Magnificent day with an almost cloudless sky + wind, though E., very slight. Dear Mousey¹ came back tonight looking very well + having thoroughly enjoyed herself. Saw David make the artificial anus in And. Riddell at Viewfield². Cycled to Forest Road, Glebe, Heathpark + on to Lilliesleaf via Greenhill to see a Mrs Scott whom I saw last Sat. + who lives in Mackay³ the old School Master’s house now called Cheviot View⁴. Took tea with me + had it between Houdshall + Clarilawmuir⁵. Then went on via Lindean to Faldonside + back to Hospital. Had some 17 Vaccinations at night.

¹ Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter

² See diary entry for 6 June 1920

³ James West Mackay, sometimes M^cKay (c.1826-), parochial schoolmaster, aged 35 and living at the parochial school house in 1861 Census, he was later the Inspector of Poor and Registrar while his wife Joanna Mackay née Kennedy, formerly MacArthur (c.1838-1903), was the School Superintendent – they had married in 1881 after she had divorced John MacArthur (whom she had married in 1858); James appears to have flitted immediately after his wife’s death

⁴ Cheviotview, Lilliesleaf, where William Smith was proprietor, 1920 Valuation Roll

⁵ Houdshall, grid reference NGR NT516,279 and Clarilawmuir, NT512,286, both between Selkirk and Midlem

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/23, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1920]

Letter from Helen [Muir] to say she was coming home on Wednesday + later a wire that she would come tomorrow. Message to see Cath. Duff¹, house tablemaid at Faldonside. Gave her a hypo of Heroin over the Sacrum + left. When I was at Bridgeheugh the gardener came cycling to ask me to go back. Jessie [Brack Boyd²] had got frightened at the effect of the Heroin. As she was leaving for Rodono¹ this afternoon I promised to go down again which I did at 5. Had some 3 Vaccinations at night.

¹ Not identified

² Jessie Milne Brack Boyd (1867-1961), of Faldonside, plantswoman and gardener

³ It is not obvious why Jessie Boyd chose Rodono [Ettrick, Valuation Roll, though Canmore states Yarrow], the majority of which was owned by Hugo Richard Charteris (1857-1937), 11th Earl of Wemyss and March, unless she has gone to stay long term at the Rodono Hotel

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/23, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1920]

We had a busy morning at Viewfield¹. Scott Skirving² operated on And. Riddell³ hoping to remove a tumour in the caecum but found he couldn’t + performed a colostomy. Then Dav. [Graham, co-partner] operated on Miss Lees for appendicitis + after to remove a large calcified fibroid with the ovaries + uterus + then did a skin grafting on John Geddes’ hand. We began at 11 + finished at 2. I brought D. + Skirving over here + gave them a glass of white Port. There was almost no other work. I had to go up to Rockville. Did not get to church at all. Nancy, Jack⁴ + Minnie Baillie⁵ came for supper.

¹ Viewfield had seen its first operations two days before

² Archibald Adam Scott Skirving (1869-1930), lecturer in clinical surgery, Royal Edinburgh Infirmary; graduated M.B., C.M. at Edinburgh University, 1893, later lectured in surgery at the Edinburgh School of Medicine and served in the South African War (1899-1901) and in the First World War (1914-1918) as Major in the R.A.M.C. [Source: https://aim25.com/cats/20/11174.htm%5D

³ Assume Andrew Riddell, draper, of Lilliesleaf

⁴ Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir (1878-1948), Dr Muir’s second daughter and John Roberts junior ‘Jack’ (1876-1966)

⁵ Unidentified, but see diary entry for 4 June 1920

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/23, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1920]

A dry day with very sharp N.E. wind. Saw a few town cases + then, as Dav. was busy getting things ready for the operation on Andrew Riddell tomorrow, I did Lilliesleaf. Left at 1.40 + went to Kirklea¹ where I Vaccinated Madge² + the cook: then to Lilliesleaf calling at Elliot’s³ + Woodger’s⁴: at House [?] Vaccinated 33 mostly kids + at the Manse Lynn + Cook. It was after 4 before I got away + I went on to Bewlie Mains⁵ + took my tea in a warm nook. Got home at 6 + did 16 Vaccinations. Got down to Mauldsheugh for dinner at 8.25. Scott Skirving⁶ there.

¹ Kirklea, Ashkirk, home of William Henry ‘W H’ Ogilvie (1869-1963), poet, author, journalist and one of Australia’s great Bush poets

² Katherine Margaret ‘Madge’ Ogilvie née Scott Anderson (1879-1965), wife of W H Ogilvie

³ There are too many Elliots in Lilliesleaf to be able to identify anyone with confidence

⁴ Assume Mark Sprot Woodger, see diary for 26 May 1920

⁵ Bewlie Mains, Lilliesleaf, grid reference NGR NT551,254

⁶ Archibald Adam Scott Skirving (1869-1930), M.B., C.M., lecturer in Clinical Surgery, Royal Edinburgh Infirmary – see diary entry for 6 June 1920

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/23, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1920]

Today we opened Viewfield nursing home with 4 operations viz. Nelly Gallacher (appendicitis): a girl Turner from Lilliesleaf (Hallux valgus): McLair (haemorrhoids) + Mrs Johnstone, Crook Cottage (curetting). The West Kitchen – all clean + white – made a good theatre + with a bright sun was well lighted. We were occupied from 10 till 1.40. In the afternoon I cycled to Raeburn Meadow, Ettrickbank + Forest Mills. Dined at Elmpark¹, Nancy + Jack², Dav. + Norah³ + [?] Minnie Baillie⁴ also there. Took down a photo group in which Tom Hamilton figures to show his daughter⁵. It was Mrs MacIntosh’s birthday + we drank her health.

¹ Elm Park, Selkirk, home of Agnes Mackintosh, née Watson, formerly Harper (1859-1946)

² Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir (1878-1948), Dr Muir’s daughter, and John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1866-1966)

³ David Charteris ‘Dav.’ Graham (1889-1963), medical practitioner and Norah Graham née West (1887-1971)

⁴ Unidentified, see below

⁵ Thomas Hamilton only had one daughter, Helen Gladys, who married Mrs Simpson’s son (Agnes Mackintosh’s nephew) in 1921; he was at Elm Park at this time (see diary entry for 3 June)

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/23, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1920]

[Text at top of page transcribed as part of 31 May entry]

Dull morning + a wet afternoon. Saw a few town cases walking + left at 12 for a cycle run. Called for Jessie Boyd¹ + then went to Melrose, Leaderfoot, Smailholm, Mellerstain, Middlethird, Greenlaw, Choicelee², Westruther + Lauder. Took my tea beyond Middlethird. Near Greenlaw it began to rain + I nearly returned [?]. It was very wet before Polwarth but faired after Choicelee. Kept fair till before Lauder + was wet all the way home. I was soaked through. Got hot bath. W. + S. [whisky & soda ?], dined + went down to Elmpark with a trout which Johnny Murray sent me. Mrs Simpson³ + her son’s fiancée there⁴. The latter is a daughter of Tom Hamilton my “Graceful Consort”⁵.

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

² Middlethird, Gordon, grid reference NGR NT678,435, and Choicelee, Langton (Gavinton), NT746511 – Dr Muir has done a longish loop into Berwickshire almost reaching Duns but turning off at Choicelee towards Westruther on what is now the B6456

³ Margaret ‘Maggie’ Simpson née Watson (1857-1939), sister of Mrs Agnes Mackintosh née Watson of Elm Park, Selkirk

⁴ John Watson Simpson (d.1929), M.B., son of Margaret Simpson (above) who married, 1921, Helen Gladys Hamilton (1890-1984); she was the daughter of Thomas Hamilton (1843-1918), M.B., F.R.C.S.E., surgeon and general practitioner, born Edinburgh and brother of Robert Hamilton (about 1843-1234), M.A. Oxon, Advocate of the Scottish Bar and Sheriff Substitute Of Midlothian

⁵ The Editor reads this as Graceful Consort, the most likely reference being to a duet from Haydn’s oratorio ‘The Creation’, but the allusion is not obvious in this context except to say that Dr Muir must have been a near contemporary of Hamilton’s at medical school

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/23, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1920]

Rather a dry arid day with W.N.W. wind. Mrs William Brunton¹, Backrow, confined. Didn’t expect her till after 15th. She is living with Rob. Brunton who has flitted to the house above Blair the butcher. The child was born in my absence at 11.20. Message to Dewar², Prieston, cycled there. Had my hair cut. Vaccinated 15 people. David [Graham] went to a meeting of the Medico Chirurgical Society³.

¹ Catherine Lilico Brunton, later Dunbar, born 2 June 1920, died 5 November 1968 she was the daughter of William Moffat Brunton, mechanical engineer, and Elizabeth Duncan Brunton née Fraser

² William Dewar was an Inhabitant Occupier of a house at Prieston, Bowden, Roxburghshire, 1920 Valuation Roll

³ “Based on the successful Medico-Chirurgical Society of London, The Medico-Chirurgical Society of Edinburgh was founded in 1821 by our first president, Dr Andrew Duncan. In the beginning, the main object of the Society was “communication of facts and the interchange of opinions on medical subjects and the collection and preservation of important practical observations so frequently made by gentleman whose avocations do not permit them to undertake separate publications”. http://www.edmedchi.co.uk

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/23, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1920]

Not a cold day today but blowy from W. Dora [Muir] left at 5.51 for Edinburgh to assist Jean [Muir] at her tea room for a while. I had to hire from Bryson¹ as D. [David Graham] was using the car. Walked to Curror Street, Tweed + Linglie Mills + Hospital. Banked £220. Saw A Riddell² from Lilliesleaf, our first patient at Viewfield³. Pulled a lot tulips + Endymion⁴ for Dora to take to Jean. Wrote Mrs McGill, Springholm⁵ + Swift Co⁶. 2^nd postage began today. Did 40 Vaccinations. Total now over £200.

¹ Bryson, later Croall Bryson, a Selkirk motor garage and vehicle hire

² Assume Andrew Riddell, draper, of Lilliesleaf

³ Viewfield, now the Andrew Lang Unit, had been acquired in 1920 by the Muir & Graham co-partnery as a surgery and cottage hospital; its previous tenant had been Alexina Margaret Buist (1853-1936)

⁴ Endymion, the English bluebell or wild Hyacinth – Hyacinthaceae – sometimes named Endymion non-scriptus – though the naming is agreed to be confusing

⁵ Janet MacGilvray, tenant occupier at Crocketford Special Water District, Kirkpatrick Durham, Kirkcudbrightshire [1920 Valuation Roll] seems to be the only possible match

⁶ Swift Motor Co., whose motor Dr Muir has had problems with going back several years

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/23, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1920]

(Scott) Painters busy at the outside wood work + Smith at the gates + railing.

Decidedly cold today, wind W. & N.W. Shower at 9 + a little in evening: Tweed + Ettrick full. Dav. [Graham] better but didn’t go out to see anybody. Cycled to Elmrow, Goslaw Green &c + up to Oakwoodmill: called at Mauldsheugh + on to Bogle House, East Lodge, Dunsdale + Forest Road. Vaccinated 40 at night = 27 private + 13 insured. Had to send away a lot as I ran out of Lymph. Paid my War Memorial Subscription. £20 + gave Ross the £1 I got from Mrs McGill. Drew £200 from M & G [Muir & Graham co-partnery].

Smith & Son repairing railing.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/23, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1920]

Heavy rain during night + this morning. River full + coloured. Faired after in forenoon + a N. to N.W. wind dried up the roads. It was not nearly as warm. Dav. [Graham, co-partner] in bed with diarrhoea. Motored to Forest Road, Dunsdale + Sunderland Hall East Lodge + Curror Street + went to morning service. Was called hurriedly about 4.30 to a boy who had fallen in the river at the “Wee Haugh”, cycled right down O.B. [Old Bridge] Road but could find no trace of any accident. Looked in on D. [Graham]. Went to evening service. Do. [Dora] + I supped at Wellwood. Vaccinated Nancy, Wallace [?] + Tim. Jack¹ in London.

¹ Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir (1878-1948), her youngest child, George Edward ‘Tim’ Roberts (1911-2005), Wallace, an unidentied person possibly one of the staff, and John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966), Nancy’s husband and Tim’s father

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/23, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1920]