31 December 1923 diary of Dr John Stewart Muir (1845-1938) of Selkirk

Got a very nice letter from Mrs Taylor, Jamaica.¹ Both her daughters are engaged. She give a good account of Mrs Thomson, Beechwood, whom she knew when she lived in Jamaica with her husband, a doctor.² It was a slow but steady thaw with a soft rain all day + gentle W. wind. Streets very slushy. Walked to Backrow, Rosemount, Goslawdales + Green. Drew money from Bank to pay wages +c. Got books arranged for New Year. P.C.s [postcards] from Barbara from Sydney + Melbourne.³ Dav.⁴ ‘Phoned me that Dees had died practically bankrupt!⁵ Barometer: 29.65 27.57

Letters also from Miss Lockart [sic] + McCall.⁶

Cycling mileage
Professional           1068.5
Non professional    1430.45
Total                       2498.95

Longest mileage = May = 575.6

Rides above 50 miles
Apr 24^th     Arniston Eddleston Selkirk      65.1
May 24^th     Chollerford via North Tyne      63.9
     29^th        Weardale Hexham      60.35
     31^st        Alston Greenhead      77.15
June 2^nd      Chollerford Selkirk via Carter      60
July 4^th      Dunsyre Carnwath Peebles      80.45
Aug 11^th      Etal      70.4
     31^st         Jedfoot Cessford Linton +c      53.6
Sept 3^rd        Longformacus +c      68.2
     24^th        Eskdalemuir Lockerbie Dumfries     58.0
    29^th         Muirkirk Selkirk      70.15

¹ The Editor has information about the Taylor family, distantly related to Dr Muir through the Rennie connection, but cannot match this reference to any of his data.

² Naomi Thomson (about 1878-), widow, born Liverpool, companion to Jemima Colville of Beechwood, Selkirk [1921 Census].

³ Andrina Henderson ‘Barbara’ Roberts, later Thwigg (1902-1996), daughter of John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior and Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir, had left in October 1923 travelling 1st Class en route for New Zealand departing 13 October on the Orient Line’s Clyde-built R.M.S. Ormonde from London to Sydney (the Editor has not identified her onward journey Sydney to New Zealand) via Colombo, Fremantle, Melbourne [source: UK and Ireland, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960 for A B Roberts, London, 1923, Oct]. Barbara later married in New Zealand but in case readers worry that Dr Muir would never see his eldest granddaughter again she came home at least once afterwards, in 1929, when she returned to New Zealand, sailing 8 November 1929 from Southampton to Wellington on Shaw Savill & Albion Line’s R.M.S. Mataroa.

⁴ David Charteris ‘Dav.’ Graham (1889-1963), M.B., Ch.B., medical practitioner and Dr Muir’s business partner.

⁵ Robert Irwin Dees (1872-1923) had inherited approximately £90,000 on the death of his uncle Robert Richardson Dees, solicitor, of Wallsend, in 1908 and had taken on the tenancy of Faldonside in 1920. His situation was not as desperate as Dr Muir suggests, as Dees left assets worth £30,000, but Dees still indulged in an astonishing rate of expenditure for someone drawing on a one-off inheritance.

⁶ Assume The Reverend James George McCall (1866-1954), rector of St John’s Episcopal Church, Selkirk.

⁷ Non-professional refers to Dr Muir’s mileage that is not subject to reimbursement by the medical administration – his private mileage.

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