A very mild day with some blinks of sunshine but raining at night. S.W wind: glass falling. Message to Jessie Boyd¹. Cycled to Elmrow, Goslaw Green +c, Spion Kop² + on to Faldonside + Tweed Toll. Jessie B goes south on Sunday. Called at hospital coming back + saw 3 cases in town. David³ brought in the boy Carrick⁴ from Midlemburn with appendicitis + operated on him at 7. The snow drops + winter aconite at Faldonside were lovely. Roads fairly good but very muddy between Lindean + Faldonside.

¹ Jessie Milne Brack Boyd (1867-1961), of Faldonside, plantswoman and gardener

² Assume Spion Kop, Ashybank, Selkirk but, though it is recorded as such on the 1925 Valuation Roll (but not indexed accordingly on ScotlandsPeople) the property itself does not appear to be documented on the 1920 or 1922 Valuation Rolls; nevertheless if Dr Muir went from Goslaw Green to Faldonside he would have passed in the vicinity of Ashybank which sits above the site of the Toll

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

⁴ Unidentified but Thomas Carrick, ploughman, was Inhabitant Occupier at Newhall Mains, Bowden, [1921 Valuation Roll VR011600033-541, Roxburgh County, page 541 of 993], grid reference NGR NT524,268 see Ordnance Survey 6 inch Roxburghshire Sheet XIII.NE, published 1899 (it is shown as Midlemburn on Landranger 1:50,000 sheet)

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

A windier day S.W. + a good deal of drizzle. Quite mild. Was late this morning but hadn’t much to do. In the afternoon D.¹ + I gave gas to Tommy Scott, Mavisbank², to open a Tonsillar abscess. D. had to go to Craighope³ + I did a message to Carrick, Midlemburn⁴, a place I haven’t been near since the Scots Grey point to point 12 or so years since. The sad news of Kate Paton’s husband⁵ the day before yesterday. Wrote her.

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

² Not identified

³ Craighope, Yarrow, perhaps to attend the Crozier family there [1921 Valuation Roll]

⁴ Thomas Carrick, ploughman, was Inhabitant Occupier at Newhall Mains, Bowden, [1921 Valuation Roll VR011600033-541], grid reference NGR NT524,268 see Ordnance Survey 6 inch Roxburghshire Sheet XIII.NE, published 1899 (it is shown as Midlemburn on Landranger 1:50,000 sheet)

⁵ James Cumming Raff Macdonald (1859-1921) W.S., died 26 January 1921 at Dumfries; he was the son of James MacDonald, Rector of Ayr Academy and married to Katherine Isabella ‘Kate’ Macdonald [or McDonald] née Paton

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

A mild dry day (S.E.) till evening when it drizzled. Saw a town list of 9, walking to Buccleuch Road, Dunsdale + Spion Kop. In afternoon cycled down to Tweed Toll to see James Linton¹, a road foreman, belonging to Selkirk but who has been away for years. David² was shooting with Inch at Broadmeadows³. I was in the Chair at the Burns Supper. There were about 80 present. Constable, Traquair⁴ had the toast as he had 10 years ago. It was a pleasant evening. There was a lot of singing, good + indifferent. Downie⁵ the grocer was the great find with recitation + his own composing. Dav. was down at the Asylum at a whist party. H + B⁶ + Mack⁷ went to the Picture House.

¹ There were two individuals named James Linton at Selkirk in the 1881 Census, James, aged 32 and James A, aged 1

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

³ John William Gibson Inch (1866-1932), farmer, at Broadmeadows around 1916-1920

⁴ George William Constable (1853-1927), JP, FSI, of Traquair Bank, Traquair [1921 VR011200022-], factor, sometime of Traquair Estate Office

⁵ George B Downie, grocer & wine & spirit dealer, 6 West Port [Slater’s Royal National Commercial Directory of Scotland, 1903]

⁶ Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter and sometime housekeeper and Andrina Henderson ‘Barbara’ Roberts, later Twhigg (1902-1996), his eldest grandchild

⁷ Agnes Mackintosh née Watson, formerly Harper (1859-1946), 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]

This was a dry coldish day with N.E. wind. The roads dried a bit. I was feeling rather better but did not really enjoy any food till dinner time. Motored to Beechwood + back to Gib. + Lum.¹, Hospital + Curror Street. Got all the town accounts put up + addressed before night. Helen + Barbara² went with Mrs Mackintosh³ to a performance of the “Lily of Killarney”⁴ at the Playhouse, Galashiels⁵.

¹ Gibson and Lumgair’s factory was St Mary’s Mill, Selkirk

² Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter and sometime housekeeper and Andrina Henderson ‘Barbara’ Roberts, later Twhigg (1902-1996), his eldest grandchild

³ Agnes Mackintosh née Watson, formerly Harper (1859-1946), of Elm Park, Selkirk

⁴ ‘The Lily of Killarney’ is an opera in three acts by Julius Benedict with a libretto, by John Oxenford and Dion Boucicault, based on Boucicault’s own play ‘The Colleen Bawn’; it received its premiere in 1862 and was made into a film in the 1930s

⁵ The Playhouse had opened in 1920

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

After a miserable night I could hardly look at breakfast. Kept the house again. Got the list of accounts made up + with David’s¹ help got the county ones sent off. D [David] had no country work. There were several more town messages. Mrs McGuire² called to see me. She is leaving the Railway Hotel³. She and her husband have taken the Waverley Hotel, Bonnyrigg⁴. Helen⁵ was down at Elmpark⁶ for tea. Mrs Dubs⁷ was to be there. The snow, which was lying all over this morning, had almost completely disappeared by night.

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

² Not identified and the Editor cannot find evidence of anyone with this name or variants at either of the premises noted below

³ On leaving Selkirk Railway Station and heading along Station Road the hotel was on the right side of the road, see Ordnance Survey 25 inch Selkirkshire Sheet XII.5, surveyed 1930, published 1932

⁴ The Waverley Hotel was and still is (2020) No. 88 Dundas Street (corner of Waverley Terrace), Bonnyrigg, Cockpen, Midlothian and was very close to Bonnyrigg Railway Station on the North British Railway’s Peebles Branch, see Ordnance Survey 25 inch Edinburghshire VIII.10 revised 1912, published 1914

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

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

⁷ Margaret Forsyth Dubs, formerly Smith, née Arthur (1853-1935) who married, 2ndly, 1909 at Blythswood, Frank Albert Dubs (1860-1920), retired engineer, around the time that he moved from Glasgow to Yair Mansion, Caddonfoot, Selkirkshire; she had moved to a house called Woodbourne at Wemyss Bay, Inverkip, Renfrewshire by 1925

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

Snowdrops + Winter Aconite beginning to flower

Feeling very dyspeptic + kept the house. It was a miserable day of continuous small soft snow from N.E. There were several messages. David¹ managed them all. Baptie took I finished making out the accounts. The quarter would have been a very poor one but for Dees’ account of £171 8 0². Mrs Mackintosh³ was treated to the pictures by Helen + Barbara⁴. I did not see anyone in the consultation hour. I really feel very seedy + took very little food. Was slightly sick at night after taking some cold water.

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

² The Dees family was at Faldonside and had lost a daughter in late in 1920 after a distressing illness

³ Agnes Mackintosh née Watson, formerly Harper (1859-1946), of Elm Park, Selkirk

⁴ Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter and sometime housekeeper and Andrina Henderson ‘Barbara’ Roberts, later Twhigg (1902-1996), his eldest grandchild

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

Yet another of our occasional posts of 1913 transcripts

Frost in the morning, mostly fresh at night. Dense fog all day. Calm S.E. [wind]. Grieve¹ left today. Motored in town, Tower Road, Heatherly, Yair, Fairnilee, Bridgelands +c. Jean² has cold. Stiles³ operated on Stewart⁴ today. Nancy⁵ ‘phoned that he is alright. Tom McGregor’s little girl⁶ is in same room. She has been dangerously ill with gangrenous appendicitis.

¹ Norman Grieve appears to be Norman William Grieve (1852-1936), son of William Grieve and Sarah Clark, born Hawick, who worked in tropical agriculture and as the director of public companies (rubber and tea companies according to A Hawick Word Book); see also diary entries for 15 and 16 January 1913

² Jane Henderson Logan ‘Jean’ Muir (1877-1941), Dr Muir’s eldest daughter

³ Sir Harold Jalland Stiles (1863-1946), KBE FRCS FRCSE FRSE, MB, ChB (Edinburgh) 1885, British surgeon; he held various posts at Edinburgh and in 1919 was to succeed Prof Francis Mitchell Caird (with whom Dr Muir was familiar) as Regius Professor of Clinic Surgery at Edinburgh University

⁴ Stewart Muir ‘Little Stewart’ Roberts (1908-2003), Dr Muir’s grandson

⁵ Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir (1878-1948), Dr Muir’s second daughter

⁶ Tom McGregor and his daughter have not been identified

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/16, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1913]

Less wind: some drizzle at times: was not at church. Walked to Backrow, W Port, Mavisbank + Wellwood Stables. Gave chlor[oform] for two cases at Viewfield¹ + sat at the accounts for the rest of the day + finished [the letter] R. Mousey² went to evening service.

¹ Viewfield was the Practice’s relatively new premises

² 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]

Another of our occasional posts of 1913 transcripts

Was called up at 4.50 for Mrs Robert Thomson, Russell Cottage who had a d¹ at 5.30 being the 1^st child born in the Royal Burgh to have Maternity Benefit². Freezing hard roads very slippery especially the pavements. Was late of getting away as Baptie³ spent a lot of time trying to get the Mocar⁴ to start but failed + we had to take the Swift⁵. Messages to Fauldshope + Yarrowford. Motored there + in afternoon to Fairnilea. Went to lecture on Australia by Mrs Howard Kerr⁶ in Victoria Hall. Norman Grieve⁷ in Chair. Good turn out. Grieve a very pleasant + entertaining guest. Dora⁸ went to Edin. to interview the matron at Maternity Hospital. She will likely get a start in Feb. Stiles⁹ ‘phoned that there was a mass of glands between sterno-mastoid¹⁰ in Stewart’s neck¹¹.

¹ Janet Bartleman Thomson, daughter of Robert Thomson, woollen mill worker, and Janet Thomson née Melrose, born 16 January 1913 at Russell Cottage, Selkirk; her parents had married 15 July 1904 at Selkirk

² The National Insurance Act 1911 introduced “Payment in the case of the confinement of the wife or, where the child is a posthumous child, of the widow of an insured person, or of any other woman who is an insured person, of a sum of thirty shillings (in this Act called “maternity benefit”)” [The National Insurance Act 1911 (1 & 2 Geo. V., C.55) Sec. 8 (1) (e)]

³ Thomas Baptie (1860-1929), driver and handyman for Dr Muir

⁴ The Mo-Car Syndicate, which became the Arrol-Johnston Car Company Ltd. from 1905, was a joint venture between George Johnston, locomotive engineer, Sir William Arrol MP, engineer and others (and later William Beardmore) and produced a ‘dogcart’ with transverse seats back-to-back

⁵ The Swift was Dr Muir’s second motor car, the other being the Mo-car dogcart noted above

⁶ Mrs Howard Kerr is not identified but the diary entry for 15 January 1913 describes her as a lecturer for the Imperial Mission

⁷ Norman W Grieve appears to have moved to (or taken an interest in shootings in) the Selkirkshire and Roxburghshire areas around 1911 (Easter Buccleuch, Roberton; East and West Buccleuch, Ettrick, and East and West Deloraine and Whitehillshiels, Kirkhope, all 1914 Valuation Roll); it is probable that he is the Norman William Grieve (1852-1936), son of William Grieve and Sarah Clark [OPRs 27/02/1852 789/60 519 Hawick], born Hawick, who worked in tropical agriculture and as the director of public companies (rubber and tea companies according to A Hawick Word Book), and left £308,574.

⁸ Andrina Dorothy ‘Dora’ Muir (1882-1978), nurse and Dr Muir’s youngest daughter

⁹ Sir Harold Jalland Stiles (1863-1946), KBE FRCS FRCSE FRSE, MB, ChB (Edinburgh) 1885, British surgeon; he held various posts at Edinburgh and in 1919 was to succeed Prof Francis Mitchell Caird (with whom Dr Muir was in contact) as Regius Professor of Clinic Surgery at Edinburgh University

¹⁰ Sternocleidomastoid muscle

¹¹ Stewart Muir ‘Little Stewart’ Roberts (1908-2003), Dr Muir’s grandson

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/16, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1913]

A gale raged all night + today from N.W. It was much colder + there were some showers of sleet but mostly round about the hills. David¹ went to Ed. with Charlie Roberts² to see the France Scottish football match³. I motored to Clifton Road, High Street, Forest Road, Heatherlie, Philiphaugh Cottages, Bridge Street + Fairnilee Cottages + then cycled to Lilliesleaf. It was all right going but coming back the wind was terrific + I walked some hills I generally ride. Big crowd in at night. Did not get back till 3.30 – called for Jack⁴ who was hunting from [the] Haining. David did not [get] back till 8 + and went to Shaws⁵ after that.

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

² Charles Henry Roberts ‘Charlie‘ (1877-), tweed manufacturer

³ This was the Rugby international played on that date at Inverleith, Edinburgh and won by France 3 : 0 (one unconverted try)

⁴ John Roberts junior ‘Jack’ (1876-1966), mill owner and Provost of Selkirk, Dr Muir’s son-in-law

⁵ If this was Shaws, Selkirk then John Watson, farmer, was tenant but if Ettrick Shaws, Kirkhope is referred to there were a number of residents noted in the 1921 Valuation Roll

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