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

Wrote Patrick¹ for Frises² mail.

Very pleasant day with a little frost in the morning which did not continue. About 2.30 there was a slight shower otherwise it was fair mild + fresh. Had very nice forenoon shoot at Philiphaugh.³ Rose at 5.15 + did some writing. Got to Philiphaugh at 9.30 but did not start till 10. Drove to Harehead + shot the strips up to Tibbie Thomson : fox cover + down to Corbie Linn, finishing at the lambing shed.⁴ Beside Mr S.⁵ there was Willie Lang⁶ + D. C. Alexander.⁷ There were few birds. We got 17 pheasants + 6 rabbits of which I shot 6 Ph. + 1 rit [sic]. We went back to Philiphaugh to lunch at 2 + I found a message to Bowerhope.⁸ Sent Baptie⁹ back for Macaulay¹⁰ + drove up. We forded the Yarrow all right.¹¹ Janet Laidlaw¹² had a curious pain in her head + seemed to be somewhat confused mentally. Got home at 9.30. Moonlight night. Jean¹³ went to a ball at Hawick driving with Elsie Lindsay¹⁴ + Joy Mitchell.¹⁵

¹ Patrick Rodger Stewart ‘Pat’ Muir (1879-1961), Dr Muir’s only son, living in New Zealand since 1902.

² This individual is so far unidentified but the request may have come via Jean Muir who received a letter from her brother Patrick on 25 January 1904.

³ Philiphaugh is more or less directly opposite Bowhill across the Yarrow Water.

⁴ From Harehead the shooting party probably followed a flattish arc through the strips above Harehead to the north of Philiphaugh via Tibby Tamson’s Plantation (not grave – it was shooting not sightseeing) and the Fox Covert to Corbie Linn and then southwards after which the route becomes unclear. It is all visible on Ordnance Survey six inch Selkirkshire Sheet XI.NE, published 1900.

⁵ William Strang Steel (1832-1911), D.L., J.P., retired merchant, of Philiphaugh.

⁶ William Graham ‘Willie’ Lang (1856-1943), tea planter. Son of Hugh Morris Lang and Margaret Lang née Graham. Born 1856, Largs, Ayrshire, died 1943 at Harewoodglen, Selkirk, aged 87, he never married.

⁷ David Carnegie Alexander, ‘Carnegie Alexander’ or ‘D.C.A.’ (1856-1928), solicitor. He was the son of David Carnegie Alexander (about 1820-1881), solicitor, and Margaret Scott Alexander née Anderson. He had married 1899 at Edinburgh, Jane Florence Turnbull and they lived at Thirladean, Selkirk.

⁸ Bowerhope is on the south side of St Mary’s Loch, see Ordnance Survey six inch Selkirkshire Sheet XIII.NE, published 1900.

⁹ Thomas Baptie (1860-1929), driver and handyman for Dr Muir.

¹⁰ Macaulay was one of Dr Muir’s horses, see diary entries for 11^th February 2024.

¹¹ Dr Muir’s party must have crossed the Yarrow Water via the ford at grid reference NGR NT271,239 before heading to Bowerhope along the south side of St Mary’s Loch, see Ordnance Survey six inch Selkirkshire Sheet XIV.NW, published 1900.

¹² Janet Laidlaw, aged 53, was recorded at Bowerhope farmhouse, Yarrow, as housekeeper, the sister of James Laidlaw, 55, farmer and head of household, and brother Alexander Laidlaw, 56, all born Yarrow and living at Bowerhope, Yarrow, 1901 Census.

¹³ Jane Henderson Logan ‘Jean’ Pike née Muir (1877-1941), Dr Muir’s eldest daughter.

¹⁴ Elsie Lindsay is so far unidentified.

¹⁵ Joy Mitchell is so far unidentified.

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