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

What a farce! Not a glint of sunshine + the same strong N.W. wind that has prevailed since Friday. [text deleted] It began to rain between 9 + 10 p.m. + the wind went round E. Dressed Edith Graham’s¹ breast : did “Peter” at Viewfield² + cycled to Bridgelands, Hospital, Muthag Street, The Firs, Ettrickhaugh Road, Castle Street +c. Wrote Guy³, Mr D’arcy⁴, report on Nina Purvis⁵, Stevens⁶ (re N Berwick meeting⁷) + Drever.⁸ Went to evening service. After supper message to Mrs Richardson, Ettrick Road⁹ + then to Mrs Smith, Backrow¹⁰

¹ Edith Graham née Scott had a child on 27 May 1923 but appears to have continuing health problems.

² Dr Muir has used this expression previously (see diary entry for 22 January 1923) but the Editor cannot find any information about its usage.

³ The Reverend Gavin Struthers ‘Guy’ Muir (1846-1927), Dr Muir’s brother.

⁴ D’arcy is so far unidentified.

⁵ Nina Macdonnell Purves (1892-1961), living at 141 Forest Road, Selkirk in 1921, the daughter of David Purves, farmer, and Jane Purves née Forrest, married 1887 at Foulden, Berwickshire.

⁶ John Stevens (1859-1930)), M.A., M.D., F.J.C.P.Ed., medical practitioner, born Dunbarney, Perthshire, former Physician to the Edinburgh Western Dispensary and “indefatigable worker in the British Medical Association” of whom his obituary noted that “After joining the British Medical Association in 1892, he devoted a very large share of his time and energy to its various organisations, and the work of the Association may be said to have formed the principal hobby of his life. For many years he served as a member of the Executive Committee of the local Edinburgh Division, becoming its chairman in 1922. He became honorary secretary of the Edinburgh Branch in 1914, an office which he held till 1927, when he became its president. He attended every meeting of the Representative Body of the Association from 1914 till the year before his death, and served as a member of the Central Council from 1926 till his fatal illness rendered attendance at the meetings in London impossible.” [“John Stevens, M.A., M.D., F.R.C.P.Ed., Formerly Physician To The Edinburgh Western Dispensary.” The British Medical Journal, vol. 2, no. 3630, 1930, pp. 196–196. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25336918. Accessed 10 Oct. 2022.].

⁷ A British Medical Association branch meeting was scheduled for 27 June 1923 (see Dr Muir’s diary for that date).

⁸ James Richan Drever (1873-1956), medical practitioner and administrator, M.A., M.B., F.R.C.P.Ed., born Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire, M.A., 1893, M.B., C.M. (Glasgow), 1906, Scottish Medical Secretary of the B.M.A., 1919- [“J. R. Drever, M.A., M.B., F.R.C.P.Ed. Late Scottish Medical Secretary, British Medical Association.” The British Medical Journal, vol. 1, no. 3772, BMJ, 1933, pp. 725–26, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25351306.%5D

⁹ Mrs Richardson is as yet unidentified.

¹⁰ Mrs Smith is so far unidentified.

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