Author: rumblingclint

I had a most delightful cycle run to Epsom. Leaving Scotstoun¹ at 6.15. I went via Haslemere, Milford, Godalming, Guildford + Leatherhead reaching Epsom about 9.20. After some enquiries at telegraph boys, policemen, scavengers, nursery maids +c I found Tom Alexander’s house Calderfall in Kingsdown Road.² He was still in bed but I got breakfast about 10. He was looking wonderfully well + gave me a most hearty welcome. Then he got a car + drove me to the Cottage Hospital, The Durdans, Walton on the Hill and Epsom Downs.³ I left Epsom at 1.11 + came home by the same route. It rained between Leatherhead + Godalming + I was pretty wet. I had tea at the Red Lion near Milford⁴ + reached Scotstoun at 6.5 having ridden 63.56. Got Southern Reporter + papers from Mrs Mack.⁵

¹ Leaving Scotstoun, Haslemere, where he was staying, Dr Muir headed to Milford, grid reference NGR SU948,425, Godalming, SU966,436, Guildford, TQ004,506, Leatherhead, TQ167,571 and Epsom, TQ210,617.

² Thomas Anderson ‘Tom’ Alexander (1858-1925), medical practitioner, son of David Carnegie Alexander and Margaret Scott Anderson. He received his medical education in Edinburgh, Berlin and Vienna, M.B., C.M.Edin. 1880 and M.D. 1884. In practice around Epsom for 41 years. During the First World War he was involved in establishing the Epsom Grand Stand Hospital for Wounded Soldiers. Honorary surgeon to the Epsom and Ewell Cottage Hospital and following his retiral some time after the War he became honorary secretary to the same. [“Dr. Thomas Anderson Alexander.” The British Medical Journal, vol. 2, no. 3379, 1925, pp. 630–630. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25446469. Accessed 2 July 2023.]

³ The Cottage Hospital (at the east end of Station Road, junction of Alexandra Road, Epsom), The Durdans Stables (between Epsom and Epsom Downs), Walton on the Hill and Epsom Downs.

⁴ The Editor assumes that this refers to the Red Lion Public House which sat just short of the crossroads at the centre of Milford as Dr Muir travelled south west along the Portsmouth Road between Godalming and Haslemere. The public house is shown on Ordnance Survey six inch Surrey Sheet XXXVIII.NW, published 1919. It is now a Tesco Express.

⁵ Agnes Mackintosh née Watson, formerly Harper (1859-1946), of Elm Park, Selkirk.

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

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Another charming day + almost continuous sunshine+ very little wind. Wrote Fanny¹ that I would not be able to visit her. Took a short run to Hindhead + Frensham going round the pond² + coming back to Hindhead by the Devil’s Jumps.³ Beautiful county. Got back to lunch at 1.30. Changed + went a short run with Mary⁴ in her new Standard car⁵ arriving for a garden party at Wakemill, the house of Mr + Mrs Murray Scott (Mrs being one of the Ramsay of Bowland⁶). Met Dr Winstanley + his wife.⁷ Dr Lyndon⁸ called to see Mary as I came back from my run in the morning.

¹ Frances Gordon Ord ‘Fanny’ Mackenzie née Rennie (1864-1948), born 1864, Dalkeith, died 21 March 1948. Sometime of Headley Mount, Hampshire, the daughter of the Reverend James Rennie and Catherine Stewart Rennie née Muir – Dr Muir’s aunt – and sister of Jessie.

² Frensham Great Pond, grid reference NGR SU846,401.

³ The Devil’s Jumps, Churt, near Hindhead, SU866,396.

⁴ Mary Jane Wallace née Muir (1836-1933), Dr Muir’s sister, widow of James Wallace (d.1922), and living at Scotstoune, Haslemere, Surrey.

⁵ Standard car, see footnote 3, Dr Muir’s diary entry for 16 July 1923.

⁶ Helen Gertrude Ramsay (about 1875-1963) of Bowland House, Stow, had married William Murray Scott, sugar refiner, of Richmond, Surrey in February 1913 at Bowland. Mr W Murray Scott was noted as of “Wakemills, Haslemere, Surrey” in the 1921 membership list of the Index Fungorum (The British Mycological Society). She was living at Whitwell Hatch Hotel, Haslemere at the time of her death.

⁷ Robert Wyndham Winstanley (1858-1925), L.R.C.P. (Edin.) and L.M.; M.R.C.S., medical practitioner, registered 7 February 1883 and in practice at Haslemere, Surrey, and his wife Alice Winstanley née Mott.

⁸ Arnold Lyndon (1861-1946), O.B.E., M.D., M.B., M.R.C.S., medical practitioner, of Grayshott, Hindhead, Surrey and sometime medical consultant at the Haslemere & District Hospital.

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

Had a splendid sleep + breakfasted 8:30. Wrote Stevens¹ about meeting him at Portsmouth.² Left a letter before 11 + cycled to Haslemere P.O.+ then to Easebourne where I called at Bachelor’s Gate³ + saw Mrs D’Arcy⁴ + Blanche.⁵ Then to Midhurst where I took the wrong road + landed at Bepton.⁶ Had my lunch in a lane leading to one of the South Downs.⁷ Gathered some plants I didn’t know. Went to Cocking on the main Chichester road + Singleton, Goodwood⁸, where from a height I had a glorious view⁹ to Chichester, Brighton +c. Went round Goodwood course to East Dean and Charlton¹⁰ + back to Singleton + home. Lovely country : profusely wooded + filled with lovely houses, Henley¹¹ a most picturesque village. Got back at 7 [after] 35.4 miles.

¹ Perhaps John Stevens (1859-1930), M.A., M.D., F.J.C.P.Ed., medical practitioner, former Physician to the Edinburgh Western Dispensary and “indefatigable worker in the British Medical Association” of whom his obituary noted that “After joining the British Medical Association in 1892, he devoted a very large share of his time and energy to its various organisations, and the work of the Association may be said to have formed the principal hobby of his life. For many years he served as a member of the Executive Committee of the local Edinburgh Division, becoming its chairman in 1922. He became honorary secretary of the Edinburgh Branch in 1914, an office which he held till 1927, when he became its president. He attended every meeting of the Representative Body of the Association from 1914 till the year before his death, and served as a member of the Central Council from 1926 till his fatal illness rendered attendance at the meetings in London impossible.” [“John Stevens, M.A., M.D., F.R.C.P.Ed., Formerly Physician To The Edinburgh Western Dispensary.” The British Medical Journal, vol. 2, no. 3630, 1930, pp. 196–196. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25336918. Accessed 10 Oct. 2022.].

² There was a full report of the Annual Meeting of the British Medical Association held at Portsmouth 24-27 July 1923 [Macewen, William, et al. “Annual Meeting At Portsmouth, July 24th To 27th, 1923.” The British Medical Journal, vol. 2, no. 3264, 1923, pp. 23–26. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20424140. Accessed 17 July 2023.].

³ Bachelor’s Gate, Easebourne, Midhurst, West Sussex, grid reference NGR SU900,229. The family there was the Bailey family, not named here but referred to in Dr Muir’s diary entry for 22 July 1923.

⁴ It is clear that Mrs D’Arcy did not live at Bachelor’s Gate, Easebourne (see footnote 3) but more likely at Haslemere. Dr Muir had met Mrs D’Arcy while she and her husband were staying at Clovenfords earlier the same month when he stated that they were “The D’Arcys from Haslemere who are staying at Clovenfords … Very nice couple”, see Dr Muir’s diary entry for 10 July 1923.

⁵ Blanche was probably Blanche Bailey (1875-1949), born Madeley, Staffordshire, died Midhurst, Sussex, see Dr Muir’s diary entry for 22 July 1923

⁶ Bepton, immediately south of Midhurst but off the main road at SU861,183.

⁷ Assume the lane leading to Bepton Down and Cocking Down, area of SU860,173.

⁸ Cocking, SU877,176, Singleton, SU877,132, and Goodwood racecourse, SU886,111.

⁹ Perhaps St Roche’s View, SU877,110.

¹⁰ East Dean, SU904,129, and Charlton, SU887,130.

¹¹ Henley, SU894,257, between Shottermill and Midhurst.

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

Arrived at St Pancras 8.3¹ + taxied to Waterloo where we had breakfast. It was a fine morning after some fog outside London. Left Waterloo 10:20 + had a slow journey from Guildford. Mary² met us with her car – a very nice Standard.³ I walked up with the [illegible] which Baptie⁴ had carefully protected with the strong paper covers taken off [illegible]. After lunch at one.30 [?] I had a shave + change + cycled down to Haslemere sought a [illegible] via Shottermill⁵ to what I thought was the Portsmouth road but found it wasn’t [and] turned back + found it at Liphook + came home via Hindhead + Shottermill. Mary is wonderfully well + Amy⁶ also. Mrs Watson⁷ was at lunch. [word deleted] Helen⁸ + I called for Willie + Logie⁹ + then with Amy walked out on the Heath + saw a lovely sunset.¹⁰

¹ Dr Muir had come down to London overnight.

² Mary Jane Wallace née Muir (1836-1933), Dr Muir’s sister, widow of James Wallace (d.1922), and living at Scotstoune, Haslemere, Surrey.

³ The model is not known but was presumably one of the large saloons manufactured by the Standard Motor Co. (which took over the Triumph Motor Co. in 1945 and was thereafter known as Standard-Triumph until in due course it became part of Leyland Motors Ltd.)

⁴ Thomas Baptie (1860-1929), driver and handyman for Dr Muir.

⁵ Dr Muir got lost here because, running south to Haslemere, SU897,334, before running west to Shottermill, SU883,328, beyond which he should have found the main road but instead travelled farther south than he needed to reaching Liphook, SU821,285, and returning home in a loop north via Hindhead, SU882,358, and in doing so would have run fairly close to where he had been at Shottermill earlier.

⁶ Amy Kathleen Waldie (1889-1960), niece of James Wallace, Mary Jane Muir’s husband who had died in 1922.

⁷ Mrs Watson is as yet unidentified.

⁸ Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter and sometime housekeeper, who had travelled south with him.

⁹ William Edward ‘Willie’ Muir (1872-1948), son of Francis ‘Frank’ Muir, in 1922 he is noted as of Rowallan, Haslemere and married to Logie Elizabeth Muir née Whiteway.

¹⁰ Look at a Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger map of the area and you will nee that in almost every direction there are indications of commons, many of which are rare lowland heath habitats, 80% of which have been lost since 1800. Amy and Dr Muir must have walked onto the Hindhead Commons (on which the two Muir family houses Scotstoun and Rowallan had been constructed, see Ordnance Survey six inch Surrey Sheet XLIV.NW & NE, published 1920) which are now an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

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

A dull day with a little rain but mild. Called for Mrs Paterson¹ : Mrs R Robertson,² John Bell,³ John Brydon⁴ + vaccinated Alex^r Harper’s child.⁵ Cycled to Shawpark.⁶ Made all preparations for leaving home + spent the afternoon packing. A big leather trunk of Jack’s⁷ held all I wanted. David⁸ came up in the evening + we fixed up the Income Tax return. Put up Communion Cards for Baptie⁹ to deliver. Motored to Gala + caught the 10:50 for London. We had corner seats reserved (Helen + I) . From Hawick we had only one fellow traveller + from Kettering we were alone. Helen slept well + I got some sleep. On the whole it was a comfortable journey.

¹ Mrs Paterson is as yet unidentified.

² Mrs Robertson is as yet unidentified (there were six men named R Robertson in Selkirk in the 1921 Census).

³ This is probably John Bell (1859-1940) of Linglie (Dr Muir had attended the family previously) who was recorded in the 1921 Census living with his sisters Helen (1864-1937), Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ (1866-1937), Caroline Jamieson (1870-1934) and Williamina ‘Mina’ (1875-1937). They were the children of John Bell, woollen pattern or tweed designer, and Joan Bell née Scott, married June 1857 at Galashiels.

⁴ Assume John Brydon (about 1867-), joiner, lived at the Free Library Buildings, Selkirk with his wife Mary Brydon née Grieve (about 1875-) and daughter Mary Davidson Brydon (1907-) [1921 Census], see also Dr Muir’s diary for 25 March 1923.

⁵ Assume Helen Muir Harper, born 17 April 1923, the daughter of Alexander Harper, woollen millworker, and Esther Harper née Ramsay, of 31 Kirk Wynd, Selkirk.

⁶ Dr Muir had been attending Shawpark, Selkirk from time to time to see John Dun Boylan (1850-1924), a civil engineer, who had a heart attack on 11 March 1923.

⁷ John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966), Dr Muir’s son-in-law.

⁸ David Charteris ‘Dav.’ Graham (1889-1963), M.B., Ch.B., medical practitioner and Dr Muir’s business partner.

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

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

A dull sunless day but quite pleasant. Only saw half a dozen town cases including Mrs Dunn¹ + Robert Currie.² Got things arranged for going away at 5.15. message to Boylan.³ Cycled there. Dined at Glenmayne.⁴ Jack⁵ motored us there. Delightful music from Mrs Murray + Harry.⁶ They played “Invitation a la Valse” as a duet on the piano.⁷ John Roberts⁸, Jim + Emma⁹ + Rutherford¹⁰ there.

¹ Assume this refers to Agnes Ralph Dunn née Waldie (1858-1926), of 1 Marion Crescent, Selkirk.

² Assume Robert Currie junior (about 1847-1923), woollen hosiery manufacturer, died 6 September 1923, death certified by D Charteris Graham M.B., Ch.B. The son of Robert Currie, hosiery manufacturer, and Mary Little and married to Mary Murray, Robert lived at Rockville, Selkirk. Though he was known as ‘junior’ he was actually the fourth of five generations of the Currie family at Selkirk with the given name Robert.

³ Dr Muir had been attending Shawpark, Selkirk from time to time to see John Dun Boylan (1850-1924), a civil engineer, who had a heart attack on 11 March 1923.

⁴ Glenmayne, Galashiels, grid reference NGR NT497,337, is the house sitting dramatically above the A7 and overlooking the River Tweed more or less opposite Faldonside. It is visible on Ordnance Survey 25 inch Selkirkshire Sheet VIII.10, published 1899.

⁵ John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966), Dr Muir’s son-in-law.

⁶ There is little doubt that Dr Muir’s handwriting is getting worse. The Editor assumes that this reads Mrs Murray and Harry in other words Thomasina Maude Murray née Shearer (1867-1943) and Henry Smith ‘Harry’ Murray (1858-1924), mining company director and sometime soldier, of Glenmayne, Galashiels (see also Dr Muir’s diary entry for 10 June 1923).

⁷ Invitation à la valse, Op. 65 by Carl Maria Von Weber.

⁸ Assume Sir John Roberts (1845-1934), C.M.G., born Selkirk, settled in New Zealand and back in Scotland in summer 1923. The year after the death of his wife Louisa Jane Kettle (1848-1922) Sir John travelled ‘home’ to Selkirk (where his sons John ‘Jack’ and Charlie were permanently settled) with his daughter-in-law Eulalie Violet Roberts née Farquhar (1873-1931), widow of George Roberts (1872-1903), and Mary Eulalie Roberts (1899-1995), her daughter, at roughly the same time as another of his sons James Alexander ‘Jim’ Roberts (1879-1948) and his family (see footnote 9 below).

⁹ Assume James Alexander ‘Jim’ Roberts (1879-1948), his wife Catherine Emily ‘Emma’ Downes (1884-1949) and their children John Edward Downes Roberts (1906-1985) and Dorothy Violet Roberts, later MacMillan (1909-), who appear to have been over from New Zealand in the same year as Jim’s father Sir John Roberts (see footnote 8 above). This party had arrived at Southampton, England on 15 May 1923 and was reported at the Selkirk Common Riding on 11 June 1923.

¹⁰ Rutherford is unidentified.

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

Dull at first but a lovely day. Wind N.E. N.W. then N.E. Motored to Backrow, Market Place, Hospital, Muthag Street, Beechwood [and] Kilncroft. Gave Chlor[oform] at Home¹ for 2 hours while Dav.² did a short circuit³ on Effie Richardson.⁴ Johnstone Tailor⁵ settled my account. Attended meeting of Hospital Committee re transference to Galashiels.⁶ Got vouchers for railway tickets for B.M.A. meeting but unfortunately they are not valid till 18.⁷ Pair of stockings from Mrs Mack⁸ + tie case.

¹ Viewfield nursing home.

² David Charteris ‘Dav.’ Graham (1889-1963), M.B., Ch.B., medical practitioner and Dr Muir’s business partner.

³ The most obvious reading of this is that Dr Graham undertook a bowel operation.

⁴ Effie Robertson is as yet unidentified (though there was a Euphemia Robertson, aged 23, a tweed weaver with R Sim & Co., living with her family at 30 Muthag Street, Selkirk, recorded in the 1921 Census). See also Dr Muir’s diary entries for 29 and 30 June 1923.

⁵ Johnstone is so far unidentified.

⁶ It is not clear what this refers to.

⁷ Dr Muir had, it seems, acquired tickets from the British Medical Association for an upcoming meeting.

⁸ Agnes Mackintosh née Watson, formerly Harper (1859-1946), of Elm Park, Selkirk.

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

A magnificent day with constant sunshine + a nice cool N.W. breeze. The King + Queen visited the Borders via Peebles, Rink, Lindean, Abbotsford, Melrose, Eildon Hall (lunch), St Boswells, Dryburgh, Bemersyde, Leaderfoot, Lauder [and] Soutra.¹ Mrs Mack² took Nancy,³ Helen⁴ + me in a car to Yair Bridge⁵ where we waited more than an hour for a fleeting glance of them. Then via Boleside + Galafoot to [word deleted] Darnick Toll⁶ – a glimpse – + finally to Bemersyde Hill⁷ where they stopped to see the view just where we were standing. The Countess of Minto⁸ I don’t know how or why seemed to recognise me. We came back by Mertoun Bridge + Melrose⁹ : Jack¹⁰ was at lunch with the Royal party at Eildon Hall.¹¹

¹ The Royal tour toured the Borders arriving via Penicuik at Peebles and travelling eastwards through Rink, NT482,323, Lindean, NT483,311, Abbotsford, NT508,342, Melrose, NT546,340, Eildon Hall, NT562,323, St Boswells, NT593,309, Dryburgh, NT592,318, Bemersyde, NT592,333, Leaderfoot, NT574,348, Lauder, NT530,475 and exiting via Soutra, NT452,594, Pathhead and Dalkeith. There is detailed coverage of the entire trip in the Southern Reporter of Thursday 19 July 1923.

² Agnes Mackintosh née Watson, formerly Harper (1859-1946), of Elm Park, Selkirk.

³ Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir (1878-1948), Dr Muir’s second daughter.

⁴ Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter and sometime housekeeper.

⁵ Yair Bridge, Caddonfoot, NT458,325.

⁶ The Editor assumes that Dr Muir means the Melrose Bridge Toll Post north west of Darnick at grid reference NGR NT529,346 and shown on Ordnance Survey 25 inch Roxburghshire VII.4 (Melrose), published about 1860, but not visible on Ordnance Survey 25 inch Roxburghshire nIV.14, revised 1919, published 1921.

⁷ Bemersyde Hill, with Scott’s View immediately below to its west, is at grid reference NGR NT596,344 and a little to the north of Bemersyde House.

⁸ Marion Wilhelmina Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound née Cook (1896-1974), Countess of Minto.

⁹ The party travelled south then east from Bemersyde passing Clintmains, NT612,325, to cross Mertoun Bridge, NT610,320, to reach Melrose, NT550,310, on the south side of the River Tweed.

¹⁰ John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966), Nancy’s husband, thus Dr Muir’s son-in-law. As a businessman and three-time Provost of Selkirk, it is not surprising that he was invited to such an event.

¹¹ The lunch at Eildon Hall near St Boswells, Roxburghshire was hosted by the Earl and Countess of Dalkeith. Eildon Hall was the principal residence of the Earls of Dalkeith, heirs to the Dukedom of Buccleuch. At this time the Earl was Walter Montagu Douglas Scott (1894-1973) who at the following General Election, held 6 December 1923, was elected M.P. for Roxburgh and Selkirk and who in 1939 attended Adolf Hitler’s 50th birthday celebrations [Tate, Tim, ‘Hitler’s British Traitors: The Secret History of Spies, Saboteurs and Fifth Columnists’, London, Icon Books, 2018].

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

It was raining this morning + misty but calm. Warmer than yesterday + continued to be sultry. Of course I have very little to do now.¹ I made half a dozen calls + motored to Shawpark,² Beechwood + Pinegrove. Called at Wellwood + got the loan of a box from Jack.³ Paid some accounts + red [sic] up my money matters.

¹ This was because Dr Graham has returned to the medical practice.

² Dr Muir had been attending Shawpark, Selkirk from time to time to see John Dun Boylan (1850-1924), a civil engineer, who had a heart attack on 11 March 1923.

³ John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966), Dr Muir’s son-in-law, lived at Wellwood, Ettrick Terrace.

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