The weather cock shifted from E.N.E. to S.W. but it was very calm + the frost gone without a very decided thaw. Jack1 motored to St Abbs2 + took Helen3 + Winifred.4 I went to forenoon service. About 1.30 Dav.5 called + told me that Erskine Harper6 had sent for him + the L.M.C.7 called later The kind soul was faintingly [?] distressed about it. In the morning Mr Wilson of Heatherlie8 preached + I went back to evening service chiefly as there was a retiring collec[ion ?] for Capital fund.
1 John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966), mill owner, of Wellwood, Ettrick Terrace, Selkirk, and husband of Nancy (see below).
2 The Roberts (probably Nancy and whichever children were travelling with her by 1923) had been holidaying at the Haven, St Abbs since early November (though Nancy was back in Selkirk at one point so presumably others – perhaps their domestic staff – were there too). Various parties, including Nancy, had flitted between Selkirk and St Abbs pretty regularly since then.
3 Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter and sometime housekeeper.
4 Margaret ‘Winifred’ Armitage (1874-1970), daughter of William Armitage, cotton merchant, and Margaret Petrie Armitage née Mills. Winifred’s sister Dorothy had married Francis ‘Frank’ Muir (1877-1972), electrical engineer and son of the Reverend Gavin Struthers ‘Guy’ Muir, Dr Muir’s brother.
5 David Charteris ‘Dav.’ Graham (1889-1963), M.B., medical practitioner and Dr Muir’s business partner.
6 James Erskine Harper (1887-1953), son of Ebenezer Erskine Harper, sheriff substitute, and Agnes Harper née Watson later Mackintosh. At his 1914 marriage Erskine was described as a gentleman. It is not clear what he had done.
7 L.M.C. must be a variant of M.C. or ‘Magic Cave’ as Dr Muir had previously named Agnes Mackintosh née Watson, formerly Harper (1859-1946) of Elm Park, Selkirk.
8 The Reverend James Wilson (fl.1921-1942), B.D., minister of Heatherlie Quoad Sacra Parish when he was described in Dr Muir’s diary of 11 December 1921 as “the new Heatherlie minister”.
[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 