9 January 1904 diary of Dr John Stewart Muir (1845-1938) of Selkirk

Eily¹ very troublesome with the girls

Rose 6.15 breakfasted 7. Walked down to Curror Street to see Jas. Johnstone² + left at 9, Baptie³ driving me with Macaulay.⁴ In the town the roads were hard + as the glass [barometer] was rising I took my bicycle. Went to Hartwoodmyres + got off at the 10^th mile stone to cycle to Crook Cottage⁵. The roads were good but got softer as I went up. At Thirlestane⁶ I got a heavy sleety shower which continued to Cossar’s Hill.⁷ My knees were pretty wet. All the hills were white + the roads muddy. Mrs Johnstone worse + has slight peritonitis.⁸ Had good run down, wind being S.W. Called at Ramseycleuch Police Station.⁹ Got wire at Ettrickbridgend to go to Broadmeadows. Passed Baptie at Fauldshope Bridge.¹⁰ He had gone on to Gilmanscleuch + stayed there a while. At Broadmeadows saw Mrs Hamilton’s youngest child¹¹ + Mrs Lang.¹² Got home at 4.30 + had to go to Faldonside (Betty Clarkson¹³) + Sunderland Hall (Murdoch¹⁴). I travelled about 56 miles of which I cycled 38. Was called out at 9.30 to Mrs William Waldie.¹⁵

¹ Helen Turnbull ‘Eily’ Rodger (1844-1914), of Elmbank, Melrose, born 3 April 1844, Galashiels, died at Holylee House, Walkerburn, aged 71. She was the daughter of Peter Rodger, former town clerk of Selkirk, and Jane Rodger née Henderson, thus Dr Muir’s sister-in-law.

² James Johnstone (1883-), son of Ebenezer Young Johnstone (about 1843-1914), weaver, and Hannah Johnstone née Redpath and brother of Mary Ritchie (1876-), Hannah Guthrie (1878-), William Redpath (1881-), George (1885-), Ebenezer (1889-), Margaret Jane (1893-) and Charles (1896-). In 1901 they were recorded at 2a Curror Street, Selkirk.

³ Thomas Baptie (1860-1929), driver and handyman for Dr Muir.

⁴ Macaulay was one of Dr Muir’s horses, see diary entries for 11^th February 2024.

⁵ Crook Cottage, Overkirkhope, Ettrick.

⁶ Thirlestane, Ettrick, visible on Ordnance Survey six inch Selkirkshire Sheet XVIII.NW, published 1900.

⁷ Cossarshill, Ettrick.

⁸ Assume James Johnstone (1880-), at Crook Cottage, Overkirkhope, Ettrick, son of William and Mary Johnstone née Hewitson, married 13 September 1869 at Gretna.

⁹ Ramseycleuch Police Station, grid reference NT277,147, visible on Ordnance Survey six inch Selkirkshire Sheet XVIII.SW, published 1900.

¹⁰ Fauldshope Bridge, Selkirk, grid reference NGR NT417,253.

¹¹ Mrs Anna Gertrude Montgomerie Hamilton née Lang (1864-), born Largs, Ayrshire, daughter of Hugh Morris Lang and Margaret Lang née Graham. with her children Edward William Hamilton (1893-), Margaret Graham Hamilton (1895-), Katharina (about 1900), and Winifred Anna Hamilton (1905-).

¹² Margaret Graham ‘May’ Lang (1861-1958), of Broadmeadows, daughter of Hugh Morris Lang and Margaret Lang née Graham.

¹³ Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Clarkson (about 1828-1905), of private means, born Selkirk, living at The Cottages, Faldonside, Lindean, Galashiels, 1901 Census. Daughter of Robert Clarkson, gardener, and Helen Clarkson née Frater.

¹⁴ Thomas Murdoch, groom and Inhabitant Occupier of a house at Sunderland Hall Stables, Selkirk [1904 Valuation Rolls].

¹⁵ Jeannie Gray Waldie, born 10 January 1904 at Ettrickhaugh Road, Selkirk, daughter of William Waldie, cashier in a woollen factory, and Maggie Gray Waldie née Gibson. The parents had married 30 December 1902 at Selkirk..

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/7, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1904]