5 June 1923 diary of Dr John Stewart Muir (1845-1938) of Selkirk

Wind N.W. + some sunshine. Some rain up Yarrow about 2. I had just gone to bed at 12 when Dav.¹ rang me up to say they had come for him for Mrs Archie Cockburn², thinking I was still from home.³ However I went down + soon got her over⁴, getting back to bed at 1.40. I saw 1 or 2 town cases + cycled to Yarrow Hall⁵ returning by Dunsdale + Hospital. It rained all the way back from Yarrow Hall to near Selkirk. There was a turnout of 47 cyclists for a run to St Boswells + Leaderfoot.⁶ Nancy⁷ walked to 3 Brethren + Broadmeadows Hill.⁸

¹ David Charteris ‘Dav.’ Graham (1889-1963), M.B., Ch.B., medical practitioner and Dr Muir’s business partner.

² Assume May Turnbull Cockburn née Buckham who had married, 12 September 1913 at Selkirk, Archibald Cockburn, woollen millworker (in 1921 described as a woollen drawer working for Edward Gardiner & Co., woollen manufacturers).

³ Dr Muir had got back from his holiday in Northumberland late on 2 June.

⁴ James Cockburn (1923-1982), born 5 June 1923 at 28 Ettrick Road, Selkirk, the son of Archibald Cockburn and May Turnbull Cockburn née Buckham (the parents did not register the birth until 10 December that year).

⁵ The Editor cannot locate Yarrow Hall unless Dr Muir is referring to Yarrow Feus Hall, grid reference NGR NT343,262.

⁶ A cyclists group had been started in Selkirk, see for example see Dr Muir’s diary entries for 14 and 18 May 1923.

⁷ Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir (1878-1948), Dr Muir’s daughter.

⁸ The Three Brethren, NT433,319, and what must be Broomy Law, NT414318, or Foulshiels Hill, NT427,302 (no hill named Broadmeadows is evident).

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