening.
Sunday June 20^th - Chapel in the
morning, Longford Park in the
afternoon, and church at night.
Have had word that all

Australians are to be transferred
to a big Australian hospital near
London. We understood until
dinnertime that we were to go
tomorrow morning, but have
since been told that it is to be
Tuesday.
Monday - June 21^st - Altringham
in the afternoon ; pictures in
the evening. When I got back
to the hospital was greeted with
the announcement that the transfer
had been cancelled, and that
we are to stop here. I shall
ask the doctor for my discharge
tomorrow.
Tuesday, June 22^nd - Asked him,
but he says he is powerless.
Wednesday, June 23^rd - Existed.
Thursday, June 24^th - Same.
Friday, June 25^th - Killed time.
Saturday June 26^th - Got something
definite. The doctor says I can go
on Tuesday next. Went to a garden
part this afternoon. Played tennis
and ate strawberries and cream.
Sat opposite a girl who always
happened to catch my eye just
as she was in the act of popping
a spoonful of strawberry into

her mouth. Had to laugh openly

50
at last, and say I was sorry.
After that we were good friends.
Sunday 27^th - Church in the morning
Mr Ridge's in the afternoon
Monday 28^th - Went round to
Vaughan's to say goodbye. Afterwards
went for a walk round
the Mersey and finished up

with pictures in the evening
Tuesday 29^th- Raining solid all
day. Left the hospital about
9 am and went to Whitworth
St for discharge and passes.
Caught the 2.20 train to Bradford,
arriving about 4 pm. Called
at Uncle Arthur's office and
went with him to his house.
Got a warm welcome from
the two aunties, also the dog
and cat. I like them all
very much (yes, that includes
the dog and cat).
My room is at the top of he
house, and has casement windows
that open out onto the back garden,
so that there is plenty fresh air.
It is a very cosy little room, with

a big double bed. Really, you
ought to be sharing it with me.,
you know. Perhaps some day
you will. Right opposite the
bed is a big photo of you as
you were many years ago,
when you were a little girl an
had a mass of curly hair.
In fact there are photos of you
all over the place ; it gives
the place such a "homey"

feeling.
Wednesday 30^th - Today we all
went for a long walk across the
moors. In the morning I went

52
to town with Aunt Agnes, and she
insisted on buying me a wristlet
watch, as I had lost mine at
Gallipoli.  After xxxxx lunch we met
Uncle Arthur at Frishinghall station
and caught the train f to Bingley.
From there we took a taxi to an
inn at the top of the hill, known as
Dick Hudson's. the walk across
the moors from there to the white
house, just above Ilkley, was delightful.
We saw a storm gathering just before
we left, and it broke just as we
reached the shelter of the White House.
After it had passed over we
walked on to Ilkley, where we
had a good tea. Afterwards we
walked up the road to Heber's Ghyll,
through the Ghyll, and back to the
train.
Thursday, July 1^st /15. To town in the
morning. In the afternoon we called
on Mrs Perkins, and then to a picture
theatre. In the evening Mr & Mrs Lee
xxx came to dinner. Mr Lee is the
secretary of Lister's.
Friday July 2 ^nd. Went for a long walk
with Aunt Hester & Aunt Agnes this afternoon.
In the evening we went to
supper at Mr Perkins' house. The girls,
who were at York when we first called,
had returned , so we had some
music. Poppy, the eldest girl, plays
the violin very well. her sister Nora
accompanied her ; and Ba, about
fourteen, sings in a sweet girlish
voice. They are all very nice
girls, quite free from affectation.
Ba is a great kiddie, and we are
good friends already.
Saturday July 3 ^rd.This day has
put the finishing touch to my

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half formed intention of returning
to England after the war (D.V.)
We motored to Bolton Abbey, and
after an inspection of the lovely
old ruin we crossed the river
and walked up the valley. From
different points we could get
glimpses of the Abbey nestling
among the green down below in
the valley. We walked up
the valley, (surely one of the
most beautiful in the world ) to
the Strid. We rested awhile
and watched the turmoil of the
waters in the whirlpool, and
thought of the hapless youth who,
out walking with hound on leash,
attempted to jump across the
pool ; the dog held back and
the youth fell into the swirling
watesr and was carried beneath
the rocks by the strong current.
After we had rested awhile we

climbed the hill to the Strid Cottage
where we had tea. We were
also treated to some excellent part-
singing by the Eccles Baptist Choir,
who were picnicking there. They
sang very sweetly ; their rendering
of a "Song of Sleep" and "Sun of
my Soul" being almost perfect.
It was strange to hear, afterwards,
those same sweet voices shouting
in the rather coarse and high pitched
tones _∧and accent of the Yorkshire dialect.
We walked back through the
valley in the gloaming, the
after sunset peace and stillness
being lending an appropriate
effect to the Abbey ruins, the
view of which from the Marquis'
Seat is most wonderful. The

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spin home along the pretty  country
roads was very enjoyable.
Sunday July 4^th Heaton Church in
the morning. Raining heavily.
Short walk with Uncle Arthur and
the dog, Jack, in the afternoon. In
the evening Mr Walker and his
daughter came. Miss Walker
is an excellent pianist, and a
very jolly girl.
Monday, July 5^th. Met the Perkins'
girls and Mrs Perkins in town, and
had coffee with them at Collinson's.
Spendid orchestra at Collinson's,
the 'cellist in particular being
very fine. Asked the conductor
to play the "Barcarolle" (Tales of
Hoffmann) & she smilingly consented.
Played it beautifully. Uncle
Arthur rang up to say he had
booked seats for Harry Lauder at
the Empire, so the Perkins' family
did likewise. Enjoyed the
evening very much. Uncle was unable
to come at the last so Mr Walker came instead.
Tuesday, July 6^th Received word from
the Base, in reply to my request
fro an extension of furlough to the
14^th if a draft was not going
to the front before that date, to
say that extension had been granted.
Otherwise should have had to return
tomorrow. Will now be able
to spend a day or two in London.
Intended going to the Rose Show
at Saltaire today, but, the
rain was too heavy. So went
round to afternoon tea at the

Perkins' instead. Their son, who
is in Flanders, was to have come
home today fro a short furlough,
but this morning they received a
wire to say that he could not

58
come until Friday, so we
thought we might cheer them
up a bit. In the evening they
came round to our house for
some music. Little Ba, dressed
as a country farm boy, gave
us "The Village Pump", coolly
puffing at a cigarette the while,
to the suppressed indignation
of her father. She is a
born mimic, and full of life.
Wednesday, July 7^th Had a quiet
morning writing letters. In the
afternoon went to Mrs Lee's to
afternoon tea. Had arranged to
meet Uncle Arthur in the evening
(the Aunties as well, of course) and
go to the Alhambra to hear Bransby
Williams. Mrs Perkins and the
two older girls came with us.
Uncle had been too busy to get
out and book seats however, so
we could not get in. Went to
St Georges' Hall to see the pictures
instead. The principal piece was
"The Morals of Marcus" and was well
worth seeing. The older ones

rode home in the car, but we
three children walked home through
the Park. It was a beautiful
evening, and the walk was very
enjoyable.
Thursday, July 8^th. Went to town with
Aunt Agnes in the morning to book
seats for Bransby Williams. Met
poppy and Nora Perkins, who decided
to do likewise. Went to Collinsons
for ices, then to the Library.
In the afternoon, early after Lunch, I
went down to the Perkins' as Ba wanted
to take my photo. Took two of me,
then Nora took Ba and I together.

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I met Mr & Mrs Walker at 2 o'clock
and we motored to Harrogate.
They have a bonny little "Rover"
and the ride was great. Harrogate
is a beautifully clean place. It
is noted for its mineral waters,
and is crowded through the
summer. We went into the

Gardens, where everybody sits
about in deck chairs, taking
the sun and listening to the
band, and incidentally taking
the waters every few hours.
I drank about six ounces
of the beastly stuff. It is
full of sulphurretted hydrogen,
smells like the Patawalonga
and tasters tastes worse.
We went back to Mr Walkers
to an early supper. Met a
young lady by name Mrs
Patchett. She is a real hard case,
and sings well. Later we
went to the Alhambra. Bransby
Williams was spendid, his
impersonation of Micawber, Dan'l
Peggotty, and a London Showman
fifty years ago being particularly
good.
Friday July 9^th Went out to Apperley
Bridge to see a big woollen mill.
Was shown over the whole works, and
found it very interesting. Trained
back to Bradford, made one or
two purchases, including "Struwelpeter"
for the kiddies and a box of
Abdulla No 16's for the Aunties.
Started to walk home, but was
picked up on the way by Mr.
Walker in his car. he took
me up to a place where there
had just been a marsh gas

62
explosion, wrecking a couple
houses ; then on to a Red
Cross Hospital. This had previously
been a gentleman's private residence,
and the grounds and gardens were
fine. There were also extensive
glass houses, where tomatoes,
grapes, peaches, nectarines etc.
were growing in an artificial
atmosphere.  After lunch
Ba Perkins came up with the
photos taken the previous day.
They came out very well, and
I am sending a set on to you.
She wanted to take another,

head & shoulders only etc. so
we went out into the back
garden and the operation took
place. Later we met Uncle
Arthur at Frisinghall Station,
took the train to somewhere,
and walked up through the
Hawesworth Golf Links (of which
club he is a member) then
on for some miles to "Dick Hudson's"
where we had an excellent
meal of Yorkshire ham, and eggs,
and fresh bread and butter,
strawberry jam and marmalade,
and good homemade cake.
We then walked to Bingley and
took the tram to Heaton. We
called in at the Perkins' on our
way home to see if Jack
Perkins had arrived. We
found everybody in smiles, so
knew that he had. He is a
Lieutenant in one of the Yorkshire
regiments, and has been at
the front since last October,
with only one spell. He is

a very decent fellow. He has