I took a later train this morning at 8.34 + was a little late for the meeting which began at 9.30. The Hospital question : admission of a member of the Women’s Med. Fed. to the Council1 + the Insurance Acts + our future policy we’re the chief topics + there was some good speaking.2 Before lunch we adjourned to a public garden [?] + were again photographed. During the day I developed a Coryza + cough + earlier on had symptoms of dyspepsia, probably from the liquids I imbibed the last 2 days. I got away by the 6 train. Bob. Wallace3 was arriving today but he + Amy4 were dining at Rowallan5 + I went to bed before they came back. Helen6 was somewhere with Aunt Holly.7
1 The Medical Women’s Federation was founded in 1917 and is “today the largest and most influential body of women doctors in the UK”. There is a reference to this and the other discussions mentioned by Dr Muir in The British Medical Journal of 28 July 1923 [“Annual Meeting Notes.” The British Medical Journal, vol. 2, no. 3265, 1923, pp. 151–54. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20424159. Accessed 21 July 2023].
2 The implication that Wallace is a medic (Dr Muir’s diary entry for 25 July 1923) points to his being Robert William Lessel (or Leslie) Wallace (1881-1930), M.C., M.B., Ch.B., M.D., medical practitioner, born Turriff, Aberdeenshire, studied George Watson’s College and Edinburgh University, in medical practice at Woking, Surrey in 1923 [sources include: UK Medical Register, 1923].
3 Amy Kathleen Waldie (1889-1960), James Wallace’s niece who lived at Scotstoun, Haslemere, Surrey [see for example the 1911 England Census for Scotstoun].
4 Rowallan, Haslemere (next door to Scotstoun), home of William Edward ‘Willie’ Muir (1872-1948), Dr Muir’s brother nephew, and his wife Logie Elizabeth Whiteway (about 1877-1956). By the time of the 1939 England and Wales Register, Amy was living at Rowallan, Haslemere with William and Logie Muir.
5 Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter and housekeeper.
6 The aunt is so far unidentified, but certainly isn’t Dr Muir’s and, if it is Helen’s, it must be on her maternal side (unless Mary is called Aunty Wally) because of Dr Muir’s siblings, by 1923 only Mary Jane Muir later Wallace (1836-1933), with whom he was staying, and Gavin Struthers ‘Guy’ Muir (1847-1927) were still alive.
[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 