Author: rumblingclint

Several very severe snow blizzards in afternoon. Streets very slushy but at night snow lying thickly. Message to see Agnes Durnford. She looks very thin + I am a very little suspicious about her right lung. I saw town cases walking. David was at Old Mill Farm, Midgelands + Sunderland Hall at night he operated on Jas. Beattie, Ettrickhaugh Road for appendicitis. I did not get home till 10.30. Major Johnstone at Mauldsheugh.

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

Born 5 August 1893, Hampstead, died March Quarter 1971, Penzance, Cornwall.

Daughter of Edith C Warne-Browne (1863-1954) and Alfred Joseph Warne-Browne (1854-1915), landscape and seascape artist. Sister of Constance Mabel Warne-Browne, later Morison (about 1888-1927) and twin of Ethel Mary Warne-Browne (1893-1978). Constance was born in Germany. The Helston Advertiser described her father as “a true Bohemian, with a highly developed artistic temperament.” and declared that “Mr Warne Browne loved the sea, and painted it with a sincerity and fidelity which ought to have secured for him a higher place in the world of art” [Cornwall Artists Index ‘Alfred Joseph Warne Browne’, accessed 2023.07.11].

Resident, with mother and sister, The Cottage, Kuggar Grade, Ruan Minor [Ruan Major and Grade civil parish] “Attending Household Duties” [1911 Census] and with her mother at Larksfield, Wantage Road, Wantage, Berkshire, “female, single, artist” [1939 England and Wales Register].

The illustrations are from the archives of Peter Scott & Co., knitwear manufacturers.

Sources: Birth: Sep Quarter 1893, Warne-Browne, Enid Margaret, Hampstead 1a 668; death, Mar Quarter 1971, Warne-Browne, Enid Margaret, Penzance 7a 211; 1911 Census Returns, Cornwall; 1939 England and Wales Register, Schedule Number: 188, Sub Schedule Number: 2, Enumeration District: DURL, Registration district: 118/2; Edith C Warne-Browne death Dec Quarter 1954, aged 91, Wallingford 6a 137.

[Illustrations: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA512/McLagan & Cumming Block File Book]

Snow storm very severe on NE coast + there was telegraphic breakdown in Newcastle area. Snow storm from SE all day freezing at night. Met David [Graham, co-partner] at Wellwood to see Stewart¹. Found him quite better. D had rather acted the alarmist. I thought he had symptoms of meningitis! D went to St Boswells to a Board, South Common + later Sund[erland] Hall. I motored to Bridge Street, Philiphaugh Farm (out) + round to Hospital &c. Dined at Whitmuirhall where John Hastings is staying. He has been on active service during the whole war + ended by acting as Town Commandant of Arras.

¹ Stewart Muir Roberts (1908-2003), Dr Muir’s grandson

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

Snowing heavily this morning with a strongish SE wind. Fresh + slushy: sleety showers all day off + on. Did not go out till 11.15 + saw a few town cases. Wrote Dr R Allan, Ardrossan + Dr Harvey, Liverpool re Pilot¹. David [Dr D C Graham, co-partner] was at Sunderland Hall. Helen [Muir] had tea at Wellwood + called at Mauldsheugh. Found that an elderly woman in Castle Street was a nurse with the Hon. Fred. Brown who once had Philiphaugh for a few months. Attended meeting of Hospital Committee + read the yearly report². Sent Mrs Gibbons + 2 daughters to Hospital with Flue. There were 5 of them lying in one room.

¹ See entries for 14 May 1919 onwards

² Dr Muir was the Medical Officer of Health for Selkirk Burgh

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

Dav. [Dr David Graham] operated on Mrs Robert Finnie for chronic appendicitis + on Gladys Mann for tubercular glands in the neck which were found to be suppurating. I motored to Oakwood (Mr Linton = prurigo¹) over the hill to Ashkirk + Jim Scott’s funeral². Poor John Scott looked very broken down. I had one of the cords of the coffin between Dunlop³ + a man whom I did not know. It was cold but fair + dry day + the roads wonderfully good + quite dry. Came home by Lilliesleaf [?] + Southcommon. In afternoon After tea saw some cases in Dovecot + Elmrow + went down to Hospital to get details for report⁴.

¹ Nodular prurigo is a skin problem with “itchy bumps (nodules)” [British Association of Dermatologists]

² Though the name appears to be Jim in the diary this must refer to Alexander Corse Scott, Captain Royal Scots, died 13 March 1919, Aboyne Hospital, Bellwood Road, Peterculter, Aberdeenshire; it is scarcely surprising that his father John Scott was distraught, he had lost his son John Michael Corse Scott on 29 March 1917 in Greece and his daughter Violet Johnston Stewart née Scott in 1915 of a brain haemorrhage after the death of her husband Herbert Eustace Hathorn Johnston-Stewart, also in 1915, while his other son-in-law Captain Ian Forbes Mackay was killed on 25 September 1914 at Loos-en-Gohelle, Pas de Calais, France; he was himself to die the same month, on 29 March 1919 aged 64

³ Assume Dunlop of Whitmuirhall

⁴ Assume the Selkirk Burgh Medical Officer of Health’s Report

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

Went to Edinburgh at 10.40. Fine day + quite dry. Went up to the Castle + arranged to have tea there at 2. Spent an hour + a half in the Picture House + saw a rather good piece “A Romany Girl”¹. Bought some tea cakes at Crawfords² + went back to Castle at 3 + had tea with Jean + Dora. Dora staggered me with the information that Pilot’s present wife was a divorced woman with 3 children + that he intends to divorce her in order to marry Dora. It is a terrible situation but Dora has in the meantime broken off the engagement. She is quite good about it. Went Took Dora back to the Picture House + came out with the 5.55. Mellalieu called late about his wife.

¹ Neither the editor nor film researcher Ern Cleuch have been able to identify this film

² Assume Crawford’s Tea Room, Princes Street, Edinburgh; remembered also in Night Mail by W H Auden “… Or of friendly tea beside the band in Cranston’s or Crawford’s …” though there was more than one and the probability is that Dr Muir visited the one at 70/71 Princes Street (Canmore ID 116266, architect Hippolyte J Blanc, 1886-1898) certainly not the Hanover Street location, with its legendary fit-out by Robert Burns A.R.S.A. replete with Whytock & Reid furniture and Georg Jensen cutlery, which was only acquired by David Crawford in 1922. Sources include: https://www.royalscottishacademy.org/2017/12/05/9063/; https://canmore.org.uk/site/116266/edinburgh-70-71-princes-street-edinburgh-cafe and https://artuk.org/shop/image-library/gallery-product/poster/panels-from-crawfords-tearoom-in-hanover-street-edinburgh-187153/posterid/187153.html

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

Sharp hoar frost: a nice calm day with some sunshine. Had 3 cases of T.S.A. at Mauldsheugh + motored to Lilliesleaf to see Phenny Woodger’s (Mrs Guthrie) boy, Purvis. Got back by 12. David motored to Midgehope. In the I walked Elmrow + Hospital. Went to evening service. [The] Rev. Geo. Lawson preached an excellent sermon from Our Lord’s Temptation with special reference to “re-dedication”.

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

Got a note from Dora to say her engagement was broken off meantime. This must have been written before she got my note of yesterday so she has heard something. I got a letter from Caton confirming his wire + saying that Pilot is known to him + is not a “good” man. I then wrote fully to Dora. Later she wired asking me to meet her on Monday at Jean’s. I wired her that I would do so if she still wanted but asked her to ‘phone tomorrow. I motored after seeing two or three town cases to Old Mill Farm, Bengerburnhope, Yarrowford + Manitoba (where Sandie Coltherd now stays¹). Called at Yarrow Manse + returned “Reflections and Recollections“² [and] after tea ran out to Smedheugh + was just back when a ‘phone came to see Guthrie’s boy [at] Lilliesleaf. Had 16-18 people in at night. Helen [Muir] went to a performance of ‘All of A Sudden Peggy’ by Ernest Denny³.

¹ Alexander Coltherd, retired shepherd, tenant of a cottage at Harehead, Selkirk, grid reference NGR NT429,289 though there is no sign of it being known as Manitoba on the Valuation Rolls nor on Ordnance Survey 25 inch Selkirkshire Sheet XI.7. published 1899; he previously lived at Warrior’s Rest, Whitehope. Yarrow [c.f. Ordnance Survey 6 inch Selkirkshire Sheet X, published 1863 and Canmore ID 53054].

² Appears to be a book title but is not readily identified.

³ Presumably the Broadway play  ‘All-of-a-Sudden-Peggy’  by Yorkshire playwright Ernest Denny (1869-1943); in 1920 it was filmed as ‘All of a Sudden Peggy’, described as “an American silent comedy romance” (now lost).

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

To my horror I got a wire from Caton “Married man, wife in Liverpool letter follows”. Poor Dora. It will be a terrible blow to her. Wrote her a note not mentioning the fact but hinting that I had not got a satisfactory account of Pilot¹. Today I walked round the town + then out to Smedheugh. In the evening I attended a choir social to welcome Mellalieu² + give Foster [?] a presentation. It went off very nicely + there was some good singing.

¹ See diary entry for 18 February 1919

² William Norman Mellalieu (1887-1952), music teacher and organist, married Judith Anne Hardwick at The Wirral, England, 1915; he had been in Selkirk for a number of years so it is not clear why he needed a welcome

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

A fresh coating of snow this morning + showers during the day but it melted fast + at night there was little left. It was very cold. I motored in the town + to Philip^H [Philiphaugh] Farm. Found Mrs Brown a very nice gentle rather delicate looking woman. Her daughter is studying Domestic economy at Atholl Crescent¹. At night when D [Dr David Graham] was at his lecture I had to go down to Sunderland Hall Stables to see a girl Rose. It was quite unnecessary. Wrote Caton re Dora’s affair with Pilot.

¹ The Edinburgh School of Cookery was established in 1875 and was at Shandwick Place from 1877. In 1891 the School moved to Atholl Crescent in Edinburgh and over the next fifty years or so gradually extended its premises along the Crescent. The institution is now Queen Margaret University. As its website notes “This institution emerged in a period that was notable for real economic progress, but also characterised by many social and economic divisions and inequalities, and widespread poverty. The School was established as a voluntary effort to address two key problems facing society at the time … To provide educational opportunities for women. The institution’s founders were part of the U.K.-wide mid Victorian “Women’s Movement”, which was a campaign for better education and improved career opportunities for females [and] … to bring about an improvement in diets, particularly the diets of working class families.” [Source: https://www.qmu.ac.uk/about-the-university/history/ accessed 2019.03.01]

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