Letter from Dora1 with the [illegible] statement that she contemplates joining Jean!!!2 Bitterly cold with rain + sleet + snow at night. Had the smallest list since the beginning of January. Went to Miss Dunn’s funeral3 + had one of the cords. Willie Orr4 + Smith the upholsterer’s sister5 were also buried today. Walked round the town + out to Buxton6. Boylan7 called called + spoilt my afternoon which I intended devoting to a list of insured persons who have not chosen a doctor, sent by Stalker8. Recited at a concert in Church Hall at which Rob. Currie9 played the cello + a very good sketch was given by 4 girls, called the Imaginary Aunt10.
1 Andrina Dorothy ‘Dora’ Muir (1882-1978), nurse and Dr Muir’s youngest daughter
2 Jane Henderson Logan ‘Jean’ Pike née Muir (1877-1941), Dr Muir’s eldest daughter, had a tea shop at 47 Newington Road, Edinburgh [Miss Jane Muir, cook, 1920 Valuation Roll, VR010000379-/38, Edinburgh Burgh, page 38 of 257]
3 Hyndmer Rutherford ‘Miss’ Dunn (about 1843-1922); for more detail see Dr Muir’s diary entry for 17 February 1922
4 William ‘Willie’ Orr (about 1850-1922), died date, place, aet 72, xxx [1922, 778/ 23, Selkirk]
5 It has not yet been possible to identify Smith the upholsterer or his sister
6 Buxton may refer to the Infectious Diseases Hospital, just east of Ashburn and Buxton Cottage at the north end of the Selkirk Hills
7 John Dun Boylan (1850-1924), civil engineer, sometime of Shawmount and Shawpark, Selkirk, acquaintance whose verbosity had led Dr Muir on previous occasions to describe him as a windbag and an egotist
8 Donald Gordon Stalker (1867-1948), banker and law agent, Clerk to the National Health Insurance Committee, based at the British Linen Bank Buildings, Galashiels
9 The best guess here is Robert Currie (about 1875-1934), hosiery manufacturer and the fifth generation with this name; son of Robert Currie (about 1857-1923), hosiery manufacturer, and Mary Murray, he lived at Byethorn, Selkirk [where the Selkirk High School is today]
10 If the sketch is not of the girls’ own creation then the best ‘fit’ is probably the imaginary aunt referred to in a review of ‘Ephemeris or Leaves from ye Journall of Marian Drayton’, anon., published by Robert and George Seeleye, London, [1853] (The Athenæum, 1853, London, page 1549)
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/25, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1922]
Rumbling Clint's Scottish Notes 