Author: rumblingclint

Mist all day + cold East wind but only a shower in forenoon very dreary. Jack, Alec + Stewart¹ went off in the car to play golf at Goswick² + Jock started for Berwick on his motor bike.³ I sat + read all forenoon + wrote Nancy⁴ + after tea walked via Lesbury to Long Houghton + Boulmer returning by a road near the coast.⁵ A married daughter of Simpson’s with a baby⁶ is staying at the Schooner.⁷

¹ John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966), Dr Muir’s son-in-law, and two of his children Stewart Muir ‘Little Stewart’ Roberts (1908-2003) and George Edward ‘Tim’ Roberts (1911-2005).

² Assume Goswick Links, Berwick, a fair way up the coast from Alnmouth at grid reference NGR NU058,452; it is a celebrated links course designed by James Braid (1870-1950), Scottish professional golfer and renowned golf course architect.

³ John Stewart ‘Jock’ Roberts (1904-1950), Dr Muir’s eldest grandson, already showing his adventurous spirit (he was to die in a climbing accident in 1950).

⁴ Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir (1878-1948), Dr Muir’s second daughter.

⁵ Dr Muir appears to have taken a clockwise route via Lesbury, NU237,117, Long Houghton [Longhoughton], NU243,151, Boulmer, NU265,142, and back along the road through NU260,125.

⁶ It is not obvious who Simpson might be, perhaps one of the Simpsons related to Dr Muir’s friend Agnes Mackintosh née Watson, formerly Harper ‘Mrs Mack’ (1859-1946), of Elm Park, Selkirk, whose mother was a Simpson (perhaps Margaret ‘Maggie’ Simpson née Watson (1857-1939), Mrs Mack’s sister); it seems improbable that this would refer to the daughter and grandchild of Mrs Simpson the Roberts’s housekeeper.

⁷ The Schooner Hotel at Alnmouth is a 17th Century coaching inn renowned in Dr Muir’s time.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/25, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1922]

Not as fine as yesterday + sunless with mist on heights. Had a run to Warkworth¹ (where I had a look at the magnificent ruin, of which however some part seems to be inhabited), Acklington² , W Thurston (where I saw the Coquet from the bridge), Howdens, Weldon (Coquet again + had some lunch), Brinkburn, Long Framlington, Swarland (beautifully situated Hall where the road ran through a park with gates at either end), and Shilbottle (colliery near). Distance 32.5. Very enjoyable run through little used side roads. Coquet Valley very pretty. Got back to “Bachelor’s Hall” at 4.³ All the others are of course absorbed in golf.

¹ Warkworth is on the coast (Dr Muir is in Northumberland) at grid reference NGR NU247,061, on the River Coquet; the castle is the seat of the Percy family, Dukes of Northumberland.

² The route from Warkworth was Acklington, NU232,019, West Thurston, NU186,001 (it looks as though Dr Muir has deleted the the letter W), West Howdens, NZ162,985, across the River Coquet at Weldon Bridge, and onwards via Brinkburn, area of NZ117,990, Longframlington, NU130,012, Swarland, NU163,038, Newton Hall, NU168,047, and Shilbottle, NU196,087.

³ Dr Muir is referring to the group of men and boys (listed in his diary entry for 22 September 1922) staying at Mount Pleasant immediately WNW of Alnmouth, NU244,110, see Ordnance Survey 6 inch Northumberland Sheet XXXIX.NE, published 1899.

7 John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966), Dr Muir’s son-in-law and three of his children John Stewart ‘Jock’ Roberts (1904-1950), Stewart Muir ‘Little Stewart’ Roberts (1908-2003) and George Edward ‘Tim’ Roberts (1911-2005).

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/25, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1922]

There was a lucky change of weather today. It was a lovely calm sunny day with little or no wind. Fairly clear at first but hazy after noon. Saw no patients except Alec. Beattie to give the death certificate.¹ Had a delightful run to Alnmouth via Kelso, Coldstream + Cornhill to a road which turns R. near Longridge Tower² to the Gt. N. R^d. Here I made a mistake + took the Wooler R^{d 3} landing myself at Lowick + striking the N. road at Fenwick, thus adding several miles to my journey.⁴ I stopped at Twizel Bridge⁵ + ate a bite I had with me. + at Warrenford for a glass of beer. I turned off about 2 miles after N. Charlton to Rock, Howick + Long Haughton, entirely new roads to me + very interesting. It was nearly 8 + almost lighting-up time when I arrived at Mt Pleasant⁶ + found Jack, Jock, Stewart⁷ + Alec Roberts⁸ finishing supper. Had a heart welcome + went to bed soon but was attacked by the most excruciating cramp in both my Sartorius muscles.⁹ Distance 78.5.

¹ Joan Dickson Beattie had died 21 September 1922 at 3 Hill Street, Selkirk, aged 10 days, of “Congenital debility 10 days” certified by John S Muir M.B. etc; she was the daughter of Alexander Turnbull ‘Alex’ Beattie, woollen pressman, and Joan Stoddart Beattie née Dickson who had married 24 November 1904 at Selkirk.

² Longridge Towers, grid reference NGR NT958,500.

³ By taking the Wooler Road (which runs southwards through NT933,351) Dr Muir had gone too far south and strayed away his intended route to the Great North Road.

⁴ At some point Dr Muir must have turned eastwards Lowick, NU015,396, Fenwick, NU065,401, Warenford, NU136,286, N. Charlton, NU168,230, Rock, NU202,202, Howick, NU258,177, and Longhoughton NU243,151.

⁵ Twizel Bridge, NT885,432, doesn’t seem to be on Dr Muir’s route and if anyone can come up with a better reading of this location the Editor would be pleased to know.

⁶ Mount Pleasant is immediately WNW of Alnmouth, NU244,110, see Ordnance Survey 6 inch Northumberland Sheet XXXIX.NE, published 1899.

⁷ John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966), Dr Muir’s son-in-law and three of his children John Stewart ‘Jock’ Roberts (1904-1950), Stewart Muir ‘Little Stewart’ Roberts (1908-2003) and George Edward ‘Tim’ Roberts (1911-2005).

⁸ Assume Alexander Thomas ‘Alec’ Roberts (1885-1972), son of Thomas James Scougal ‘Tom’ Roberts (1850-1921), tweed manufacturer, and Hyndmer Rutherford Roberts née Crawford.

⁹ See Dr Muir’s diary entries for 23, 24 and 25 August 1922; the sartorial muscle is a thin, long, superficial muscle in the anterior compartment of the thigh [source: Moore, Keith L; Dalley, Arthur F; Agur, A M R (2013). ‘Clinically Oriented Anatomy’. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. pp. 545–546].

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/25, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1922]

Was there ever such a season? It rained + drizzled in fog + mist the whole day fairing in the late afternoon. There was one of the most magnificent sunsets I have ever seen. I motored to Cacrabank (Mrs Wood¹), Mirelees (Agnes Hope²) + Crosslee (Walt. Amos³) getting home about 1.40. Made up a parcel of clothes for Alnmouth + sent it by parcelpost.⁴ Went to Mauldsheugh⁵ at 4 where there was a big gathering of people to meet + hear Graham’s father.⁶ I had to go out before dinner to see Alec Beattie’s baby who died when I was there.⁷

¹ Mrs Wood is unidentified but Peter Wood was Tenant of Shootings at Shorthope, Ettrick but does not appear to have been recorded at Cacrabank itself [1923 Valuation Rolls VR011700009-/416, Selkirk County, page 416 of 611].

² James Hope, shepherd, was Inhabitant Occupier at Merelees, Ettrick [1922 Valuation Roll, VR011700009-/365, Selkirk County, page 365 of 611].

³ Walter Amos, roadman, was Inhabitant Occupier at Quave Burn Cottage, Chapelhope, Ettrick [1922 Valuation Rolls VR011700009-/366, Selkirk County, page 366 of 611]

⁴ Dr Muir was preparing for a trip to the Northumberland coast where John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966), Dr Muir’s son-in-law, was on holiday with his family at Alnmouth, Northumberland from 30 August.

⁵ Dr Graham junior Dr Muir’s co-partner was tenant occupier of house and grounds at Mauldsheugh, 23 Yarrow Terrace, Selkirk.

⁶ The Reverend Dr John Anderson Graham (1861-1942), father of Dr Muir’s co-partner David Charteris ‘Dav.’ Graham (1889-1963); he was the founder of Dr Graham’s Homes, Kalimpong, West Bengal and served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1931.

⁷ Joan Dickson Beattie died 21 September 1922 at 3 Hill Street, Selkirk, aged 10 days, of “Congenital debility 10 days” certified by John S Muir M.B. etc; she was the daughter of Alexander Turnbull ‘Alex’ Beattie, woollen pressman, and Joan Stoddart Beattie née Dickson who had married 24 November 1904 at Selkirk.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/25, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1922]

Colder today but quite dry N.W. wind. John Anderson¹ died this afternoon having fallen down the stair at Anderson the Barbers² + fractured his skull. I walked in the town + to Hospital. + during the afternoon worked at the maps making out mileage to Alnmouth +c.³ Sent Celluloid truss back to Salt + Son.⁴ Paid a call of £50 from Argentine Oil Fields.⁵

¹ John Anderson, retired grocer, widower of Christina Dodds, died 20 September 1922, aged 85, at Sylvan Park, Elm Row, Selkirk, of “Fracture of skull from a fall a few hours” death notified by John Anderson, his son, of Thirladean, Castle Road, Cathcart, Lanarks and certified by John S Muir M.B. etc [John Anderson, 85, 1922, 778/ 73, Selkirk].

² The Editor is not very confident that this is the correct reading but cannot find anything in ScotlandsPeople that would point to anything else and the Register Of Corrected Entries does not help either.

³ Dr Muir was planning a trip to the Northumberland coast where John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966), Dr Muir’s son-in-law, was on holiday with his family at Alnmouth, Northumberland from 30 August (it is not clear where his wife was but this seems to have been a ‘boys’ holiday), see diary entries for 30 August and 19 September 1922.

⁴ Salt & Son were medical suppliers in Edinburgh and Glasgow from whom Dr Muir had acquired a celluloid truss which was uncomfortable, see diary entries for 6, 8, 15 and 19 September 1922.

⁵ The Editor cannot identify a business named Argentine Oil Fields.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/25, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1922]

Wet morning but soon faired. Much milder. One of those days that one felt the warmth on going outside. Saw a few cases walking. Strong W wind in afternoon + evening.Took a regular lunch at 2 + dined off porridge + cream. Wrote Jean + Helen¹. Paid Salt + Son for Celluloid Truss.² + Turnbull L^td for cleaning Knickers³. Wrote Jack that I would come down to Alnmouth Friday + Sat.⁴

¹ Jane Henderson Logan ‘Jean’ Pike née Muir (1877-1941) and Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s eldest and third daughter respectively.

² Salt & Son were medical suppliers in Edinburgh and Glasgow from whom Dr Muir had acquired a celluloid truss which was uncomfortable, see diary entries for 6, 8 & 15 September 1922.

³ Turnbull, the company that cleaned Dr Muir’s cycling shorts, is unidentified.

⁴ John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966), Dr Muir’s son-in-law, on holiday with his family at Alnmouth, Northumberland from 30 August (it is not clear where his wife was), see diary entries for 30 August and 14 September 1922.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/25, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1922]

Nice morning with a touch of frost : dull in afternoon with clouds + mist in west. Motored to Hospital + Allanlea. It was a sister of young Miss Dobson¹, a Miss Lilly who was ill.² Brought back Nurse Mann.³ At 1.30 started with John Murray⁴ + Erskine Harper⁵ + cycled to Penielheugh via Lilliard’s Edge + returned via Maxton, Newtown, Leaderfoot + Melrose. John Murray kept in back + it was 7.30 when we got home. Dora left in the afternoon + Jean at 7.32.⁶ Erskine Harper wouldn’t go up the monument⁷ but he didn’t miss much.

¹ See diary entry for 17 September 1922 for information about Allanlea and the Dobson family, though as noted there Miss Dobson is unidentified.

² Miss Lilly is unidentified.

³ Nurse Mann is unidentified.

⁴ A reader helpfully says that this refers to his maternal grandfather, John Murray (1898-1984), described in the 1921 Census as “Clerk, Post Office” who apparently joined the Royal Flying Corps (R.A.F. from 1 April 1918), but saw no action in the Great War, and was later Head Postmaster in Aberdeen. He was the son of John Inglis Murray (about 1869-1950), motor and cycle engineer, and Mary Macpherson, married 28 September 1987, Glasgow. The reader says that John Murray junior had a friendship with Dr Muir whom he greatly admired and also that John’s father sold a bicycle called “The Ettrick Forest”.

⁵ James ‘Erskine’ Harper (1887-1953), barrister, son of Ebenezer Erskine Harper, sheriff substitute, and Agnes Harper née Watson, later Mackintosh; brother of Agnes Durnford née Harper.

⁶ Jane Henderson Logan ‘Jean’ Pike née Muir (1877-1941) and Andrina Dorothy ‘Dora’ Muir (1882-1978), Dr Muir’s eldest and youngest daughters respectively.

⁷ The party has visited the Penielheugh Monument, also known as the Waterloo Monument, at Crailing, Roxburghshire, Canmore ID 56965 and grid reference NGR NT65367,26304.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/25, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1922]

Very cold W. to N.W. + then N.E. Slight showers in forenoon + very heavy blasts in afternoon, one at 5.45 quite horrendous. We didn’t breakfast till 9. Dora¹ + I went to morning service + walked to Hospital + Bridgelands after. I went to evening service but was called out to see one of the Dobsons of Allanlea + his wife². They came about a friend who was ill + wanted a nurse. I got Nurse Mann³ from Viewfield to go for the night.

¹ Andrina Dorothy ‘Dora’ Muir (1882-1978), nurse and Dr Muir’s youngest daughter.

² The Proprietors of Allanlea, Caddonfoot were the Trustees of the late Thomas Douglas Dobson and the occupier was Mrs Agnes Dobson, widow, but that information on its own does not clarify Dr Muir’s text; things may become clearer when the 1921 Census is published later this year [1922 Valuation Rolls VR011700009-/362, Selkirk County, page 362 of 611].

³ Nurse Mann is (as yet) unidentified.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/25, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1922]

Back to rain again, drizzle at first + then very heavy blasts from S.W. Was at Viewfield for an operation on the girl Scott¹ who was pitched over Usher’s motor three years ago² + has developed spinal mischief + a psoas³ abscess. Saw a few town cases. Dora came at 11.11 a.m. [and] Jean at 11.7 p.m.⁴ I walked to the Moat⁵ after lunch + got pretty wet in the feet + legs.

¹ The child Scott is unidentified but is possible that the child is the daughter of James Scott, shepherd, Inhabitant Occupier of a house at Howford, Kirkhope [1919 Valuation Roll, VR011700009-/219, Selkirk County, page 219 of 611] – see also Dr Muir’s diary entry for 5 August 1919.

² It is curious how detached is Dr Muir’s language in describing an incident (diary 5 August 1919) in which Usher’s car hit a child. He was similarly detached when a car driven by Robert Irwin Dees (1872-1923) had been “upset” near Berrybush (diary 24 August 1920) causing injuries to his daughter Phyllis Mary ‘Fiff’ Dees (1899-1920) from which she died in December 1920. Elsewhere Dr Muir refers to the death by drink-driving of two men at Galashiels railway station (trial of John Elliot of Blackhaugh, Clovenfords (diary 23 July 1921) and to Ernest Muriel’s aggressive driving “I wouldn’t say reckless – but just a little risky” (diary 23 July 1922). This is a reminder that the years after cars became widely available were a terrible time for dangerous driving (and the highest ever rate of road deaths) in which men in powerful cars with poor brakes terrorised rural roads not designed for such vehicles – a problem fictionalised in Kenneth Grahame’s ‘The Wind in the Willows’.

³ The psoas muscle is a paraspinal muscle located deep in the body, very close to the spine and the brim of the lesser pelvis; a helpful regular follower with expert medical knowledge has provided the reading here for which the Editor is very grateful.

⁴ Jane Henderson Logan ‘Jean’ Pike née Muir (1877-1941) and Andrina Dorothy ‘Dora’ Muir (1882-1978), Dr Muir’s eldest and youngest daughters respectively.

⁵ Assume Motte, grid reference NGR NT458,268, which is identified as Moat in the 1886 Valuation Roll, see also Ordnance Survey 6 inch Selkirkshire Sheet XI.SE, published 1900.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/25, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1922]

A better day : fair amount of sunshine but still the same cold N. wind. Cycled round the town + then out to West Essenside.¹ Felt rather fagged + stopped in the Dryden quarry² for a rest + a smoke. Had to go [to] Hospital a 2 time to see a boy McWilliam who had been delirious + got out of the ward quite naked + cut his head.³ Went to a performance of ‘A Nicht’s Wark’ in Victoria Hall⁴ with Mrs Mack⁵ + Erskine⁶. Sent truss away to Salt + Son.⁷

¹ Dr Muir had been attending the Heard family at West Essenside, Ashkirk, grid reference NGR NT442,201.

² Signs of the quarry are visible on the east side of the A7 as one travels northwards up the hill past Ashkirk and the Dryden farm entry, see image below.

³ Assume Robert James McWilliam (1917-1983), see Dr Muir’s diary entry for 13 September 1922.

⁴ A Nicht’s Wark, a “very clever little Border sketch” had been produced previously the winter before and on this occasion preceded the Cricket Club Jubilee Ball at the Victoria Hall [Southern Reporter, 21 September 2022].

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

⁶ James ‘Erskine’ Harper (1887-1953), barrister, son of Ebenezer Erskine Harper, sheriff substitute, and Agnes Harper née Watson, later Mackintosh; brother of Agnes Durnford née Harper.

⁷ Salt & Son were medical suppliers in Edinburgh and Glasgow from whom Dr Muir had acquired a celluloid truss which was uncomfortable, see diary entries for 6 and 8 September 1922.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/25, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1922]