Rose at 5 + finding the barometer falling decided to go to Prestwick by train. Left Motored to Gala + got the 10.50 : booked my luggage at Waverley + took a taxi to 6 Rutland Square for a meeting of the S.R.P. + Comttee1 + found to my disgust that it wasn’t till Friday! Went to the Picture House + saw a very good thing “Monte Cristo”.2 Got the 2 to Glasgow + had lunch on the train. Had an hour to wait at St Enoch3 + got to Prestwick at 5.10. Walked along to Ladyton carrying 2 bags : umbrella + [illegible]. Found the old man4 looking awfully well. Sent a P.C. [post card] to Nancy.5 Eddie Miller6 looked in at night. From the appearance of the country there has been a tremendous lot of rain.
1 The Editor cannot find a reference to an Edinburgh meeting at this particular time in the British Medical Journal and in addition the B.M.J.’s listing of future meetings from 24 February 1923 does not appear to include one either, which may explain Dr Muir’s confusion [see “Diary Of Societies And Lectures.” The British Medical Journal, vol. 1, no. 3243, 1923, pp. 64–64. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20422691. Accessed 6 Mar. 2023.]
2 This 1922 film adaptation of Alexander Dumas’ 1844 novel was directed by Emmett J Flynn for Fox Film Corporation and starred inter alios John Gilbert, Estelle Taylor, Albert Prisco, Ralph Cloninger and Renée Adorée. It is readily available online.
3 St Enoch Station, east of St Enoch Square, only two streets away from Central Station and until January 1923 servicing the Glasgow and South Western Railway (G&SWR) with trains to Ayr, Dumfries, Carlisle, Kilmarnock and Stranraer. Under the Railways Act of 1921 it was taken over (‘grouped’) in January 1923 and thereafter operated by the London Midland and Scottish Railway. The station is visible on Ordnance Survey 25 inch Lanarkshire Sheet VI.11, 1933 revision, with St Enoch Square’s relationship to Central Station made clear on Ordnance Survey 25 inch Lanarkshire Sheet VI.10, 1934 revision.
4 The Reverend James Rennie (1826-1924), described on his death registration as “Minister of the Gospel (Retired)” and Dr Muir’s brother in law, the husband later widower of Catherine Stewart Rennie née Muir. Living at Ladyton, Prestwick, Ayrshire.
5 Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir (1878-1948), Dr Muir’s daughter and wife of John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior.
6 Edward Caird ‘Eddie’ Miller (1864-1927), iron and steel founder, of Redstone, Prestwick [Monkton, Ayr], widowed since the death in 1920 of his wife Jessie Logan Miller née Rennie (1860-1920), Dr Muir’s niece.
[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 