We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.
Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.
were, of course, rebuilding our walls and workshops and, in a sense, rebuilding our own lives. Looking back upon that time I think there must have been a subconscious urge in all of us to cling together as people are apt to do after a shipwreck upon an unknown shore — an instinctive response to an unrealised need of mutual support.
I had, a little while before the fire, tried an experiment which many other employers have tried without great success. It was to form a little games and social club for the staff to meet in the evenings and enjoy one another's company. For we all lived in what was then little more than a village and there was small opportunity for recreation. I might have anticipated the result. However much people who meet and work together all day may like each other, they naturally prefer a change when they are not at work. The idea started off well enough but it gradually petered out. The only part that survived, and that probably because of my own enthusiasm, was the group of unaccompanied gleesingers.
I have a vivid recollection of this little company around the open grave of their comrade who had perished in the fire, singing a hymn as a simple requiem to his memory. It was two or three years before this that I had started to get together a little choir of our workers for unaccompanied part-singing once a week during the winter. One or two friends were roped in later to swell the choir and we all enjoyed those weekly rehearsals very much. We were sixteen strong by 1908. One of our first ventures was carol singing at Christmas time. We all carried Chinese lanterns which were lighted up outside the gate of the house we were going to attack. Then we marched slowly up the drive singing the 'First Nowell.' I think it sounded good and it certainly looked good. Arrived at the front door we changed to another carol or two and then we were sent away with a sixpence or shilling, or perhaps we were invited in. After the first year people began to expect us and to welcome us, and we came to know which houses were better avoided.
At one house we visited there was a large evening party in progress and as soon as we were heard approaching, the front door was flung open, the lights in the house were put out and we were ushered into a large room where the only light was that from our lanterns. We went through our repertoire of carols and more difficult part-songs and there was no doubt about the pleasure of
92