Much warmer today. S. + then N. just slight. David1 left for Ed. [Edinburgh] this morning, I hope for the last time2 + he went first to Thirlestane Police Station3 + on by Innerleithen. There were several messages in a rather annoying sequence 1st Bartie4, Ettrickhaugh Road: 2nd Weir, Gas Works 3[rd] a man at Purves’, Forest Road5 all of which I had to do separately. After dinner I saw Mr Lawson6, Knowepark who had had some vomiting. There were about a doz. people in at night. Dora7, Chrissie8 + Peter9 in the motor + Helen10 cycling went up to the riverside at Howford11 + had tea + the girls walked to Hawkshaw12 + called for Anna Scott13.
1 David Charteris ‘Dav.’ Graham (1889-1963), M.B., medical practitioner and Dr Muir’s business partner
2 Dr Graham had been mobilised prior to the decision, on 15 April 1921, of the transport and rail unions not to call for strike action in support of the miners in their fight against post-war re-adjustment to their terms of employment thereby leaving, as History Today states, “the miners to fight on alone for three months, until they were driven back on worse terms than they could have had at the start.”
3 Attendance at Thirlestane Police Station implies a visit to William Wight, Police Constable, and his wife Sarah Jane Forrest Wight née Anderson; they had married 6 December 1912 at Selkirk Manse and are referred to again by Dr Muir in his July diary entries
4 Margaret Lillias Bartie née Hay and her husband James Bartie, chartered engineer had died in 1918 and early 1921 respectively so the most likely person to have been at Alva Cottage at this time was their son and executor Thomas Bartie, factor, of Chapel Acre, Dundas, South Queensferry
5 This may refer to Mrs Jane Purves, Tenant Occupier at 69 Forest Road, Selkirk or to Mrs Barbara Purves, Tenant Occupier at 113 Forest Road, Selkirk [1921 Valuation Rolls, VR007900012/164, Selkirk Burgh, page 164 of 644 and VR007900012/166, Selkirk Burgh, page 166 of 644 respectively]
6 Mrs Cecil Lawson née Mackinlay (about 1837-1922) was Proprietor Occupier of Knowepark, 25 Scott’s Place, Selkirk [1921 Valuation Roll, VR007900012- …]
7 Andrina Dorothy ‘Dora’ Muir (1882-1978), nurse and Dr Muir’s youngest daughter
8 Christina Robertson Rodger ‘Christy’ or ‘Chrissie’ Patrick (1891-1960), daughter of Christina Robertson ‘Tina’ Patrick née Rodger (c.1846-1924), daughter of Peter Rodger (1804-1888), of Selkirk, solicitor and local government official, and David Patrick, solicitor, of Hamilton
9 Peter Allan is not (yet) identified
10 Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s housekeeper third daughter
11 Howford, Kirkhope, grid reference NGR NT392,244
12 Hawkshaw, Kirkhope, NGR NT376,242
13 Anna Scott is not identified
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/24, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1921]
Rumbling Clint's Scottish Notes 