Cold E. wind + raw but no fall [?]. Cycled over to see Mrs Brydon, Abbotsford Road.1 Found that she had left pneumonia of the middle ? Roads filthy + greasy. Came back to Lindean Farm, Hospital, Falla, Dunsdale2, Firs + Glebe. Wire to Borthwick, Lilliesleaf.3 Drove there. Met Dr Philip of Edinburgh4 in consultation at the Firs5 at 6 + then drove over to see Mrs Brydon at Gala a second time.
1 Isabella Brydon née Howie (about 1841-1904), the wife of Adam Brydon, farmer, lived at 21 Abbotsford Road, Galashiels, Selkirkshire.
2 Janet Dodds Falla (about 1857-), woollen weaver, was recorded at Dunsdalehaugh, Selkirk, with her nephew John Gray Falla (1896-) [1901 Census].
3 Borthwick is so far unidentified (there were 18 so named at Lilliesleaf in the 1901 Census).
4 Assume Sir Robert William Philip (1857-1939), M.D., F.R.C.P.E., F.R.C.P., F.R.S.E., F.R.C.S.E., Scottish physician and pioneer in the treatment and control of tuberculosis, based at Craigleith, Edinburgh.
5 Dr Muir had asked Philip to see Alice Smith née Paterson (1863-1943), wife of Patrick Smith, at the Firs.
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/7, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1904]
A cold raw day with E. wind + occasional rain. More snow on hills. Drove to Philiphaugh Mill, Firs, Yair, Nest, Bridgelands, Hospital +c + got home at 3. At 6.30 got ‘Phone from Isabella Brydon to see her mother.1 Baptie2 drove me over with Macaulay.3 Jack4 rode him in the morning to the Meet of Plummer’s hounds5 at Lindean School6 but did not hunt.
1 Isabella Brydon née Howie (about 1841-1904), the wife of Adam Brydon, farmer, lived at 21 Abbotsford Road, Galashiels, Selkirkshire.
2 Thomas Baptie (1860-1929), driver and handyman for Dr Muir.
3 Macaulay was one of Dr Muir’s horses, see diary entries for 11th February 2024.
4 John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966), Dr Muir’s son-in-law.
5 Assume Charles Henry Scott Plummer (1859-1948), J.P., of Middlestead and Sunderland Hall, sometime Lord-Lieutenant of Selkirk.
Rose at 5. A little snow had fallen last night + was lying on grass in the morning + as slush on roads. It was fair all day however till night when there was some rain. Was no further than The Firs + Bridgelands. Mrs Smith1 not improving + has had a troublesome cough so Smith2 + I agreed to have out Philip3 + I wrote him. Made out some accounts amounting to £114. + got them posted in the morning. Went to bed at 10.
1 Alice Smith née Paterson (1863-1943), wife of Patrick Smith.
2 Patrick ‘Pat’ Smith (1858-1930), advocate and sheriff-substitute.
3 Assume Sir Robert William Philip (1857-1939), M.D., F.R.C.P.E., F.R.C.P., F.R.S.E., F.R.C.S.E., Scottish physician and pioneer in the treatment and control of tuberculosis, based at Craigleith, Edinburgh.
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/7, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1904]
There was heavy rain+ sleet last night + the roads were very heavy but as the day promised well I started immediately after breakfast + cycled to St Mary’s Loch for Bowerhope1, calling at The Firs, Thirladean, Yarrowford + Ramsay, Mount Benger.2 It turned out a most lovely day with hardly any wind + the Loch was nearly without a ripple. They sent the boat across for me. It was lovely on the Loch + might have been a June day but for the snow on the hill tops. Got back at 4.40 + had to go down to Bridgelands to see Anderson’s child3 + so did not get to church.
1 Bowerhope is on the south side of St Mary’s Loch and had a boathouse, see Ordnance Survey six inch Selkirkshire Sheet XIII.NE, published 1900. Dr Muir had been up there on 29 January 1924 to attend Janet Laidlaw, aged 53, see that diary entry for more detail.
2 Assuming that this was indeed what Dr Muir wrote, then nobody named Ramsay was recorded in the Mountbenger, Yarrow, Valuation Rolls at this time.
3 Thomas Gardner Anderson was coachman at Bridgelands in 1904 [Valuation Rolls] but not in the 1901 Census when Neil Grant was the coachman there. The same Thomas Anderson may be the coachman recorded at Dandswall in the 1911 Census with his wife Janet Thomson Forrest Anderson née Todd (married 1895 at Traquair, Peeblesshire) and children Catherine, 14, Robina, 13, Jeanie, 11, Agnes, 8, Mary, 6, Margaret, 4, and Thomas, 2. Spoiler: The child that was attended may have been Jemima Anderson (1901-1904) who died 1 August 1904 at Bridgelands.
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/7, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1904]
Another nice day + very mild in afternoon. Jean1 + her friends2 got back about 4 this morning. I drove round town + to Hospital, Bridgelands + Firs. Sent via [?] case of Typhoid (Matin3, Halliday’s Park). After lunch walked to Howden with Sim4 to investigate the discharge of sewage from Howden Farm. Bartie5, Pritty6 + young Grieve7 were there also. We walked back by the foot of the Scaurs where I had never been before.8
Jack9 was in the chair + did well, though rather nervous. The Hall was quite full. River full.
1 Jane Henderson Logan ‘Jean’ Pike née Muir (1877-1941), Dr Muir’s eldest daughter.
2 Jean’s friends, with whom she had partied the night before, were Elsie Lindsay and Joy Mitchell, both so far unidentified.
3 The Editor cannot decipher the name here and nothing leaps out from the Valuation Rolls. Janet Martin was the Proprietor of one of the properties at Halliday’s Park, Selkirk, according to the 1902 and 1903 Valuation Rolls and up to at least 1915. However she did not live there so cannot be the person referred to.
4 Robert Sim of Tweed Knowe House, tweed manufacturer, was the only person thus named in the 1901 Census but does not look like a good match for this situation.
5 James Bartie (about 1845-1921), Civil and Borough Engineer. He lived with his family at Alva Cottage, Selkirk [1901 Census].
6 John Pritty (about 1857-1920), Surveyor, Master of Works & Sanitary Inspector [Slater’s Royal National Commercial Directory, 1903].
7 Grieve is so far unidentified.
8 The Scaurs at Howden are not named on any map the Editor can see but a scaur is generally “sheer rock, crag, precipice, cliff, a steep hill from which the soil has been washed away” but perhaps a better fit here is J Richmond’s “Precipitous banks of streams, formed of reddish sand and rocks, are called Scaurs in some parts of the borders of Scotland” [both references from the Dictionar o the Scots Leid].
9 John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966), mill owner and Dr Muir’s son-in-law.
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/7, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1904]
Very pleasant day with a little frost in the morning which did not continue. About 2.30 there was a slight shower otherwise it was fair mild + fresh. Had very nice forenoon shoot at Philiphaugh.3 Rose at 5.15 + did some writing. Got to Philiphaugh at 9.30 but did not start till 10. Drove to Harehead + shot the strips up to Tibbie Thomson : fox cover + down to Corbie Linn, finishing at the lambing shed.4 Beside Mr S.5 there was Willie Lang6 + D. C. Alexander.7 There were few birds. We got 17 pheasants + 6 rabbits of which I shot 6 Ph. + 1 rit [sic]. We went back to Philiphaugh to lunch at 2 + I found a message to Bowerhope.8 Sent Baptie9 back for Macaulay10 + drove up. We forded the Yarrow all right.11 Janet Laidlaw12 had a curious pain in her head + seemed to be somewhat confused mentally. Got home at 9.30. Moonlight night. Jean13 went to a ball at Hawick driving with Elsie Lindsay14 + Joy Mitchell.15
1 Patrick Rodger Stewart ‘Pat’ Muir (1879-1961), Dr Muir’s only son, living in New Zealand since 1902.
2 This individual is so far unidentified but the request may have come via Jean Muir who received a letter from her brother Patrick on 25 January 1904.
3 Philiphaugh is more or less directly opposite Bowhill across the Yarrow Water.
4 From Harehead the shooting party probably followed a flattish arc through the strips above Harehead to the north of Philiphaugh via Tibby Tamson’s Plantation (not grave – it was shooting not sightseeing) and the Fox Covert to Corbie Linn and then southwards after which the route becomes unclear. It is all visible on Ordnance Survey six inch Selkirkshire Sheet XI.NE, published 1900.
5 William Strang Steel (1832-1911), D.L., J.P., retired merchant, of Philiphaugh.
6 William Graham ‘Willie’ Lang (1856-1943), tea planter. Son of Hugh Morris Lang and Margaret Lang née Graham. Born 1856, Largs, Ayrshire, died 1943 at Harewoodglen, Selkirk, aged 87, he never married.
7 David Carnegie Alexander, ‘Carnegie Alexander’ or ‘D.C.A.’ (1856-1928), solicitor. He was the son of David Carnegie Alexander (about 1820-1881), solicitor, and Margaret Scott Alexander née Anderson. He had married 1899 at Edinburgh, Jane Florence Turnbull and they lived at Thirladean, Selkirk.
9 Thomas Baptie (1860-1929), driver and handyman for Dr Muir.
10 Macaulay was one of Dr Muir’s horses, see diary entries for 11th February 2024.
11 Dr Muir’s party must have crossed the Yarrow Water via the ford at grid reference NGR NT271,239 before heading to Bowerhope along the south side of St Mary’s Loch, see Ordnance Survey six inch Selkirkshire Sheet XIV.NW, published 1900.
12 Janet Laidlaw, aged 53, was recorded at Bowerhope farmhouse, Yarrow, as housekeeper, the sister of James Laidlaw, 55, farmer and head of household, and brother Alexander Laidlaw, 56, all born Yarrow and living at Bowerhope, Yarrow, 1901 Census.
13 Jane Henderson Logan ‘Jean’ Pike née Muir (1877-1941), Dr Muir’s eldest daughter.
14 Elsie Lindsay is so far unidentified.
15 Joy Mitchell is so far unidentified.
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/7, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1904]
On Tuesday Whitaker Wright sentenced to 7 years penal servitude + died suddenly, immediately after having taken Potassium cyanide.1
Strong Sou’ Wester + heavy blasts of rain in forenoon but it moderated + cleared in afternoon. Drove round town + to Bridgelands + Firs in forenoon + after lunch to Newtown2 + Almshouses.
1 James Whitaker Wright (1846-1904), company promoter and fraudster. He lived at Witley, Surrey, not far from Dr Muir’s Surrey relations. His (largely fraudulent) financial empire collapsed in 1900, causing mayhem in the London Stock Exchange. On 26 January 1904 he was convicted of fraud and given a seven year prison sentence. Shortly after the sentence was pronounced, Whitaker swallowed cyanide and died. [‘Whitaker Wright (1845-1904), Company promoter’ at https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp04941/whitaker-wright%5D.
2 Newtown was the seat of county government and administration in Roxburghshire, as it is now.
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/7, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1904]
Fresh + blowy but fair. Walked in town + over to Firs1 where Baptie2 picked me up + drove me to Dunsdale + Broomhill. In the evening before dinner had to drive down to Bridgelands to see a child of Anderson the coachman.3 Went to a meeting in Victoria Hall at which Conan Doyle made an excellent speech.4
1 Dr Muir had been attending Alice Smith née Paterson (1863-1943) of The Firs, Selkirk (wife of Patrick ‘Pat’ Smith (1858-1930), advocate and sheriff-substitute) who had given birth on 13 January 1904 but had been unwell since.
2 Thomas Baptie (1860-1929), driver and handyman for Dr Muir.
3 Thomas Gardner Anderson was coachman at Bridgelands in 1904 [Valuation Rolls] but not in the 1901 Census when Neil Grant was the coachman there. The same Thomas Anderson may be the coachman recorded at Dandswall in the 1911 Census with his wife Janet Thomson Forrest Anderson née Todd (married 1895 at Traquair, Peeblesshire) and children Catherine, 14, Robina, 13, Jeanie, 11, Agnes, 8, Mary, 6, Margaret, 4, and Thomas, 2. Spoiler: The child that was attended may have been Jemima Anderson (1901-1904) who died 1 August 1904 at Bridgelands.
4 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) spent time at Selkirk in early 1904 supporting the fundraising for a new bridge at Selkirk. It was not the only time Conan Doyle was in Selkirk that year, see Dr Muir’s diary entry for 21 January 1904.
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/7, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1904]
Rained all forenoon. Wind S. Fair in afternoon. Did not rise till nearly 7. Drove to Yarrowford : old Broadmeadows + The Firs. After lunch called at Ettrickview. Wrote some letters + made out some Mill accounts.
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/7, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1904]
Frosty in morning but got soft during the day + was quite mild at night. Called up at 4.45 to attend Mrs Geo. Murray, Backrow, who had a d. at 5.20.1 Did not go back to bed. Letter from Pat2 to Jean.3 Cycled in town + to The Firs, Philiphaugh, Dunsdale + Lindean. Attended meeting of Visiting Committee of Hosp at Fever Hospital about water supply.4 + then walked by Shawpark to S. P. Hospital5 + had meeting there about fencing +c. Lecture on nurses by Mr Shearer6 in Hall of Church which was so crowded that the girls could not get in.7 Mr Shaw8 addressed meeting in Victoria Hall. Jack + Nancy9 were there.
1 Maggie Elliot Murray was born at 5 a.m. 25 January 1904 at 17 Backrow, Selkirk. She was the daughter of George Murray, power loom tuner, and Catherine Murray née Nichol. Her parents had married 18 February 1898 at Selkirk.
2 Patrick Rodger Stewart ‘Pat’ Muir (1879-1961), Dr Muir’s only son, living in New Zealand since 1902.
3 Jane Henderson Logan ‘Jean’ Pike née Muir (1877-1941), Dr Muir’s eldest daughter.
4 The Editor wonders if that this refers to the hospital at Bleachfield Road, Selkirk, shown as Hospital (Infectious Diseases) on the Ordnance Survey six inch Selkirkshire Sheet XII.NW, published 1900, because Dr Muir thereafter notes the walk out to the site noted in footnote 5.
5 The refers to the Infectious Diseases Hospital near Buxton Cottage below the Selkirk Hills, see Ordnance Survey six inch Selkirkshire Sheet XII.NW, published 1900. Dr Muir would have walked along Scott’s Place in a north-easterly direction, a route that looks as if he would have been off road after passing Shawpark – the direct route (on a road) was up Dovecot Park.
6 Mr Shaw is so far unidentified.
7 The Editor suspects that this means Dr Muir’s girls, his daughters, rather than all young women.
8 Mr Shaw is so far unidentified.
9 John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966) and Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir (1878-1948), Dr Muir’s second daughter.
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/7, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1904]
Rumbling Clint's Scottish Notes 