A warm day with strong S.W. wind. No rain. Made half a dozen town calls. Got letter from May. Wrote Helen [Muir] : Twice [?] Patrick [Muir]¹ : Kate McDonald &c². Marked out paid accounts. Mrs McIntosh called with 2 “peat briquettes” + 4 pears. When Bella³ was out in the afternoon + I was in the Smoke Room I heard the front door shut + looking out saw a motor at the gate + a lady leaving. I went down and found it was a Mrs Baird, a sister of Mrs M Lumgair⁴, who had called to leave a book of Frank Muir’s which he had lent her in Bombay⁵.

¹ Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963) and Patrick Rodger Stewart Muir (1879-1961), respectively Dr Muir’s third daughter and housekeeper and his only son, living in New Zealand since 1902

² Katherine or Kate Macdonald [or McDonald], wife of James C R Macdonald of Dumfries; the couple were friends of Dr Muir

³ Isabella ‘Bella’ Paulin (1873-), the Muir family housekeeper

⁴ Probably Mary Brown ‘Maisie’ Laidlaw (1886-1968), sister of Gladys M Lumgair née Laidlaw, widow of Robert Morrison ‘Morris’ Lumgair (1890-1917). Mary had married Alexander Edwin Baird (1881-1960), merchant, in 1915 at Hawick. Both women were daughters of Robert Grierson Laidlaw, tweed manufacturer, and Margaret Shiel ‘Maggie’ Laidlaw née Thomson, married 1882 at Wilton

⁵ Frank Logan Muir (1863-), one of Dr Muir’s nephews

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]

Excursion to Windlestrawlaw Law. Before starting saw Mrs G Brown, Victoria Crescent + vaccinated Lizzie Brown’s child. Munro + Allen motored from Midlem + started off at 11. I followed in Swift + picked up John Brown at the Bank. We made upon Munro at Caddonfoot but kept behind him till Innerleith [sic]. Got to Glentress at 12.30 + sent the motors back to Blackhaugh¹. It is quite an easy walk up the Burn. We lunched under the shelter of a peat hag at the top. It was a hazy day + we saw nothing. After leaving the top it started to rain + we got pretty wet. I quite missed the direction + we found ourselves at Trously in Luggate Water + had to climb back over the ridge to reach the Caddon². We struck the very head of it + walked down past Scroof + Caddonhead. Fortunately it faired then + the sun came out but it was after 6 when we reached the motor + mention [?] of being home at 5. It was after 7. I had to change + dine + attend war memorial meeting at 8. Wind S.

¹ Blackhaugh – approximate grid reference NGR NT423,382 – appears to have been where the drivers waited for them, a classic ‘linear’ walk

² Dr Muir took them quite a long way north of their correct route; they have ended up at Trously – approximate grid reference NGR NT384,459 – high on the Lugate Water

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]

Most charming day. Warm but not too hot : sunny : fresh after rain : a light S.W. wind. Dav. [Dr David Graham] attended Mr Dundas, Edenhill, who had a [stroke] at 1 p.m. almost with the same ? as last time. He also was present when Fraser from Edinburgh with an Anaesthetic removed an ? from George Roberts’ femur [at] Thornfield. I cycled to Yair + Fairnilee + attended annual meeting of Hospital Committee : + cycled to see Mr Duncan [?] at Prieston, a place I have not been to for many years, [and] came back by Midlem + called for ? but found them all out. Annie Little¹ was down + had tea with Bella².

¹ Ann Helen ‘Annie’ Little (1894-1968), of Hawkshaw, Kirkhope, Selkirkshire, she was Dr Muir’s servant for 6¹/₂ years until early 1918 when she left go to Moffat Hydro Military Hospital on V.A.D. work though by 1919 it seems she was back in Selkirkshire

² Isabella ‘Bella’ Paulin (1873-), Dr Muir’s housekeeper

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]

Rowan tree stripped by Blackbirds hardly a starling seen. Last year it was the 9th. This morning broke very dull + wet + it rained heavily up till midday then gradually cleared to a lovely afternoon with an extraordinary rise in temperature. Gave Mrs Cairney (May Kennoway) chlor[oform] + extracted teeth. Nurse Beck helped me. Motored to the Nest to see Mrs Miller’s sister, Mrs Paxton + made calls in Kirkwynd + Halliwells [?]. The Lady of the Magic Cave called with 1 a Pork Pie 2 a cream cheese 3 ¹/₂ dozen eggs + 4 tablet. Assisted Dav. [Dr David Graham] to curette Agnes Barton at the [House]. Baptie finished delivering the accounts. Had call from Margaret + Joy Rodger who are touring in a little motor.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]

A dull damp morning followed by a wet day till 2 when it faired but rained again later. Wind slight S.W. Jack + Nancy [various words deleted] to Troon to join Frank Muir. I once thought of going with them but Dav. [Dr David Graham, co-partner] had fixed an operation for Sunday. I made 5 town calls + was in the house for the rest of the day. Fixed up the books for September + started making out the 20 annual Hospital report. Got P.C. [post card] from Helen [Muir] to say she will be home on the 10th which is the day Tom Alexander comes.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]

Not quite as cold. Wind still N.W. just less strong. Walked down to Gray, Mavisbank + Wellwood before church. Went to morning service + after it cycled to Hospital, Kirkwynd + Castle Street. David [Graham, co-partner] came up in afternoon + we addressed all the town accounts + some county ones + I got the former arranged for delivery + the latter for posting. Supped at Wellwood¹. Jack feeling better².

¹ Dr Muir’s daughter Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir and son-in-law John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior and their family lived at Wellwood, Ettrick Terrace; collectively Dr Muir called them the Wellwooders

² Jack Roberts had been unwell, see diary entry for 28 August 1919

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]

Cold N.W. wind : dull in forenoon : sunny after. Motored to Glebe Terrace, Forest Mill, Ettrick Mill, Sunderland Hall Stables + Lodge, Yair [and] Mavisbank. At latter little John Gray had fits. Saw him again at 4.30 + at 9. Made out list of good accounts + separated town + country. [word(s) deleted] Motored to Edinburgh with David Lumgair¹ about a car the latter had bought + went to Lilliesleaf in afternoon.

¹ David Lumgair (1889-1932); woollen manufacturer and older brother of Morris Lumgair

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]

Still cold + N.W. wind but dry. Baptie got back at 12 last night after a very wet + dark journey¹. I cycled via Castle Street + Haining [to] Ettrick School. Turned aside to call at Cacrabank but met Mrs Wood on the road. Mrs Russell rather better. Called at P.O. [Post Office] + got message to see Captain Scott’s baby at Bowhill. Cycled about 39 miles. Was very ready for tea when I got back at 3. Met Jack + Nancy riding at Bowhill².
From Magic Cave a cold duck + pears.

¹ Thomas Baptie, Dr Muir’s driver, had to go to Skipton, Yorkshire to retrieve Dr Graham’s broken-down car

² Dr Muir’s daughter Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir and son-in-law John Roberts junior

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]

Cold dull morning N.E. wind. Rained heavily from 9.30 p.m. Baptie left by 9.30 for Shipton to bring back the Straker Squire¹. David [Graham] drove me with the Swift to Fairnilee where he removed the girl Hall’s tonsils : Sunderland Hall Lodge to a lesioned in-growing toe nail (George Crooks) & to the house where he removed an epulis from Annie Gibbons’ jaw. I walked out to Buxton after. In the morning I saw Jack [Roberts] who is threatened with a nervous breakdown + advised him to have a complete rest. Magic Cave = Tomatoes + Plums. Colonel Turnbull (“Hot Pipes”) left his card². Finished accounts.

¹ Dr David Graham and his wife had left the car which broke down and also rather spoilt their holiday – see entry for 15 August 1919

² Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Eyre ‘Hot Pipes’ Turnbull (1862-1927); ironfounder and soldier; he had been with the 23rd Battalion [Territorial], The Rifle Brigade at Multan, Punjab, and later Bareilly, United Provinces, during the First World War

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]

Fair today: strong chilly N.W. wind. The difference in temperature is bringing back my the deficient circulation in my hands + feet. Awfully little doing. Saw 4 town cases : made out accounts. Went to Ad. Brydon’s funeral at 1.40 at Netherbarns + then to Eastlands [Galashiels] Cemetery. Came back to tea at 3. Made out more accounts. David [Graham, co-partner] called about scheme at Viewfield. Jack [Roberts, son-in-law] looked in with Lorimer’s rough sketch for War Memorial¹. Letter from Helen [Muir]. ¹/₂ dozen eggs + 5 pears from Magic Cave.

¹ The Selkirk War Memorial, Ettrick Terrace, Selkirk, unveiled in 1922, was designed by architect Sir Robert Stodart Lorimer, KBE (1864-1929), Scottish architect and designer Lorimer – see 29 July 1919 diary entry

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]