Nice morning with a touch of frost : dull in afternoon with clouds + mist in west. Motored to Hospital + Allanlea. It was a sister of young Miss Dobson1, a Miss Lilly who was ill.2 Brought back Nurse Mann.3 At 1.30 started with John Murray4 + Erskine Harper5 + cycled to Penielheugh via Lilliard’s Edge + returned via Maxton, Newtown, Leaderfoot + Melrose. John Murray kept in back + it was 7.30 when we got home. Dora left in the afternoon + Jean at 7.32.6 Erskine Harper wouldn’t go up the monument7 but he didn’t miss much.
1 See diary entry for 17 September 1922 for information about Allanlea and the Dobson family, though as noted there Miss Dobson is unidentified.
2 Miss Lilly is unidentified.
3 Nurse Mann is unidentified.
4 A reader helpfully says that this refers to his maternal grandfather, John Murray (1898-1984), described in the 1921 Census as “Clerk, Post Office” who apparently joined the Royal Flying Corps (R.A.F. from 1 April 1918), but saw no action in the Great War, and was later Head Postmaster in Aberdeen. He was the son of John Inglis Murray (about 1869-1950), motor and cycle engineer, and Mary Macpherson, married 28 September 1987, Glasgow. The reader says that John Murray junior had a friendship with Dr Muir whom he greatly admired and also that John’s father sold a bicycle called “The Ettrick Forest”.
5 James ‘Erskine’ Harper (1887-1953), barrister, son of Ebenezer Erskine Harper, sheriff substitute, and Agnes Harper née Watson, later Mackintosh; brother of Agnes Durnford née Harper.
6 Jane Henderson Logan ‘Jean’ Pike née Muir (1877-1941) and Andrina Dorothy ‘Dora’ Muir (1882-1978), Dr Muir’s eldest and youngest daughters respectively.
7 The party has visited the Penielheugh Monument, also known as the Waterloo Monument, at Crailing, Roxburghshire, Canmore ID 56965 and grid reference NGR NT65367,26304.
[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 
I’m blown over. My late maternal grandfather 1898 -1984 used to talk about his friendship with Dr Muir who he had greatly admired. He was the John Murray mentioned in that day’s entry. He joined the Royal Flying Core but saw no action in the great war. Then had a career in the postal service ending up as Head Postmaster in Aberdeen. His father, I believe, was responsible for selling a bicycle named ‘The Ettrick Forest’. I wish I had listened more carefully to his tales. He died at the age of 86 followed six weeks later by my Granny Murray.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for that information. It’s always good to fill gaps but it’s especially nice to hear from people connected with the folk in the diaries. Best wishes.
LikeLike