Author: rumblingclint

Left at 7.13 + cycled to Prestwick arriving there 5.55.

It was a perfect morning with hoar frost which lay in the shade till I was past Innerleithen. There was no wind to speak of + the roads were in the best order. Rode to Peebles in 1 h 53 minutes. Went to Castle Craig + Skirling to Biggar. All the hills in Tweed + Clyde stood out clearly in every detail. I stopped nearly opposite the railway viaduct over Douglas Water + had a hunk of Bannock, chocolate + a cigarette. Nancy overtook me 3¹/₂ miles before Muirkirk + stopped for a few minutes. She conveyed my bag + left it at Prestwick on her way to Troon. I had a splendid run from Muirkirk + stopped on the moor beyond Greenock Water + lay against a post to smoke + admire the view + tried to identify the distant Hills + made out Cairnsmore of Carsphairn + perhaps Green Lowther or Queensberry. Stopped at Mauchline for tea at “Poosie Nancy’s” [Inn]. Found Rennie very well though quaggy on his legs¹. As he no lager [sic] I cycled along to Cameron’s + ordered a dozen, returning with a bottle in each pocket but meantime Margaret had found a bottle which had been left since my last visit. Eddie Miller looked in at night². 93 miles.

¹ The Reverend James Rennie (1826-1924), Dr Muir’s brother-in-law, widower of his late sister Catherine

² Assume Edward Caird Miller, see diary entry for 16th September 1919

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]

Dense fog this morning which cleared away + was followed by a clear brilliant day. Rather cold towards night. Saw one or two cases + went with Helen [Muir] to morning service. After lunch walked with Colonel Charles to the Gala Rigg. View perfect all round. Charles was delighted. H [Helen] + I supped at home. Made preparations for an early start tomorrow to Prestwick (W. P.).

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]

A dull calm coldish day. N.E. A glint of sun about 6 p.m. Tom Alexander left at 9.37. Have enjoyed his visit very much. He goes to visit a friend at Askham Grange near York¹. I saw 5 town cases + motored to Faldonside + Yair. Did some ledger work in afternoon. Mousey [Helen Muir] + I dined at Elmpark. The Charles were there + Dav [?] + Norah [?].

¹ Askham Grange, Askham Richard, Yorkshire, a country house built 1886 but operating [2019] as a women’s prison [https://howardleague.org/prisons/askham-grange/]

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]

Very heavy rain during last night + pretty wet all day with several pearls of thunder between 2 + 3. Neither Dav. [Dr David Graham] nor I had any County work today. We gave Mrs Menteith chlor[oform], dilated the urethra + examined the bladder but found absolutely nothing. We also went out to circumcise the Dundas baby but D. found it wasn’t necessary. Tom sat about + walked in the town. We walked down to the Hospital after tea. There are two cases of Scarlet in. At night we went over part of my 1882 diary + recalled many incidents particularly the snow storm of December¹.

¹ The Editor can only quote “The heavy snowfall between the 4th and 8th December was the worst snowfall of 1882. Snow fell across southern Scotland, northern England and the northern-most parts of the Midlands. The snowstorm was known as the ‘Border Blizzard’. The depth of snow was reported to be over a metre high, with drifting causing roads and railways to be blocked … In Scotland, more than 30 cm of snow fell …” [https://premium.weatherweb.net/weather-in-history-1850-to-1899-ad/]

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]

Not such a fine day as yesterday but warmer + very pleasant for motoring. Saw Miss Dunn, Annie Brady + Mrs Menteith. Left at 11.15. Called for Miss Scott at Bridgelands + went on to Gala to see old Miss Beattie (formerly Tait’s Hill). She stays with the widow of Walt. Bryson whom Tom [Alexander] + I attended at old Broadmeadows, Lewenshope [and] Middlestead + who was latterly at Netherbarns. From there we went via Langshaw + Threepwood to Lauder + Lauder Hill¹ where we had our lunch in the quarry². The view was [illegible] we saw [?] Law but not V B Law. After we left it got very dark + threatening. We crossed by Tynehead³ down to Middleton [and] over Middleton Moor (a road I had not been on before) to Innerleithen + so home. Tom was delighted with the run, a great deal of which was new to him. We covered 64 miles. After getting back I had to go down to Faldonside to see Ailie Boyd⁴ + then Tom + I dined at Whitmuirhall [the Dunlops]. There was some rain in the evening.

¹ Dr Muir has come via Threepwood, entered Lauder past the cemetery and the started up the Lauder Common / Stow road

² The Editor assumes this is the quarry at grid reference NT512,470 just west of Lauderhill see Ordnance Survey 6 inch Berwickshire Sheets XIX.NE and SE of 1900 https://maps.nls.uk/view/75497416 and https://maps.nls.uk/view/75497428

³ Tynehead, approximate grid reference NGR NT394,593; Dr Muir has not (as one might have expected) joined the Gala Road (A7) at Stow but instead has taken a loop far to the north, coming into Middleton, Midlothian, from the east before turning south through Glentress

⁴ Ailie Brack Boyd Wilson or Boyd-Wilson, who was to change her name to Ailie Brack Boyd Wilson Milne, 25 June 1920 [London Gazette, 30 November 1920]

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]

Beautiful clear sunny day. Had several chlor[oform] cases with David at the Home, one of them being a case of undescended testicles in a boy Falla from Lilliesleaf which took a long time. It was 12.30 before I got away. After lunch picked up Tom Alexander from Thirladean + motored him via Gordon Arms + Hartleap to Ettrick School where I saw Mrs Russell. We stopped for tea at Ettrick Shaws. Saw Mrs Anderson¹. Ettrick Shaws is for sale. Got back at 6. Helen [Muir] arrived looking awfully well at 7.30. After dinner Tom + I had a great crack from old days + we went over all the confinements he attended when he was here.

¹ It is not always easy to distinguish ‘Mr’ from ‘Mrs’ in Dr Muir’s handwriting but since Thomas Scott Anderson had died in June 1919 leaving a widow and married daughter the Editor has assumed this reads ‘Mrs’ and is therefore Joan Scott Anderson née Shaw (d.1936); there are no males called Anderson referred to in Tom Scott Anderson’s will (proved August 1919) that offer a feasible alternative

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]

A delightfully warm day. Still very idle. Saw half a dozen town cases. In the afternoon gave Mrs Wilson, Beechbank, gas and opened a small abscess in her neck¹. Got letter from Jean [Muir, daughter] + wrote her. Banked some money for M + G [Muir and Graham co-partnership]. Got hair cut. Bella [Paulin, housekeeper] had a touch of her old asthma today + so I made my own bed + empty [sic] my slops! Made Mrs McIntosh a loan of “Sonia”². Read “Joan + Peter” by H G Wells³. It belongs to Frank Muir⁴.

¹ The Wilsons were at Beechbank Cottages around this date [Valuation Rolls]

² ‘Sonia, Between Two Worlds, 1917, by Stephen McKenna (1888-1967), English novelist; in ‘Sonia by Stephen McKenna (1917)’, 27 May 2015, Michael Walmer states “… this became by far McKenna’s widest success, including the astonishing feat of being the 10th bestselling novel in the USA in 1918, and fifteen printings in its first year in the UK.” http://michaelwalmer.blogspot.com/2015/05/sonia-by-stephen-mckenna-1917.html

³ ‘Joan and Peter’ subtitled ‘The Story of an Education’, 1918

⁴ This may be the book left at Dr Muir’s on 5th September by Mrs Baird

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]

As I had absolutely nothing to do I went for a run. At starting I was undecided where to go but thought of Gala Water. However as it looked rather threatening [?] I turned off at Boleside [?] + went via Wooplaw to Stow. I had only been this road once before + then the opposite way. There was one bit awfully cut up by wood cutting a mile beyond Wooplaw. It is a very steep descent to Stow. Crossed to the old road at Stow and went up to Heriot. Took my lunch near Fountainhall. I merely had bannock, some choc + a juicy pear a product of the “Magic Cave”. From Heriot on to Innerleithen. Very stiff ride against a S.W. for the last 2 miles to the watershed. Got home before 6 = 49.55 miles.

From the “Magic Cave” = ? ?, 8 eggs a square of honey

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]

A fine day : glass rising S.W. to N.W. Almost nothing to do. Saw Edith Scott Noble’s little boy at Braeside¹ + D [Dr David Graham] removed tonsils + adenoids : from there walked to Brady, Kirkwynd. Was twice at church. After morning service had a 4 m.p.h. walk up Loan to top of golf course + down by Burns Hole [?]. Took Kelty. Had a turn of dyspepsia last night. Supped at Wellwood.

¹ Assume James Robert Scott Noble (1915-), son of Edith Alice Scott Noble née Hutton (1893-1974) and Robert Scott Noble, tweed manufacturer, they had married in 1914

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]

Very heavy rain during the night, fine day with a shower in the evening: S.W. Extraordinary small amount of work. I made 7 visits + Dav. [Dr David Graham, co-partner] was at Lilliesleaf. I marked out a lot of paid accounts. Looked in at Wellwood. Nancy¹ saw Rennie² on her way with Jack to Troon on Monday¹.

¹ Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir (1878-1948), Dr Muir’s daughter and wife of John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966), Mill owner and Provost of Selkirk, later knighted “for political and public services in Selkirkshire”

² The Reverend James Rennie (1826-1924), church of Scotland minister and widowed husband of Catherine Stewart Muir thus Dr Muir’s brother-in-law

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]