Walked via Hospital + Broomhill to Greenhead + Briarbank. David [Graham] at Harehead, Hawkshaw, Ramsaycleuch + Crook Cottage.
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]
Frost gone + thaw set in but swiftly with rise of temperature. No wind at all: sunless. D [Dr David Graham] + I saw Agnes Thomson, Hill Street, + decided she should be operated on for appendicitis. Message to Bob Currie1. Walked via Bridge Street to Yair + Fairnilee Cottages returning via Hospital. Got back a little after 3. Roads getting soft but still fair going. Had Kelty with me.
1 Robert Currie (about 1857-1923), woollen hosiery manufacturer, lived at Byethorn, Selkirk [where the Selkirk High School is today], though he died at Rockville on the opposite side of Hillside and a little further out of Selkirk
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]
So far as a winter day can be ‘glorious’ this certainly was. Keen frost: unclouded sky perfect calm: dry atmosphere. Poor old Murdoch very weak. D. [Dr David Graham] curetted1 the girl Mathieson from Faldonside at Hopes, Bridge Street. I gave Chlor[oform]. Then I walked via Kirkwynd to Briarbank + Greenhead. It was most enjoyable + I sat for a while on one of the benches on the hill + enjoyed the sunshine while Keltie [dog] hunted field mice among the heather. Letter from Barbara2. Baptie a little better + able to sit up3. Johnstone, Greenhead, has bought Bow’s house at Ashybank4.
1 Assume ‘dilation and curettage’ or D&C, a gynaecological procedure in use from the late 19th Century
2 Andrina Barbara Henderson ‘Barbara’ Roberts, later Thwigg (1902-1996); Dr Muir’s granddaughter
3 Thomas Baptie (1860-1929), driver for Dr Muir, his son died 1918 and Thomas had been unwell more recently
4 The editor assumes that this is one the two individuals named William Johnstone, one aged 56, the other 32, living with their respective families at Greenhead [source: Valuation Roll, 1920]
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]
Very keen frost. [illegible words]. Went to morning service: communion. Half a doz. town cases including Baptie who is still in bed. After then walked to Hospital + Greenhead. At 9 was called to Walt Hill [?], Briarbank1. Lovely clear night + bright moonlight. Snow yelling2. In the morning gave Lizzie Henderson Chlor[oform] + extracted teeth.
1 The resident of Briarbank, 1918 Valuation Roll, was Walter Hogg but Walter Hill, retired farmer aged 62, died there 12 November 1919 of “malignant disease of the stomach several months” certified by John Stewart Muir
2 Yell, v., n. Sc. usages: 2. Of frost: to crackle, be crisp, in ppl.adj. yellin, crisp, hard (Bwk. 1942 Wettstein, a yelling frost). Cf. Gell, v.1, Gell, adj. [Source: Dictionar o the Scots Leid]
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]
Hard frost + a fine day. No country work at all except Greenhead. Saw town cases: delivered communion cards + walked to Greenhead via Buxton + back by Shawmount1. Tobogganing in great force on Joe’s [?] Brae. Dora2 went back to Edin. by last train. She + H3 had tea at Wellwood4. Lot of people at night. Saw Ella Johnston Tait ? the Baker’s wife + daughter at night for Dav. [Dr David Graham] who had a sore foot.
1 Dr Muir walked out via Buxton (grid reference NGR NT482287) to Greenhead, for part of the walk following what is now the Borders Abbeys Way, and returning via Shawmount on the Selkirk to Half Crown Corner Road
Note: this blog expresses grid references in a standard format: if you paste the two letters and six integers into a map resource such as www.streetmap.co.uk it will guide you to that location
2 Andrina Dorothy ‘Dora’ Muir (1882-1978), Dr Muir’s youngest daughter
3 Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter
4 The sisters were visiting Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir (1878-1948), Dr Muir’s second daughter, their sister and one of the ‘Wellwooders’
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]
High barometer S. Calm: frost slight. Shower of snow at 2. My 74th birthday. Letters from May [Mary ?], Guy + Jean1: white knitted muffler from Patons2; cake from Mousey3: book (Olivia), shortbread + chocs from Mrs Mackintosh4: a dozen eggs from Bella Miller who is at Hawthornside5. Acknowledged all them [sic]. Walked to Hospital + Linglie Mill. Attended a small debt court as Sheriff Sub. + then walked again to Hospital + Linglie Mill. John McIntyre called + took objection to his daughter Mona being in the same ward as the lad from Clerklands. He was very high + mighty + unreasonable.
1 Gavin Struthers ‘Guy’ Muir (1846-1927); United Free Church of Scotland minister and Jane Henderson Logan ‘Jean’ Muir (1877-1941), Dr Muir’s brother and eldest daughter
2 The Paton sisters, Isabella Clementina ‘Isa’ Paton (about 1838-1929) and Marion Agnes Paton (about 1841-1940); women of independent means but by the end of the First World War struggling financially – the community raised funds to support their flitting in May 1918
3 Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter and his housekeeper
4 Possibly Agnes MacIntosh, widow, 1919 Valuation Roll
5 Possibly Hawthornside Farm, Hawick, just west of Bonchester Bridge
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]
Very sudden + keen frost last night: brilliant morning. Ice on [river ?] : snow equally dull in afternoon + frost much less. Examined 12 Belgians in Pollok office [sic] who are leaving tomorrow1. The Crombruggen ? from Lindean Mill and those from Sunderland Hall. Walked to Hospital, Gib & Lum + got to Mauldsheugh at 11 where D. [Dr David Graham] had 2 Ton + ad [tonsils and adenoids]. (One of them the late organist Dickson’s son). Baptie in bed with slight [fluing ?] after tea saw some more cases including Mrs Russell + at 4 had to go to see Mrs Wharton + her daughter with flue [sic]. Annie Little called on her way home on a fortnight sick leave2. She has rheumatism. H & D [Helen and Dora Muir] went to a concert + took Louise with my ticket3.
1 There was a very large influx of Belgian refugees during the First World War and references in Dr Muir’s diary reflect this; these are presumably some of the last to leave and are at the office of John Pollok (1858-1938) Town Clerk and Procurator Fiscal, Selkirk
2 Ann Helen ‘Annie’ Little (1894-1968) of Hawkshaw, Kirkhope, Selkirkshire, Dr Muir’s servant for 6½ years until early 1918 when she left go to Moffat Hydro Military Hospital on V.A.D. work
3 Louisa Jane Roberts (1906-1982), niece of Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963) and Andrina Dorothy ‘Dora’ Muir (1882-1978), Dr Muir’s third and youngest daughters respectively
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]
Fresh snow during the night + a pretty heavy fall from 4 to 6. No frost but snow lying out of traffic. Saw some town cases walking. No County work. Dav. [Dr David Graham] met Fraser at Galashiels + at 5 he operated Flora Harper for appendicitis. Her appendix was swollen, adherent + full of pus. I got a late message to And[rew] Brown, Dunreay1 + didn’t get my dinner till after 8. H. + D. went to the picture house with Nancy2.
1 Dunreay, Selkirk, home of the Brown family comprising Andrew Brown, hosiery manufacturer, and Wilhelmina Brown and their children Isabella Brown (1869-), Maggie Turnbull Brown (1870-); preparatory school mistress and art teacher, George Brown (1873-), hosiery manufacturer, and Minnie Mackay Brown (1874-1966), school teacher and later a nurse, member of the Selkirk Voluntary Aid Detachment of the British Red Cross Society, who left for Egypt in 1915 and served there and in France
2 Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter, Andrina Dorothy ‘Dora’ Muir (1882-1978), Dr Muir’s youngest daughter and Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir (1878-1948), Dr Muir’s second daughter
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]
Very cold day with light fall of snow at frequent intervals a good deal of which which melted on the roads. Fields + hills white however. Stewart’s 11th birthday: gave him 2/- [shillings]1. Motored to Ravensheugh, [The] Firs, Fairnilee Cotts + Nest. D [David] went up to Midgehope, Kirkhope, Broadmeadows + General’s Bridge. I saw some town cases in afternoon. Helen went to Edin[burgh] to meet a friend + Jean2 . Boylan called for Dora3. Did not get to meeting of Division.
1 Stewart Muir ‘Little Stewart’ Roberts (1908-2003); O.B.E., D.L.; businessman and local government politician
2 Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter and Jane Henderson Logan ‘Jean’ Muir (1877-1941), his eldest daughter
3 John Dun Boylan (1850-1924) civil engineer, acquaintance of Dr Muir and Andrina Dorothy ‘Dora’ Muir (1882-1978), Dr Muir’s youngest daughter
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]
Breakfasted by daylight at 8. Rather a clearer day with a little sunshine. Gentle thaw but signs of frost at night. We arranged that D. [Dr David Graham] was to do the town while I went to [?] Beechwood, Yarrowford, Yarrow Manse + Mt Benger which I did but D. was called in the forenoon x x Midgehope Cottage (x). I got back at 2. Wrote McRobert handing over Mr Scott, Mt Benger whom I told of my intention. Dora [Muir] came back from Mauldsheugh. Letter from Jean [Muir].
[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/22, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1919]
Rumbling Clint's Scottish Notes 