Bright morning but showery after: a good deal colder. Saw some town cases (including Rockville¹) walking after. I came back from motoring to Forest Road +c Shielshaugh, Fauldshope, Bluecairn + Oakwood. After tea I motored to Faldonside, Fairnilee Lodge + Manorhill². Saw altogether 21 town cases + 7 county. Mr + Miss Chrystal³ from Melrose had tea with Helen⁴ + Madge Ogilvie⁵ called at night. She was here at a meeting of G.F.S.⁶ + stayed at Viewfield⁷.

¹ Robert Currie (c.1847-1923), hosiery manufacturer, was at Rockville, Hillside Terrace, Selkirk

² Florence Elphinstone Steel née Ford (about 1859-1936), widow of William Strang Steel (1832-1911) and daughter of Major-General Burnett Ford, was Proprietor Occupier at Manorhill, Selkirk [1921 Valuation Roll, VR011700009-/329, Selkirk County, page 329 of 611], while James Scott, coachman and Albert Taylor, gardener were Inhabitant Occupiers of houses at the same address, presumably members of her staff

³ The Reverend James Robert Chrystal (about 1840-1930), of Woodlea, Melrose; born 6 Oct 1839, Auchinleck, Ayr, Scotland, married 15 Jun 1871, Melrose, Roxburgh, Margaret Sophia Riddell (died 4 Jul 1913, Edinburgh), he died 27 Jan 1930 Melrose – it is possible that their daughter Alice M W Chrystal (1872-1948) was her father’s companion after Margaret’s death

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

⁵ Katherine Margaret ‘Madge’ Ogilvie née Scott Anderson (1879-1965)

⁶ The Editor would be pleased to hear what G.F.S. stood for

⁷ Viewfield was the Muir and Graham medical partnership’s new (opened 4 June 1920) surgery and cottage hospital; now the Andrew Lang Unit, its previous tenant had been Alexina Margaret Buist (1853-1936)

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

Gale has abated + there were only some showers today with bright intervals. I had a pretty busy day + did it motoring to Forest Road, Muthag Street, Ettrickhaugh Road, Hillside, N. Synton, (to see Walt. Davis a twin brother of Geo.¹) via Middlestead to Oakwood, Bowhill W Lodge, Deuchar Mill, Beechwood, Murrayfield + Glebe Terrace. In afternoon had to go back to Lewenshope but luckily got intercepted a message to Miss Allan² at Bowhill School. Got back at 5.30 + had to go back to Forest Road to see Lizzie Kemp who had cut herself on a Pot de Chambre. Norah³ spent the afternoon with Helen⁴. Gave my 5th lecture to V.A.D.on inflammation + fevers.

¹ Walter Davies (1859-1940) and George Davies (1859-1926) sons of George Davies, flesher, and Margaret Davies née Kame Scott were born 13 February 1859 at 1 Allars Crescent, Hawick

² Jessie Allan, teacher, was Tenant Occupier at the Schoolhouse, Bowhill, Selkirk [1921 Valuation Roll, VR011700009-/325, Selkirk County, page 325 of 611]

³ Norah Campion Graham née West (1887-1971), wife of Dr David Charteris Graham (1889-1963), medical practitioner

⁴ 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]

Slept in Smoke Room till 4 a.m.

A raging Sou’ Wester all last night + heavy rain up till 1. Then it was fair + sunny till 5 when there was a heavy blast. I don’t remember when Ettrick [Water] was so big. It covered all the bank above the Cauld. Tweed was also raging + all low haughs¹ were flooded. Dav.² went to London with the Taylors. Henrietta Brown³, Backrow was found dead in a chair. John Walker⁴, the Glebe also died. I motored in town + to Philipburn + Bowhill. In afternoon motored in town, Fairnilee Lodge + Peelburnfoot + the gardener at Manorhill. Helen⁵ was in Edinburgh at the dressmaker’s. At Bowhill I dressed a cut on Lady Mary’s⁶ hand + at Philipburn saw Mrs Ballard⁷ looking very frail + aged.

¹ Haugh, n. Also hauch (Sc. 1808 Jam.); †halch (e.Lth. 1845 Stat. Acc.2 II. 18); haw; and dims. haughie, hauchie. A piece of level ground, gen. alluvial, on the banks of a river, river-meadow land (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 193). Gen. (exc. I.) Sc. Also used fig. and attrib. [Dictionar o the Scots Leid]

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

³ Henrietta Brown (about 1857-1921), powerloom weaver, died 16 March 1921, aged 64, at 22 Backrow, Selkirk

⁴ John Walker (about 1839-1921), retired joiner, married to Mary Inglis, stayed at 20 Glebe Terrace, Selkirk, he had been suffering from a cerebral haemorrhage and died at 5 a.m. on 16 March 1921, death certified by John S Muir M.B.

⁵ Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter and sometime housekeeper

⁶ Assume Lady Mary Theresa Montagu Douglas Scott, later Cecil (1904-1984)

⁷ Julia Mary Ballard née Anderson (about 1838-1922), widow of George Alexander Ballard (about 1826-1892), Madras Civil Servant

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

Fair in forenoon but followed by a stiff Sou’ Wester + heavy rain + much milder. Walked to Elmrow, Curror Street, Sime & Co. + Glebe Terrace + then was at Viewfield¹ from 11 till 1.45 for 3 operations. Was not out after till 6.30 when I had to go to Drummond², Kirkwynd. Dined at Forest Club³ with Charles Dunlop⁴ who was Croupier. Duke⁵ in Chair + at [dinner] between Dunlop + Mark Sprot⁶. Pollok⁷ was there with Alex Roberts⁸ (who had also invited me⁹), [? Smoky] Younger¹⁰, Gen. Jardine¹¹, Scott Plummer¹² + a man Gillon¹³. Slept in Smoke Room till 4 a.m.

¹ Viewfield was the Muir and Graham medical partnership’s new (opened 4 June 1920) surgery and cottage hospital; now the Andrew Lang Unit, its previous tenant had been Alexina Margaret Buist (1853-1936)

² Robert Heston Drummond (1234-1234), engineer was Tenant Occupier at 4 Kirkwynd, Selkirk [1921 Valuation Roll, VR007900012-/160, Selkirk Burgh, page 160 of 644]

³ The dinner of the Forest Club held 15 March 1921 at Selkirk, was attended by (as they are recorded in the minute) C H Scott Plummer, C W Dunlop, Duke of Buccleuch, A T Roberts, Mark Sprot, William Younger and J B Jardine with guests S Gillon, J S Muir and John Pollok [The Forest Club, minutes 1874-1956, Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/584/4]

⁴ Charles Walter Dunlop (1846-1922), merchant, of Whitmuirhall, Selkirk

⁵ John Charles Montagu Douglas Scott (1864-1935), 7th Duke of Buccleuch

⁶ Mark Sprot (1881-1946), landowner and army officer, of Riddell, Lilliesleaf

⁷ John Pollok (1858-1938), Town Clerk and Procurator Fiscal, Selkirk

⁸ Alexander Thomas ‘Alec’ Roberts (1885-1972)

⁹ On reflection the Editor assumes that this means that Dr Muir had been invited as his guest already by Charles Dunlop (as recorded by the minute of the meeting) and that Alec Roberts had then proceeded to invite Pollok instead

¹⁰ William Younger (1857-1925), of Ravenswood, Melrose whose membership of the Forest Club since 1911 is recorded in a list of members of March 1921 [The Forest Club, minutes 1874-1956, Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/584/4]

¹¹ Brigadier General James Bruce Jardine (1870-1955), CMG DSO DL, of Chesterknowes, Lilliesleaf

¹² Charles Henry Scott Plummer (1859-1948), J.P.; Lord-Lieutenant, of Middlestead, and Sunderland Hall

¹³ S Gillon was C H Scott Plummer’s guest but is otherwise unidentified

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

Raining off + on all day but not cold. Made 17 town calls walking, arranged + paid some accounts. Viewfield repairs have cost me £35 to £40. John Walker¹, the Glebe, very ill. He was pretty comatose. Peggy Lockie² fading away. Roger Quin³ called again evidently looking for a tip. Gave him 5/- [shillings]. Helen⁴ went to a Unionist lecture + entertainment in the Union Hall.

¹ John Walker (about 1839-1921), retired joiner, married to Mary Inglis, stayed at 20 Glebe Terrace, Selkirk; he was suffering from a cerebral haemorrhage and died on the 16 March

² Margaret ‘Peggy’ Lockie (1903-1921), daughter of Walter Lockie and Margaret Lockie née Scott and a power loom weaver, of Forest Road, Selkirk

³ Roger or Rodger Quin or Quinn (1850-1925), Dumfries born but staying at this time in Selkirkshire; known as the Tramp Bard or Homeless Poet; Dr Muir had given Quin money and/or alcohol on previous occasions

⁴ 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]

Rain during last night [and] showery all day. Wind S. but slight. River full. Motored in town and Oakwood + Bluecairn. Was in town all afternoon + entered at visits of David¹ + my own &c up to date. Went to evening service. Jack, Nancy + Barb² at supper. Had to go out afterwards to see John Walker³, Glebe Terrace. Dav. [David] was at Fal Lewenshope: then at Faldonside: then at Thirladean P.O. + then at Deuchar Mill.

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

² John ‘Jack’ Roberts and Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir and their eldest child Andrina Henderson ‘Barbara’ Roberts

³ John Walker (about 1839-1921), retired joiner, married to Mary Inglis, stayed at 20 Glebe Terrace, Selkirk; he was suffering from a cerebral haemorrhage and died on the 16 March

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

Another sharp drying day + no rain at all. Roads better. I once thought of cycling to Dundas Cottage¹ but messages came to Low + High Faldonside so I cycled there. At the former Ralph Dees² had a Paronychia + at the latter Jessie Boyd³ was worried about her throat. Then I went round by Fairnilee Lodge to Yair where I called for Mrs Dees [Dubs⁴] + found her in the middle of packing for flitting. Marion her old housemaid helping her. Saw Harvey’s [?] kid + came home by Forest Road. Had my tea at 3 + then cycled to Oakwood + Faldon Fauldshope. Helen⁵ + Barb.⁶ went to the meet at Riddell + Helen had a tumble of [sic] her bike at the almshouses + another at the High School.

¹ Christina and Elizabeth Brydon were joint Tenant Occupiers of a house and garden ‘Dundas Cottage’, Thirlestane, Ettrick [1921 Valuation Roll, VR011700009-/312, Selkirk County, page 312 of 611]

² Ralph Andrew Irwin Dees (1913-1988), son of Robert Irwin Dees and Edith Mary Boileau Dees née Henderson; the family had been occupiers at Faldonside since early 1920 but Phyllis Mary Dees his sister had died 2 December 1920 after a prolonged illness, the consequence of a car accident

³ Jessie Milne Brack Boyd (1867-1961), of Faldonside, plantswoman and gardener

⁴ Though the name reads as Dees it must be Dubs and thus indicates precisely the date on which Margaret Forsyth Dubs, formerly Smith, née Arthur (1853-1935) left Selkirkshire; she had married, 2ndly, 1909 at Blythswood, Frank Albert Dubs; he moved from Glasgow to Yair Mansion, Caddonfoot, Selkirkshire around 1909, died in 1920 and she had moved to a house called Woodbourne at Wemyss Bay, Inverkip, Renfrewshire by 1925

⁵ Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter and sometime housekeeper

⁶ Andrina Henderson ‘Barbara’ Roberts, later Twhigg (1902-1996), Dr Muir’s eldest granddaughter and Mousey’s niece

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

Cold dry day till about 6 when there was a heavy shower. Clear + sunny. Roads drying but greasy in places. Messages to Fairnilee Lodge + Lewenshope. Cycled there making also some town visits which took me from 10.15 till 3.30. Found Mr Linton¹ a little better + interviewing his shepherd Gowan² who has been with him about 50 years. Good many people in at night. Helen³ cycled with Nancy⁴ with High Faldonside + Melrose + was over at Viewfield⁵ for supper.

¹ Simon Linton (1836–1921), farmer, of Manor, Peeblesshire and latterly of Oakwood, Selkirk

² Assume George Gowans (about 1853-1939), who was shepherd at Simon Linton’s farm at Cademuir, Manor Parish, Peeblesshire, in 1885 [1885, Valuation Roll, VR011200006-/319, Peebles County, page 319 of 668], he was married to Barbara Bryden and their son appears to be the William Gowans who was Inhabitant Occupier not rated at Simon Linton’s farm at Oakwood, Selkirk, in 1921 [1921 Valuation Roll, VR011700009-/323, Selkirk County, page 323 of 611]; George did not himself stay at Oakwood and must have met Dr Muir while they were both visiting Mr Linton, George it would seem having come down from Innerhuntly, Kirkhope (the tenancy of which Simon Linton had from Lord Polwarth) where he had been shepherd since at least 1916 [1916, Valuation Roll, VR011700009-/69, Selkirk County, page 69 of 611]
From the 1881 and 1891 Census returns for Manor, Peebleshire the family appears to be George Gowans (about 1853-), Barbara Gowans (about 1856-), married 1877 Kilbucho, Broughton and Glenholm [1877, 763/ 3] and their children Catherine ‘Katie’ Gowans (1877-), John Gowans (1879-), Agnes (1880-), William Bryden Gowans (1882-), George Bryden Gowans (1885-) and Robert Gowans (1888-) plus another child James Bryden Gowan (1891-) who was born after the 1891 Census was taken [1891, 766/ 5, Manor]

³ Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter and sometime housekeeper

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

⁵ Viewfield was the Muir and Graham co-partnery’s cottage hospital

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

Wet in the morning but dry during the day. Strongish S.W. wind. Had a biggish town list. Saw 17 of them + got a message when at the hospital to Miller¹, Fairnilea + cycled there getting back at 2.35. It was a case of German Measles. There was also a message to see a servant at Tibble Shiels². Dav.³ was at Oakwood + Fairholme⁴ + the message was ‘Phoned to him but he came home first. Gave mes Spent the afternoon preparing my 4^th lecture to the V.A.D. It was surgical + other wounds + the application of antiseptics. Helen⁵ had Nurse Waugh⁶ at tea.

¹ Peter Miller, gamekeeper, was Inhabitant Occupier of a house ‘Robin’s Nest’ on the Fairnilee estate, Caddonfoot [1921 Valuation Roll, VR011700009-/309, Selkirk County, page 309 of 611

² Tibbie Shiels Inn, Yarrow, is described in Canmore as an “Inn (Post Medieval), alternative names St Mary’s Cottage; Tibbie Shiels Cottage; Loch O’ Lowes; Loch Of The Lowes” [Canmore ID 51235] but is not identified as Tibbie Shiels in the Valuation Roll being instead recorded thus “James Scott, Proprietor Occupier of Inn, land and Additions to Inn (tenant’s erections), St Mary’s Cottage, Yarrow” [1921 Valuation Roll, VR011700009-/339, Selkirk County, page 339 of 611]

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

⁴ Dr Muir appears to have been attending Jane Kennedy Mitchell nee Russell (about 1882-), wife of William Robert Mitchell, timber manager, they had married 4 October 1917 at Fairholm, Kirkhope [marriages 1917, 776/ 1, Kirkhope] and she was proprietrix of a house and garden at Ettrickbridgend, Kirkhope identified as property No. 119 on the 1921 Valuation Roll and only named “Fairholme” on the Valuation Rolls from 1923 onwards; the apparent delay by the Assessors in accepting house names has been commented on before

⁵ Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter and sometime housekeeper

⁶Nurse, more correctly Matron Waugh was Marion Gentleman Waugh (1877-1949), born Craigbank, Slamannan, Stirlingshire, the daughter of Allan Waugh, seed merchant, and Christina – sometimes Christian – Turnbull Waugh née Dodds, married 1872 at Muiravonside. Matron Waugh and her mother were recorded at Viewfield Nursing Home, Selkirk in the 1921 Census.

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

Cold, drizzling day S.W. [wind]. There was a little snow visible at Falahill yesterday + on the hill tops, but there was none to be seen here today. Motored to Oakwood + Fauldshope + saw some town cases walking in the afternoon. Ralph Smith¹ called in the at 4.30 + I examined him for the Scottish Prov.²

¹ Assume Ralph Colley Smith (1891-1957), son of Patrick Smith (1858-1930), advocate and sheriff-substitute and Alice Paterson (1863-1943); he had been very badly maimed during the First World War

² Scottish Provincial Assurance Co.

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