A delightful day: calm + bright. Rennie’s 97th birthday.1 He got many [?] letters + telegrams of congratulation. I gave him some cigars + got a bottle of port at Cameron’s2 to drink his health. Met Lizzie3 + Nancy4 at 12.15 + then had a stroll to Bruce’s Well + Chapel5 and the seashore. We had dinner at 2 + a long chat after. Saw L. + N. away at 4.50 + bought a Scotsman + sat reading it on the Esplanade till sunset. I asked Margt6 to get some salmon for supper which we had for supper. Eddie Miller7 + Mrs Ogg8 came in. Rennie was in great form. Wrote a P.C. [post card] to Glasgow Herald re cary-pawed.9
1 The Reverend James Rennie (1826-1924) of Ladyton, Prestwick, clergyman, described on his death registration as Minister of the Gospel Retired, Dr Muir’s brother in law and widower of Catherine Stewart Rennie née Muir.
2 Cameron’s may refer to Andrew Cameron, grocer and wine merchant, 149-151 High Street, Ayr.
3 Elizabeth Orr ‘Lizzie’ Guthrie Smith née Rennie (1858–1926), daughter of the Reverend James Rennie and Catherine Stewart Rennie née Muir, thus Dr Muir’s niece.
4 Perhaps Nance Tennant Guthrie Smith, later Clark (1902-1993), born 24 January 1902 at 5 Kirklee Gardens, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, the daughter of John Guthrie Smith (1868-1923), W.S. and Elizabeth Orr ‘Lizzie’ Guthrie Smith née Rennie, married 1883, Glasgow. Nance married 1933 in New Zealand, John Vandy ‘Jack’ Clark, she died 1993 in New Zealand.
5 Prestwick, Kingcase Well (Medieval), alternative name Bruce’s Well, Canmore ID 205063, grid reference NGR NS34671,24799 and Kingcase, St Ninian’s Hospital, Chapel (Medieval), Hospital (Medieval), Canmore ID 41787, grid reference NGR NS34650,24787.
6 Margaret, if that is the correct reading, is unidentified. The 1921 Census records Rennie’s household as himself, Elizabeth Park, aged 15, servant and Mary Hay, visitor.
7 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.
8 Mrs Ogg is unidentified.
9 Left-handed, see Dr Muir’s diary entry for 8 March 1923.
[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 