21 October 1921 diary of Dr John Stewart Muir (1845-1938) of Selkirk

My second shoot since Jan 28^th 1916 1915. Motored with Charlie¹ + George Roberts² in the latter’s old Napier³ to Gordon Arms⁴. David⁵ joined us at the first drive having gone up via ‘Bridgend⁶. We had 3 drives on Altrieve⁷ with very little result. I shot a grouse + a [illegible]. We lunched at Altrieve farmhouse: had a drive on Eldinhope⁸ + then tried the Blackcock on Eldinhope + M^t Benger⁹. It was a poor day, 12 head of which I shot 4. Charlie gave me lunch + then tea at the Gordon. The day was dull but hardly any rain. Got back at 6. Winifred Armitage¹⁰ arrived. Helen¹¹ met her at Galashiels.

¹ Assume Charles Henry ‘Charlie‘ Roberts (1877-), tweed manufacturer, brother of Dr Muir’s son-in-law John Roberts junior

² George Roberts is not identified

³ D Napier & Son Limited, an engineering business started by a Scot but based in England, turned to internal combustion engines and road vehicles in the late 19th Century and made luxury cars in the first quarter on the 20th Century but was more famous from 1917 for its aero engines first the ‘Lion’ and later the ‘Sabre’ which powered the Hawker Typhoon

⁴ Gordon Arms, Yarrow, grid reference NGR NT307,249

⁵ David Charteris ‘Dav.’ Graham (1889-1963), M.B., medical practitioner and Dr Muir’s business partner

⁶ The Editor assumes that Dr Muir is referring to Ettrickbridgend here, Dr Graham having come up to Yarrow by a different route from the rest of the shooting party

⁷ Altrieve, Yarrow, NT286,225 (in this case and the two footnotes following the Editor has indicated the named property rather than its shootings)

⁸ Eldinhope, Yarrow, NT298,242

⁹ Mountbenger, Yarrow, NT308,252

¹⁰ Margaret Winifred Armitage (1874-1970), daughter of William Armitage, cotton merchant, and Margaret Petrie Armitage; her sister Dorothy had married Francis ‘Frank’ Muir (1877-1972), electrical engineer, son of the Reverend Gavin Struthers ‘Guy’ Muir Dr Muir’s brother, and thus Dr Muir’s nephew

¹¹ Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter and sometime housekeeper

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/24, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1921]