Marvellously warm day + without much sunshine. The therms [sic] at my window went up to 90 + at 6 p.m. was 60. I cycled to Shawpark (Boylan1 a shade better) + Faldonside. Mrs Dees2 back from London but I didn’t see her. Went up to High Faldonside + called for Jessie Boyd3 who came back a week ago.4 Called for Mrs Graham at the Lodge5 who should have been confined by now. After lunch cycled to Bank, Henhouse + Moat. Have applied for 200 Com. Preference shares in Esparto Paper Mills Ltd.6 Nice long letter from Dora7 who arrived safely at Tanta8. Ordered the Scotsman to be sent to her. Helen9 busy making caramel walnuts for Golf Bazaar.
1 Shawpark, Selkirk was the home of John Dun Boylan (1850-1924), civil engineer and acquaintance of Dr Muir who was present when Boylan had a heart attack on 11 March 1923.
2 Edith Mary Boileau Dees née Henderson (1872-1948), wife of Robert Irwin Dees. They had moved from Newcastle to Faldonside after the First World War.
3 Jessie Milne Brack Boyd (1867-1961), of Faldonside, plantswoman and gardener. Born 1867 at Chatton, Glendale, Northumberland, her family comprised William Brack Boyd (1831-1918) and Elizabeth Boyd née Wilson, married 1 July 1862 at Morebattle and children Adam Brack Boyd (1870-1911) of Otterburn and Buchtrig [estranged from the family], James Wilson Brack Boyd (1870-1916), who died in Belgium, and Jessie herself. In the 1921 Census Jessie was recorded at Upper Faldonside, Galashiels with her niece Dawn Gordon Belle Brack Boyd Wilson or Boyd-Wilson, later Milne (1894-1980) and two servants Jean Lothian and Catherine Duff.
4 It is not known where Jessie had been but as noted above she was in Selkirkshire two years previously.
5 Mrs Graham is not yet identified.
6 Esparto Paper Mills Ltd (1922-1924) was one of a series of businesses involved in paper making at Carrongrove, Stirlingshire.
7 Andrina Dorothy ‘Dora’ Muir (1882-1978), nurse and Dr Muir’s youngest daughter was en route to Port Said (بورسعيد , Egypt) with Isabella Donald on S.S. Oxfordshire, official number 131454 en route Liverpool – Marseilles – Port Said – Colombo – Rangoon, departing Liverpool 2 March 1923 [source: UK and Ireland, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960, Liverpool, 2 March 1923].
8 Assume Tanta (طنطا or Ṭanṭa, Egypt), a city on the Nile Delta between Alexandria and Cairo.
9 Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter and sometime housekeeper.
[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 