Mild day. S wind: fair up till 2.45 + then very heavy rain till 8 or 9. After seeing some town cases walking I cycled over to Lilliesleaf via Greenhead to see Mrs Bell¹ the policeman’s wife whom Dav. attended yesterday at her confinement. I came back via Midlem + was not long home till the rain began. Dora¹ had her friend Mrs Douglas Brown (nee Donald)¹ + the Smiths¹ to lunch. I dined at MCall’s¹ with his friend Brown¹ + Boylan¹. The former a fine singer. McCall surprised me by singing very well “Did you ever see an oyster”¹ + Boylan by reciting.

¹ Margaret Smith Bell née McFarlane, whose son Walter Anderson Bell was born 15 August 1921 at the Police Station House, Lilliesleaf, Roxburghshire [1921, 795/ 9, Lilliesleaf]; she had married George Bell 29 November 1918 at Callander, Perthshire (presumably because he had survived military service in the Army Service Corps) and by 1921 George was Inhabitant Occupier of the Police Station House, Lilliesleaf [1921 Valuation Roll, VR011600033-/554, Roxburgh County, page 554 of 993]

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

³ Margaret Meikle ‘Peggy’ Donald about 1885-), a nurse at the time, had married, September 1918, James Douglas Brown, Lieutenant K.O.S.B. of Ashwood, Galashiels [1918, 775/ 50, Galashiels]

⁴ Andrina Dorothy ‘Dora’ Muir (1882-1978), nurse and Dr Muir’s youngest daughter

⁵ The Smiths may be the family of Katie Smith née Locke of Lauriston, Selkirk or that of Alice Smith née Paterson of The Firs, Selkirk; it is tempting to think that, with Dora’s medical work, it is the latter because Alice Smith’s daughter Alice Barbara Stewart Smith (1892-1970) was at this time undertaking her training (M.B., Ch.B. Edinburgh 1920, Diploma in Public Health, Dublin, 1922) before spending the rest of her life working in India, being awarded M.D., Edinburgh 1921 and dying in 1970 at Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, South India

⁶ The Reverend, later Canon, James George McCall (1866-1954), sometime rector of St John’s Episcopal Church, Selkirk but was in the process of flitting at this point in 1921

⁷ John Dun Boylan (1850-1924), civil engineer, acquaintance of Dr Muir, sometime of Shawmount and Shawpark, Selkirk

⁸ ‘Did you ever see an Oyster walk upstairs?’ was a popular comic song, words and music by Frederick Younge Gilbert (1850-1903), English theatrical agent and music hall song writer

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/24, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1921]

A very nice day, calm + mild + with a good deal of sun. Very dark + lowering towards evening. Message to Dees¹, Faldonside + Trotter², Sundhopeburn. David³ did the latter as he was going to Deuchar Mill. I gave Fred Wallis⁴ Chlor[oform] at Viewfield for Dav. to do a Colostomy. Cycled to Faldonside. Saw Roy, Joyce + Ralph⁵ + had lunch. Went to Lauriston⁶ at 4 for tea + … Croquet. The Polloks⁷, Jack Harrisons⁸, Agnes Farquharson⁹, McCall¹⁰ + his friend Brown¹¹ were there.

¹ The Dees family had been occupiers at Faldonside, Galashiels, since early 1920, see also footnote 6

² Nathaniel Trotter, byreman, was Inhabitant Occupier not rated at Sundhopeburn, 1921 Valuation Roll

³ David Charteris ‘Dav.’ Graham (1889-1963), M.B., medical practitioner and Dr Muir’s business partner

⁴ Frederick William Wallis (1856-), cloth finisher, of 10 Raeburn Place, Selkirk, husband of Polly Shelton, married Leeds, 1882, he died 6 May 1922 of “Cancer of the Rectum 11 months certified by John S Muir M.B. &c” [1922 Statutory registers Deaths 778/ 42 and Marriages Mar 1882 Shelton, Polly and Wallis, Frederick William, Leeds 9b 473]

⁵ Robert Irwin Richardson ‘Roy’ Dees (1904-about 1988), Edith Joyce Dees, later Beath (1908-1995) and Ralph Andrew Irwin Dees (1913-1988), children of Robert Irwin Dees and Edith Mary Boileau Dees née Henderson

⁶ Lauriston, Philiphaugh, Selkirk, was home of Katie Smith née Locke (about 1854-1934), widow of Thomas Smith, tweed manufacturer, and some of her (adult) children

⁷ John Pollok (1858-1938), Town Clerk and Procurator Fiscal, Selkirk and Christina Jane Pollok née Graham (about 1863-1948), his second wife

⁸ John ‘Jack’ Harrison junior (about 1886-1981), manufacturer, and Beatrice Anne Harrison née de Fraine (d.1962), of Levenlea, Selkirk

⁹ Agnes Farquharson (1865-1946), daughter of the Reverend James Farquharson, sometime Church of Scotland minister at Selkirk, and Martha Farquharson née Hector; presumably also the Agnes Farquharson referred to by Dr Muir in a diary entry of 14 February 1918 “We had a gathering here to cake wine & coffee after. Agnes Farquharson was there: It was delightful having all my dear lassies beside me.”

¹⁰ The Reverend, later Canon, James George McCall (1866-1954), sometime rector of St John’s Episcopal Church, Selkirk but was in the process of flitting at this point in 1921

¹¹ McCall’s friend Brown is not identified

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/24, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1921]

A perfectly calm day: mostly sunless except for a short time in forenoon. Quite pleasant. Message to Rockville¹. Decided with Dav.² to get a consultant for Wilfred Lees³. ‘Phoned Struthers⁴ who came at 4. Gave Chlor[oform] + fitted a Thomas Splint⁵ + got the fracture much better redu set. Struthers is a nephew of an old Leith Doctor. Went to evening service. Wrote Mary⁶ + Helen⁷.

¹ Rockville, Hillside Terrace, Selkirk was the home of Robert Currie ‘junior’ (about 1847-1923), hosiery manufacturer, the fourth of five generations at Selkirk with the given name Robert

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

³ Wilfred Lees had been hit and injured by a car at Fairnilea on 11 August 1921, he is unidentified

⁴ John William Struthers (1874-1953), LL.D., M.B., F.R.C.S.Ed., medical practitioner, followed his uncle James Struthers by working at Leith Hospital, and followed his father by working at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and by becoming President of the Royal College of Surgeons

⁵ The Thomas splint originated as a means of correction of deformities of the lower limb and evolved into an essential item for the management of trauma of the lower limb [Sources: Robinson, P. M. and O’Meara, M. J. “The Thomas splint Its Origin And Use In Trauma.” The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. British volume Vol. 91-B, No. 4 https://online.boneandjoint.org.uk/doi/full/10.1302/0301-620X.91B4.21962. Accessed 7 June 2021, and Martin, W. Strelley. “The Thomas Splint.” The British Medical Journal, vol. 2, no. 4463, 1946, pp. 100–100. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20366955. Accessed 7 June 2021]

⁶ It is not clear who Mary is

⁷ Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter and sometime housekeeper

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/24, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1921]

Slates wet this morning but there was no rain all day and in the afternoon the sun came out as it has not done for several days. ESE + mild … all night. Walked to Wellwood¹ + Hospital where I took 6 swabs + sent them away². Got the records finished at last + up to date. Got call from Shankland³ who knocked over the cyclist⁴ at Fairnilee. The latter’s temp. was up to 100.4 tonight.

¹ Wellwood, Ettrick Terrace was the home of the Robert’s family

² Selkirk was suffering a nasty outbreak of Diphtheria And Scarlet Fever and Dr Muir is taking swabs for testing

³ Wilfred Lees had been hit and injured by a car, driven by Mrs Shankland, at Fairnilea on 11 August 1921, he is unidentified

⁴ Dugald Cowan Shankland (1870-1941), ship owner, and sometime of Whinfield, Kilmalcolm, Renfrewshire had hit and injured a young man Wilfred Lees whilst driving at Fairnilea on 11 August 1921; Lees’ identity was finally revealed at the trial of Dugald Cowan Shankland for a motoring offence which was reported in the Southern Reporter of 15 December 1921, he was Wilfred Lees junior (1900-1942), a plumber, born Preston, Lancashire the son of Wilfred Lees and Alice Lees née Wilding who had married March Quarter 1890, and was on a motorbike holiday when a collision took place at Fairnilee with Shankland’s car, Lees died April Quarter 1942 but whether his injuries contributed to his relatively early death is not known [birth, Dec 1900, Preston 8e 521; parents’ marriage, Mar 1890, Preston 8e 716]

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/24, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1921]

A dull drizzling day: very dark in morning. Louise¹ still ailing. She had a pain, rather suspicious of appendicitis but it passed off + she was able to be up at night. I spent most of the day at the record cards with several interruptions. There was a party at Wellwood for Barbara’s birthday². The girls were Molly Steedman³ (a giantess whose I did not recognise at first), the girl Brown⁴, Kathleen R⁵, Miss Brodie⁶, the Smiths⁷, Maisy Somerville⁸: Dav. + Norah⁹ + with them his brother + Rodericks [?]. Mrs R being the daughter of Jo. Carmichael¹⁰ who once stayed at Broadmeadows Cottage + a Mr Francis¹¹ from Dandswall: Mrs Mack¹². They danced in the lounge + it went very well. I was called away to see Robert Tait¹³ at Goslaw Green.

¹ Louisa Jane ‘Louise’ Roberts, later Rutherford (1906-1982), Dr Muir’s granddaughter

² Andrina Henderson ‘Barbara’ Roberts, later Twhigg (1902-1996)

³ Mary Aline Steedman (1904-1993), sometime of Ravensleigh, Selkirk, daughter of James Strathearn Steedman and Mary Isabella Jameson Hay; she died 22 December 1993, in Chegutu, Mashonaland West, Zimbabwe

⁴ The girl Brown is not identified

⁵ Kathleen R is not identified

⁶ Miss Brodie is not identified

⁷ Assume the Smith family of Lauriston, Selkirk

⁸ Assume Margaret ‘Maisy’ Somerville (about 1900-), younger daughter of the Reverend James Somerville, minister of the West U. F. Church, Ettrick Terrace, Selkirk, and his wife Agnes Somerville née Clark

⁹ David Charteris ‘Dav.’ Graham (1889-1963), M.B., medical practitioner and Dr Muir’s business partner and Norah Campion Graham née West (1887-1971), his wife

¹⁰ John Carmichael, his daughter and her husband are not (yet) identified

¹¹ Mrs Francis is not identified

¹² Agnes Mackintosh née Watson, formerly Harper (1859-1946), of Elm Park, Selkirk

¹³ Robert Tait, powerloom tuner, was tenant of a house at Goslaw Green, Selkirk [1921 Valuation Roll, VR007900012-/224, Selkirk Burgh, page 224 of 644]

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/24, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1921]

Showery day especially towards evening. Louise¹ feeling the effects of eating a raw turnip. Walked there², + Curror Street + at Wellwood Viewfield lectured Rodger³ re drinking. Saw some cases in Backrow + Kirkwynd + then after lunch met David⁴ at Oakwood Mill where he excised Agnes Barton’s tonsils⁵. Did some work at Record Cards + then was hurried to Fairnilea where a lad Wilfred Lees⁶ had a compound fracture of leg from colliding with a car of a Mrs Shankland of Kilmalcolm⁷. Got him removed to Viewfield in the ambulance. McCall⁸ + Mrs Mack⁹ dined with me. This was Barbara’s 19th birthday¹⁰.

¹ Louisa Jane ‘Louise’ Roberts, later Rutherford (1906-1982), Dr Muir’s granddaughter

² It is assumed that ’there’ is Wellwood, home of the Roberts family

³ Presumably George Frederick Eck Rodger (1873-1956) whom Dr Muir had recently seen at the Hospital; the son of George Rodger and Elizabeth Charlotte Eck, he was based in Cheshire but his mother was proprietor of Bridgelands, Selkirk

⁴ David Charteris ‘Dav.’ Graham (1889-1963), M.B., medical practitioner and Dr Muir’s business partner

⁶ Wilfred Lees’ identity was finally revealed at the trial of Dugald Cowan Shankland [see footnote 7] which was reported in the Southern Reporter of 15 December 1921; he was Wilfred Lees junior (1900-), a plumber, born Preston, Lancashire the son of Wilfred Lees and Alice Lees nee Wilding who had married March Quarter 1890, and he was on a motorbike holiday when the collision happened, he died April Quarter 1942 but whether his injuries contributed to his relatively early death is not known [birth, Dec 1900, Preston 8e 521; parents’ marriage, Mar 1890, Preston 8e 716]

⁵ Agnes Turnbull Barton was 15 in 1911 Census, born 23 January 1896 at Logiealmond, Perthshire, she was the daughter of Andrew Barton, farmer, and Rebecca Barton née Grant who had married June 1892 at the Burgh of Stirling; in 1921 Andrew and his brother James were Inhabitant Occupiers at Oakwoodmill, Selkirk [1921 Valuation Roll, VR011700009-/323, Selkirk County, page 323 of 611]

⁷ According to the report of his trial in December 1921 the driver was Dugald Cowan Shankland, ship owner, husband of Emma Seely Shankland née Berryman and sometime of Whinfield, Kilmalcolm, Renfrewshire [1915 Valuation Roll, VR011400091-/668, Renfrew County, Page 668 of 751]

⁹ The Reverend James George McCall (1866-1954), rector of St John’s Episcopal Church, Selkirk

⁹ Agnes Mackintosh née Watson, formerly Harper (1859-1946), of Elm Park, Selkirk

¹⁰ Andrina Henderson ‘Barbara’ Roberts, later Twhigg (1902-1996), Dr Muir’s eldest granddaughter

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/24, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1921]

No rain today to speak of. Walked to Glebe Terrace + Hospital before 11 + at Viewfield helped Dav.¹ with 2 cases of tonsils + adenoids (one of them the wee boy Gutridge²). Banked some money + spent all the afternoon at the Record Cards. Dora³ went with Mrs Mack⁴ and Mrs Simpson⁵ to call for the Slaters⁶ at Innerleithen. I dined at Heathpark⁷ with Mrs T Scott Anderson⁸ + her sister Miss Shaw⁹. Dressed a cut on Tim’s [illegible]¹⁰.

¹ David Charteris ‘Dav.’ Graham (1889-1963), M.B., medical practitioner and Dr Muir’s business partner

² Assume James Edward Gutridge (1919-), son of Edward Gutridge, woollen millworker, and Elizabeth Dalgleish Gutridge née Hogg, married 28 April 1918 at Selkirk

³ Andrina Dorothy ‘Dora’ Muir (1882-1978), nurse and Dr Muir’s youngest daughter

⁴ Agnes Mackintosh née Watson, formerly Harper (1859-1946), of Elm Park, Selkirk

⁵ Margaret ‘Maggie’ Simpson née Watson (1857-1939), sister of Mrs Agnes Mackintosh née Watson of Elm Park, Selkirk

⁶ The Slaters refers to William Work Slater (1864-1925), company director, and Janet Wilson ‘Jenny’ Slater née Kirkwood (1876-1935); a minor coincidence is that their son James Kirkwood Slater (1900-1965), OBE FRSE FRCPE, an Edinburgh-based neurologist, married Margaret Claire Byrom Bramwell, the daughter of Prof Edwin Bramwell (1873–1952), FRSE PRCPE LLD, another Edinburgh-based neurologist, whom Dr Muir had consulted in 1917

⁷ Heathpark, Selkirk, was the home of Euphemia Ballantyne (about 1855-1933), retired schoolteacher [1921 Valuation Roll, VR007900012-/142, Selkirk Burgh, page 142 of 644 and 1933 Euphemia Ballantyne (Statutory registers Deaths 778/ 47)]

⁸ Joan Scott Anderson née Shaw (about 1857-1936), widow of T Scott Anderson and mother of Katherine Margaret ‘Madge’ Scott Anderson who married W H Ogilvie

⁹ Miss Shaw has not been identified beyond her relationship to Joan Scott Anderson

¹⁰ George Edward ‘Tim’ Roberts (1911-2005), one of Dr Muir’s grandsons

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/24, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1921]

Sunny forenoon: dull + cold after. No rain. I never had so little to do. Was called down after breakfast to Mrs Jo. Young (Ella Palfrey¹), Glebe Terrace who was threatened with a M.C.² Saw her again at 12.30 + 7. Cycled to these + Hospital. Worked away at the record cards + got the bulk of them done. Tina + Chrissie³ left this evening at 11.1. The house felt rather deserted. Dora⁴ went to Lauriston⁵ for tea and to the Picture Ho. with Mrs Mack⁶ + Mrs Simpson⁷.

¹ Alison Elspeth Young née Palfrey (1882-1973), was Proprietor Occupier of a house and garden at 14 Glebe Terrace, Selkirk and wife of John Wilson Young (they had married 1920 in Edinburgh); she had been born at Tillycoultry, Clackmannanshire and she was the sister of Isabella Jarvie née Palfrey (1884-1957) who was more likely to be known as ‘Ella’ but the text doesn’t allow that reading (though both the 1901 Census, which names them ‘Alice’ and ‘Ella’ respectively and Dr Muir’s diary entry of Wednesday 20 November clearly identify Isabella Jarvie at Broomfield as ‘Ella’)

² M.C. is a reference to an unidentified medical condition

³ It is the Editor’s conclusion that this must refer to Christina Robertson Patrick née Rodger (about 1846-1924) and Christina Robertson Rodger ‘Christy’ or ‘Chrissie’ Patrick (1889-1960), one of her daughters, though the genealogy is not helped by the parents’ changes to names – Constance in the birth registration becomes Christina by the 1891 Census, the same given name as her younger sister Christina R R Patrick, while their sister Andrina Edith Patrick was called Alexandria in the same Census; the Editor has ruled out Constance Mary ‘Christina’ Patrick (1882-) being either of the Patricks at Selkirk at this time in 1921 because she was referred to as Connie by Dr Muir on 16 August 1920

⁴ Andrina Dorothy ‘Dora’ Muir (1882-1978), nurse and Dr Muir’s youngest daughter

⁵ Lauriston, Selkirk was the home of Katie Smith née Locke, widow of Thomas Smith, tweed manufacturer, who had died in 1899, and perhaps one or more of her children

⁶ Agnes Mackintosh née Watson, formerly Harper (1859-1946), of Elm Park, Selkirk

⁷ Margaret ‘Maggie’ Simpson née Watson (1857-1939), sister of Mrs Agnes Mackintosh née Watson of Elm Park, Selkirk

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/24, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1921]

Cycled to Craighill¹. It is almost exactly 19 miles + I took 2 hours 19 mins to go against a stiff N.W. wind + 1 h. 30 mins. to return. Got a heavy shower between Singlie + the Inch². + another when leaving Craighill but I sheltered under a tree. David³ was at a confinement at [illegible] (Graham the road surveyor’s wife⁴). Got home at 2.30, changed + had tea. Felt a little stiff. It is 3 weeks tomorrow since I cycled any distance.

¹ Presumably to attend Grace Linton Anderson née Davidson (about 1888-), second wife of John Laidlaw Anderson, shepherd, married 1919 at Ettrick; John L Anderson, shepherd, was at Craighill, Ettrick, in the 1920 Valuation Roll, presumably with his wife and their first baby had been born there earlier in 1921

² Singlie and The Inch, both Kirkhope, grid references NGR NT369,215 and NT346,219 respectively

³ David Charteris ‘Dav.’ Graham (1889-1963), M.B., medical practitioner and Dr Muir’s business partner

⁴ Sybil Graham, born 8 August 1921 at Ettrickbridge, Kirkhope, the daughter of William Graham, road surveyor, and Margaret Graham née Drummond, married 28 December 1909 at Edinburgh

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/24, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1921]

Another showery day with some sunny blinks. Rather cooler. Walked to Yarrow Terrace, Ettrickhaugh Road, Dunsdale Cottages, Ashybank Terrace, Hospital + Bridge Street + went to morning service. Was not out again and did some more work at letter cards. Mrs Scott Anderson¹ called + invited me to dinner next Wed. Boylan² came to supper. Dora³ kept her bed to breakfast. Her ankle was rather better.

¹ Joan Scott Anderson née Shaw (about 1857-1936), widow of T Scott Anderson and mother of Katherine Margaret ‘Madge’ Scott Anderson who married W H Ogilvie

² John Dun Boylan (1850-1924), civil engineer, acquaintance of Dr Muir, sometime of Shawmount, Selkirk

³ Andrina Dorothy ‘Dora’ Muir (1882-1978), nurse and Dr Muir’s youngest daughter

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/24, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1921]