Dovecot Park being cut for hay
N.E. calm: began to rain about midday + continued off + on all day. Message to Smedheugh to say Alexander Dagg had drowned himself1. Cycled out. Found his poor wife in a sad state. Saw Miss Hall2, Heathpark: then cycled to Castle Street &c down Long Close3 to Green + Yarrow Terrace, Ravensheugh, Philiphaugh Stables + home by Forest Road. Walked in afternoon to Tower Street, Marion Crescent, Glebe Terrace, Ettrick Road, Haining Lodge + Miss Dunn’s4. Went over to Viewfield after dinner. Usual crowd at consultation. Had to go up at 9.30 p.m. to see Miss Hall5 + gave her a hypo of heroin.
1 Alexander Dagg (1885-1920), farmer, husband of Elizabeth Gardiner, died by drowning on 26 July 1920 at the Moss Pond, Smedheugh Farm, Selkirk; informant was his father Adam Dagg, farmer, of Gateshaw Farm, Kelso, death certified by John S Muir “M.B &c”
2 Janet Hall was the Proprietor Occupier of a House at 3 Heath Park, Selkirk, 1920 Valuation Roll
3 Dr Muir has been at Castle Street at the top of Kirk Wynd and has walked down Long Close (the path between the graveyard and the Haining estate – the present car park behind Halliwell’s House abuts this close also) to come out at the bottom of West Port where it meets The Green before proceeding down Yarrow Terrace and across the Ettrick Water to Philiphaugh
4 Unidentified
5 Possibly Adamina Hall, died 1921, aged 51 but conceivably Helen Moffat Hall died 1924, aged 40
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/23, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1920]