11 August 1923 diary of Dr John Stewart Muir (1845-1938) of Selkirk

N.W. With David¹ back I shall have little to do. Saw Maggie Niven, Mavisbank² + left at 10.30 with Jock³ cycling en route for Etal. It was a glorious day with moderate W. wind + we got along all right till beyond Bowden Toll. Jock’s back tyre deflated + after twice inflating it we stopped at Somers’ to mend it. He picked me up at Rutherford + we went on to Roxburgh Castle where we stopped + had some grapes + cake + enjoyed the view over Teviot. We went from Kelso via Holefield⁴ + Mindrum, Thorningham, Howtel + Ford + reached Etal about 3.30.⁵ Saw a [illegible] between Etal + Eglinton. Met the Roberts’s [?], Jack, Nancy, the boys + Louise + had tea at the old castle. Left about 4.55 + came back by Crookham + Sprouston reaching home about 8.30. Coming back we did the first 29 miles in 3 hours + only walked a bit at the 4^th mile. Our run was 70.4 [miles].⁶ The wind had completely fallen + the run home was done in the best possible conditions. Barbara came up + I gave her the pendant from Helen + [illegible]⁷

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

² Margaret R ‘Maggie’ Niven (about 1893-) was recorded living with her mother at “Mavis Bank”, Selkirk [1921 Census]. Born Irvine, Ayrshire, she was a powerloom weaver for Gibson & Lumgair, tweed manufacturer.

³ Dr Muir appears to have spent some time during the day with his daughter Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir and her family John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966), Andrina Henderson ‘Barbara’ Roberts, later Thwigg (1902-1996), John ‘Jock’ Roberts (1904-1950), Louisa Jane ‘Louise’ Roberts, later Rutherford (1906-1982), Stewart Muir ‘Little Stewart’ Roberts (1908-2003) and George Edward ‘Tim’ Roberts (1911-2005).

⁴ Holefield Farm, Sprouston, Roxburghshire was the birthplace of the poet William Henry ‘WH’ Ogilvie on 21st August 1869. Ogilvie and his wife Katherine Margaret ‘Madge’ Ogilvie née Scott Anderson settled at Ashkirk and in May 1922 Dr Muir advised the couple on a route for a riding trip from Holefield to Buttermere [Dr Muir’s diary entries for 15th, 17th and 24th May 1922 May 1922].

⁵ The cyclists travelled across Roxburghshire and into the area of Northumberland north of The Cheviot.

⁶ Dr Muir used a velometer, which explains the precision with which he gave distances that he had travelled.

⁷ On her 17th birthday (11 August 1919) Barbara had been given a crystal pendant with monogram which had belonged to Bessie Rodger, a member the Rodgers of Selkirk, Dr Muir’s wife Andrina Barbara Henderson Rodger’s family.

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