There was just a handful of snow at each gate. A dismal day of incessant heavy rain from S. E. until 3 p.m. Walked to Curror Street, Ettrickbank Mill1 (where the owner + manager Mr Clifford2 introduced himself), Kilncroft [and] Forest Road. My feet + stockings were so wet that I had to change! Walked also to Shawpark after tea +c, Viewfield + Castle Street. Saw Murray3 about getting a Singer.4 Letter from Willie Rodger.5
1 Ettrick Bank Mill, previously Bannerfield Mill and later renamed Corbie Linn Mill [J R Hume, ‘The industrial archaeology of Scotland, 1, Lowlands and Borders’, London, 1976 and Scottish Borders Council Museum Service, ‘The Little Guide to Selkirk Mills’, Selkirk, c.2000].
2 Clifford is so far unidentified.
3 Murray is John Inglis Murray (1869-1950), motor and cycle mechanic, partner in Stark & Murray who looked after Dr Muir’s bicycles.
4 The Singer Cycle Company also Singer & Co. Ltd. was a cycle manufacturer connected to car and motorcycle production of the same name but with no link to the sewing machine business. A progressive company, George Singer patented curved cycle forks. [Kevin Atkinson, ‘The Singer Story: The Cars, Commercial Vehicles, Bicycles & Motorcycles’, 2013, Veloce Publishing Ltd]
5 Assume William Brydone ‘Willie’ Rodger (1880-1959), son of George Rodger (about 1843-1885), solicitor, and Isabella Margaret or Maggie Rodger née Brydone. Born Selkirk, he was later a stockbroker (admitted to the London Stock Exchange, 1904, at which time he lived at Redcliffe Square, Earls Court, Kensington) and was at Sevenoaks, Kent, 1911 Census and at Trey Lodge, Malling, Kent, 1939 England and Wales Register.
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/26, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1923]
Rumbling Clint's Scottish Notes 