27 May 1923 diary of Dr John Stewart Muir (1845-1938) of Selkirk

A fine clear sunny morning which seemed to promise a fine day but in the afternoon the N.E. wind brought up mist + drizzle + blotted out the distant views. I wrote the Cremation Sec.¹, Fanny Mackenzie², Rabagliati³, Ivor Roberton⁴ (who had written one when sending Agnes Logan’s book about Aunt Maria⁵). Then with some sandwiches I walked 3 miles along the Carlisle road + had a look at the Wall + strolled south over a moor getting back at 5 for tea.⁶ There was a crowd of motorists + motor cyclists.⁷ Had a good dinner + read Dorothy Foster⁸ + Mothersole’s Roman Wall.⁹

¹ On 2 May 1923 Dr Muir had noted that he had “Got prospectus of Cremation Society in Glasgow.”, see 2 May 1923 diary of Dr John Stewart Muir (1845-1938) of Selkirk.

² Frances Gordon Ord ‘Fanny’ Mackenzie née Rennie (1864-1948), daughter of the Reverend James Rennie and Catherine Stewart Rennie née Muir, thus Dr Muir’s niece.

³ Andrea Carlo Francisco Rabagliati (1843-1930), M.D., F.R.C.S.E., medical practitioner and dietician, author of ‘Air, Food and Exercises; An Essay on the Predisposing Causes of Disease”, 3rd Edition, 1914. Rabagliati was a near contemporary and long-time friend of Dr Muir.

⁴ Assume the Reverend Ivor Johnstone Roberton (1865-1948), M.A., studied at the University and New College, Edinburgh, ordained at Ratho, 1891, translated to Ladhope, Galashiels, 1898 and at St Giles in the Fields and Bloomsbury St George, London from 1911. His brother was Alexander Logan Roberton which strongly suggests a family connection somewhere, almost certainly through the Greig family – Roberton’s mother was a Greig as was Agnes Logan’s (see footnote 5) [sources include: Ecclegen: Ewing – List of Ministers: R].

⁵ The book is so far unidentified but assume Agnes McIver Logan (about 1848-1928), daughter of Alexander Stuart Logan (1810-1862), advocate and Sheriff of Forfarshire and Agnes Logan née Greig (about 1813-1891), thus Dr Muir’s cousin.

⁶ It looks as if Dr Muir walked towards Carrawburgh along the section of the Carlisle (military) road from Chollerford which passes north of Chesters and is rich with evidence of the Roman Wall, however his route southwards and back to Chollerford is not obvious.

⁷ The Roman Wall attracted large numbers of visitors from its rediscovery onwards.

⁸ Perhaps ‘Dorothy Foster’ by Walter Besant, London, Chatto and Windus, 1884.

⁹ Hadrian’s Wall was a book-length illustrated archaeological travelogue by Jessie Mothersole (1874–1958), artist and archaeological author, published in 1922.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/26, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1923]