Dull morning. Wind round to S.W. + glass very low. It had evidently rained all night but it kept fair all day till 7 p.m. when came on again. Cycled to Ashybank + Yair + then to Buxton. David [Graham, co-partner] went to Edinburgh yesterday from Skirling + left his Singer [Coupé] there returning by last train. Baptie motored him to Hangingshaw this morn[?] + then went to his [Baptie’s] mother’s funeral taking Bob Marshall with him. I made out some more accounts. Wrote Helen [Muir] + Tom Alexander who has asked me to take him for a few days.

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

Dull calm morning: glass falling E. Although I thought it might rain I started to cycle to Cacrabank at 10. It began to rain soon after + continued all day + up till at least 10.30 p.m. it was soon very heavy + there was hardly a breath of wind but it was the west test day for many weeks. I went up in 1 hour 28 minutes + came back about the same. I was as wet with sweat under my cape as if I hadn’t worn it. In afternoon I motored to Heatherlie + Smedheugh + to the ? again Buxton at 7.15. David [Graham, co-partner] away with his sister at Skirling. Adam Brydon, Netherbarns, died yesterday¹.

¹ Adam Brydon, farmer, died 24 August 1919, aged 83, at Netherbarns, Galashiels; he was the son of John Brydon, farmer and Eliza Brydon née Gibson and widower of Isabella Howe

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

Very pleasant day with just the right temperature: no more rain. Wind slight N.W. to N.E. Operations on Robert Ewart (lachrymal abscess) at Mauldsheugh, on boy Dagg (tonsils + adenoids) at Smedheugh + baby Girdwood (circum[cision]) at Castle Street. Dav. [Dr David Graham, co-partner] drove me in the little Singer Coupé! Walked out to Buxton after + lingered [?] a little on the hill. Addressed some County accounts + made out list. Went to evening service + supped at Wellwood + at 8.30 got message to Mrs Wood, Cacrabank with Epistoris. Jack [Roberts] kindly drove me up + Barb + Jock went. Called at Tushielaw + saw Grieve + [illegible]. Grieve gave me [illegible]. Got back at 11.

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

I was knocked up at 6 a.m. by a ‘phone message to Mrs James Wilson, Fauldshope. It was raining heavily when we started. Beyond the Priory the car began to back fire + finally stopped at 1 mile. Baptie worked away for half an hour or more + then I walked back in the rain to get David’s car. I found him away to Prieston: ‘phoned to Bryson for a car but before he came Baptie turned up having managed to remedy the defect. I was an hour longer however of getting to Fauldshope. It turned out a false alarm + I was only 10 minutes there. In forenoon motored to Tait’s Hill, Dunsdale, Peelburnfoot, Yair + out to Buxton [?]. On returning at 1.30 Baptie got message that his mother was dying + motored up. She died ³/₄ of an hour after he arrived. I made out some more accounts.

¹ The Priory, South West Heatherlie, on Ettrick Road and above Mauldsheugh, see Ordnance Survey 25″ Selkirkshire Sheet XII.5, published 1932 https://maps.nls.uk/view/82905333/

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

Called up at 3.15 a.m. to see Mrs Henderson, Buxton¹, who had a M.C.² It was raining slightly + very dark. Immediately after breakfast had to go down to see Stirling [?] , Curror Street, + use Catheter. Motored via Yarrow Cottage (Mrs Baptie very low) to Ettrick School + saw Mr R who is getting very senile. Attended Mark Napier’s funeral at 12³. Service in church. His widow + 2 sons: Colonel Napier: Lady N Napier were all the relatives. [The] very few others included Lord + Lady Glenconner⁴. Spoke to Jack N. + afterwards at P.O. to Mrs Mark [Napier] + her son⁵. Poor Jack N. very much overcome. Called for Mr McGuire, Newburgh + walked to Howford Hill to find that the girl was away to Kirklea. Got home at 3. Made out more accounts. From Magic Cave a Pork Pie: cream cheese, Polony sausage + tablet.

¹ Presumably the Hendersons of Buckstone or Buxton Cottage, Selkirk; the cottage is just south of Dean Burn on what is now the Border Abbeys Way, grid reference NGR NT482,286, see Ordnance Survey 25″ Selkirkshire Sheet XII.5, published 1899 https://maps.nls.uk/view/82905330/

² The Editor assumes M.C. refers to miscarriage

³ Assume The Hon. Mark Francis Napier (1852-1919); barrister and company director, son of Francis Napier, 10th Lord Napier of Merchistoun q.v. and Anne Jane Charlotte Napier née Lockwood and husband of Emily Jones; he had died 19 August at Inverness

⁴ It has not so far been possible to identify Mark Napier’s sons

⁵ Presumably Sir Edward Priaulx Tennant (1859-1920), Baron Glenconner; Scottish Liberal politician and Lady Glenconner (Pamela Tennant née Wyndham)

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

A very fine day: clear + bright with a pretty strong W.N.W. wind. David [Graham, co-partner], who was up at Blackhouse¹ in the early morning attending Mrs Allan Crozier, said there was some heavy rain. I cycled to Ashybank [and] Yair + came back by Forest [?] Mill at 12 o’clock. Then saw Mrs Mabon + old Mrs Miller + went at the books. I was very little disturbed. Wrote Helen [Muir] + Boylan². The latter is at St Leonard’s [Sussex] + wanted to know if he might bathe. Got a pork pie + a kind note from the “Magic Cave”³.

¹ Blackhouse, above Dryhope, approximate grid reference NGR NT280,272

² John Dun Boylan (1850-1924) civil engineer and egotistical friend of Dr Muir, sometime resident of Shawmount, Selkirk

³ It has to be a reasonable assumption that the ‘Magic Cave’ refers to Elm Park or its resident Agnes Mackintosh née Watson, formerly Harper (1859-1946), widowed for the third time by 1919 and living at Elm Park, Selkirk; she had been showering Dr Muir with food parcels for a while by August 1919

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

Feeling nearly all right today + yesterday’s langour has passed. Cycled early to Yair returning by Hospital. Spent the afternoon making out accounts. David [Graham, co-partner] came up in the little Singer Coupé which he bought as a spec at Skipton. Asked him to see Robert Ballantyne, Mavisbank, who had a suspicion of appendicitis. I cycled down in the evening + found him better.

There was some pretty heavy rain in the afternoon.

¹ Singer Motors made some nice little two-seaters such as the 10 H.P. of 1913-1916; perhaps this is what is referred to here?

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

Had a bad night with indigestion + felt very miserable + flat all day. All I did was to cycle to Yair + make two or three town calls. Dav. [David Graham, co-partner] had not much to do either. Dora [Muir] went back to Edinburgh at 6. It is sad to see Dora so detached + so indifferent. She seems to take interest in nothing. She is also I fear extravagant in dress + though getting about £90 a year seems to spend it all. She is sadly lacking in [earnest?] definite purpose. I partly blame the blackguard who drew his filthy trail across her path¹.

¹ Earlier in 2019 Dr Muir had concerns about Dr Pilot, his daughter Dora’s supposed fiancé, who was in fact already married; she became aware of this and broke off the engagement

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

There was a heavy shower this morning (about 4 a.m. according to Baptie) but a strong S.W. wind soon dried it up. It was a fine day + bearably warm. David [Graham, co-partner] went to Edinburgh with Edith Scott Noble¹ then asked to see a consultant. I got a message to Beechwood + words deleted motored there (it was chiefly to ask me to pay quarterly visits), Yair, Peelburnfoot + Faldonside. Saw three town cases when I came back. [?] called, he is living in the Midlem Manse. Cath + Jenny Smith came to supper. Murray has sold my Singer bicycle to Martin the baker² for £9 + gave me £8.

¹ Assume Edith Alice Scott Noble née Hutton (1893-1974), wife of Robert Scott Noble, tweed manufacturer – see diary entry for 17 August 1919

² Assume William Martin, baker, at 33 Market Place, Selkirk [1919 Valuation Roll]

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

Very little doing. David [Graham, co-partner] got a message on Friday to Hutton, Raeside but fortunately before he went discovered it was “Braeside” to see Edith’s kid¹. Today I gave chlor[oform] to Mrs Menhuth [?] for removal of urethral caruncle. I then cycled to Yair where I had to open the cycling in Dub’s [?]². I went to evening service + Dora [Muir] + I supped at Elmpark.

¹ Presumably Alice Holt Scott Noble (1916-), daughter of Edith Alice Scott Noble née Hutton (1893-1974), wife of Robert Scott Noble, tweed manufacturer, they had married in 1914; Edith herself was the daughter of George Sime Hutton, tweed manufacturer, and Alice Hutton née Holt

² Frank Albert Dubs (1860-1920), engineer and locomotive builder, later of ‘private means’, with nine servants [source: 1911 census], born Anderston, Glasgow

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