There was a return of the Sou’ West gale today but with less rain than Friday. The young leaves were badly littered [?] + scattered. At night the wind was W. but less. It was too threatening to cycle but I did the Hospital + then motored to Ettrickbridgend + Dunsdale. Lizzie McLean¹ informed she was better having been to Edinburgh to a bonesetter who had reduced the disloc. of her knee! David² asked me to go to Newarkburn to see old Mrs Wallace³ + I motored there in afternoon. Went to evening service + supped at Wellwood.⁴ Charlie Herdman⁵ was there + old Harry Murray⁶ but he didn’t stay for supper.

¹ Elizabeth Parkman ‘Lizzie’ McLean (1882-1933), a wheel winder at Edward Gardiner & Son, woollen manufacturer, living at 2 Dunsdale Cottages, Selkirk with her father William (about 1851-1924), aged 70, a Gaelic speaking stone-breaker [1921 Census].

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

³ Assume Agnes Wallace née Gray (about 1836-1930).

⁴ Wellwood, Ettrick Terrace, Selkirk, home of Dr Muir’s daughter Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Muir later Roberts (1878-1948), Dr Muir’s second daughter, her husband John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966), mill owner, and their children

⁵ Charles William ‘Charlie’ Herdman (1880-1956), Proprietor Occupier, Friarshaugh and Friarshall, Melrose [1921 Valuation Roll, VR011600033-/590, Roxburgh County, page 590 of 993].

⁶ Probably Lieutenant Colonel Henry Smith ‘Harry’ Murray (1858-1924), army officer, King’s Own Scottish Borderers, later a mining company director, of Glenmayne, Galashiels (but died at Hotel Gassion, Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France).

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/26, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1923]

Rather a nice forenoon + less wind : mild : + very clear but after 3 mist gradually came down and it drizzled occasionally. Saw town cases walking. Cycled to Hospital + then to Whitmuir (Jackson¹ a doubtful case of Scarlet), Midlem and Lilliesleaf. Met James Simpson + his 2 girls at Whitmuirhall.² Had an unsuccessful hunt for Coralorgza [?]. Messages to Beechwood + Tom Mitchell, Ettrickbridgend.³ Motored there [and] examined William Lillico⁴ for the [illegible] Insurance Co. Got share certificate of Esparto Paper Mills⁵ [illegible].

¹ William Jackson, shepherd, was Inhabitant Occupier not rated of a house at Whitmiur, Selkirk [1923 Valuation Roll, VR011700009-/437, Selkirk County, page 437 of 605].

² The Simpsons are as yet unidentified.

³ Thomas Mitchell (1867-1937), master joiner was proprietor of the tenants improvenemts gas engine, ‘tenants erections’ and a hayshed at Ettrickbridgend, Kirkhope [1923 Valuation Rolls].

⁴ William Lillico (1870-1949), powerloom tuner foreman for George Lees & Co., tweed manufacturer, was recorded at 42 Livingstone Place, Galashiels, in the 1921 Census.

⁵ Dr Muir had earlier in the year bought some shares in the Esparto Paper Mills Company, a shortlived iteration of the Carron Grove Paper Co. at Carronshore, Falkirk, see diary entry for 3 April 1923.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/26, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1923]

A Sou’ Wester + rain all day. Faired about 6 + another heavy shower at 8. Bad day for Hawick Common Riding.¹ Saw a few cases walking + saw Dav.² dress some cases at the Home³ + went to Mrs Dunn, Marion Crescent⁴ with him. Wrote Norman Grieve⁵ + sent him Guthrie’s verses about the Putting Green + “No.9”.⁶ Felt better today + enjoyed my meals.⁷ Took some cold tongue + lager for lunch instead of tea.

¹ The Hawick Common Riding was held in poor weather conditions in 1923, in complete contrast to the Common Riding as it is taking place this weekend, a century later.

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

³ The Home is Viewfield, the Muir and Graham medical partnership’s nursing home.

⁴ Assume this refers to Agnes Ralph Dunn née Waldie (1858-1926), of 1 Marion Crescent, Selkirk.

⁵ See also diary entry for 7 June 1923. Norman William Grieve who appears to have moved to (or taken an interest in property in) the Selkirkshire and Roxburghshire areas around 1911. It is feasible that he is the Norman William Grieve (about 1852-1936), born Hawick, who worked in tropical agriculture and as the director of public companies (rubber and tea companies according to A Hawick Word Book), he left £308,574.

⁶ It is not yet clear what the poems might be or if this refers to Jean Frances Guthrie Smith, later Neal (1895-1949), a relative of Dr Muir and a poet. She was published alongside authors such as D H Lawrence, John Middleton Murry, Henri Gaudier Brzeska and Isaac Rosenberg and in 1922 published ‘Adventure Square’, London: Hodder and Stoughton.

⁷ Dr Muir had been suffering from Dyspepsia again.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/26, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1923]

Not quite so cold N.W. + S.W. [wind]. Some sun in afternoon. Feeling very dyspeptic + fagged. Cycled to Viewfield, Halliday’s Park, Dunsdale, Hospital + Shawpark.¹ Boylan improving. Was in town all afternoon + took only a cup of Bovril for lunch. Letter from Norman Grieve² in which he says he knows A G Bradley.³ Had a meeting of cyclists on Tennis Lawn where a Committee was appointed to draw up rules. They afterwards met in the dining room.⁴

¹ Shawpark, Selkirk, home of John Dun Boylan (1850-1924), civil engineer, an acquaintance of Dr Muir who was present when Boylan had a heart attack on 11 March 1923.

² Norman William Grieve who appears to have moved to (or taken an interest in property in) the Selkirkshire and Roxburghshire areas around 1911. It is feasible that he is the Norman William Grieve (about 1852-1936), born Hawick, who worked in tropical agriculture and as the director of public companies (rubber and tea companies according to A Hawick Word Book), he left £308,574.

³ Assume Arthur Granville Bradley (1850-1943), colonial agent and author of many books including ‘The Romance of Northumberland’, Methuen and Co., London, 1908.

⁴ The bowling green was adjacent to Dr Muir’s house in Scott’s Place, Selkirk.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/26, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1923]

Not much wind but N.E. to E. + no sun. Some rain at 7 p.m. Walked to Yarrow Terrace, Dunsdale, Curror Street + Goslaw Green seeing 9 cases. Went to a meeting of Visiting Committee at Hospital about fees for outsiders [and ?] economy in food + gas + man for ground. Then to the annual meeting of the St Andrew Ambulance Association in Town Hall at which were present Chas. Roberts¹, Menzies², Johnston³, Sam Steel⁴, Chalmers⁵ + self. We resolved to get some alterations made on the ambulance.

¹ Assume Charles Henry ‘Charlie’ Roberts (1877-1954), born New Zealand, tweed manufacturer, of Thornfield, 25 Scott’s Place, Selkirk.

² James Morris Menzies (1871-1926), M.B., Ch.M., M.D., medical practitioner, of Ettrick Lodge, Selkirk.

³ Johnston is unidentified.

⁴ Samuel ‘Sam’ Strang Steel (1882-1961), 1st Baronet, M.P., J.P., T.D., Lord Lieutenant of Selkirk 1948-1958.

⁵ Perhaps James George Chalmers (about 1860-1943), solicitor, at Selkirk at least 1903-1942.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/26, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1923]

Wind N.W. + some sunshine. Some rain up Yarrow about 2. I had just gone to bed at 12 when Dav.¹ rang me up to say they had come for him for Mrs Archie Cockburn², thinking I was still from home.³ However I went down + soon got her over⁴, getting back to bed at 1.40. I saw 1 or 2 town cases + cycled to Yarrow Hall⁵ returning by Dunsdale + Hospital. It rained all the way back from Yarrow Hall to near Selkirk. There was a turnout of 47 cyclists for a run to St Boswells + Leaderfoot.⁶ Nancy⁷ walked to 3 Brethren + Broadmeadows Hill.⁸

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

² Assume May Turnbull Cockburn née Buckham who had married, 12 September 1913 at Selkirk, Archibald Cockburn, woollen millworker (in 1921 described as a woollen drawer working for Edward Gardiner & Co., woollen manufacturers).

³ Dr Muir had got back from his holiday in Northumberland late on 2 June.

⁴ James Cockburn (1923-1982), born 5 June 1923 at 28 Ettrick Road, Selkirk, the son of Archibald Cockburn and May Turnbull Cockburn née Buckham (the parents did not register the birth until 10 December that year).

⁵ The Editor cannot locate Yarrow Hall unless Dr Muir is referring to Yarrow Feus Hall, grid reference NGR NT343,262.

⁶ A cyclists group had been started in Selkirk, see for example see Dr Muir’s diary entries for 14 and 18 May 1923.

⁷ Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir (1878-1948), Dr Muir’s daughter.

⁸ The Three Brethren, NT433,319, and what must be Broomy Law, NT414318, or Foulshiels Hill, NT427,302 (no hill named Broadmeadows is evident).

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/26, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1923]

Wind back to N.E. but slight + not so cold. Dull sunless day but no rain. Made 13 town calls walking including Gib. + Lum.¹ + Hospital where 2 fresh cases of Scarlet from the same family have been admitted during my absence.² Dined at Elmpark³ [for] Mrs Mack’s birthday. John⁴ + Charlie Roberts⁵ were there [and] Nancy⁶ + Helen.⁷

¹ Gibson & Lumgair, St Mary’s Mill, Level Crossing Road, Selkirk.

² This is another example of the sporadic outbreaks that had been occurring in Selkirk since the major problem with Diphtheria and Scarlet Fever that occurred during 1921-22.

³ Elm Park, Selkirk, home of Dr Muir’s friend Agnes Mackintosh née Watson, formerly Harper (1859-1946).

⁴ Perhaps this refers to John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966), mill owner and Provost of Selkirk, and Dr Muir’s son-in-law, though Dr Muir has invariably called him Jack in his diary.

⁵ Assume Charles Henry ‘Charlie’ Roberts (1877-1954), born New Zealand, tweed manufacturer, of Thornfield, 25 Scott’s Place, Selkirk and the brother of Jack Roberts junior.

⁶ Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir (1878-1948), Dr Muir’s daughter and Jack Roberts’ wife.

⁷ Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter and sometime housekeeper.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/26, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1923]

Fair in forenoon : some big [?] showers in afternoon. Was not at church. Saw a dozen cases in town motoring. Did some writing + loafing. Jack¹, Nancy², John Roberts³, Barb.⁴ + Mrs Mack⁵ came to supper. Wind slight N.W. Also called for Miss Scott, Bridgelands.⁶

¹ John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966), mill owner and Provost of Selkirk, and Dr Muir’s son-in-law.

² Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir (1878-1948), Dr Muir’s daughter and Jack Roberts’ wife.

³ John ‘Jock’ Roberts (1904-1950), Dr Muir’s grandson.

⁴ Andrina Henderson ‘Barbara’ Roberts, later Twhigg (1902-1996).

⁵ Agnes Mackintosh née Watson, formerly Harper (1859-1946), of Elm Park, Selkirk.

⁶ Assume Agnes Cockburn Scott (1868-1946), recorded living at Bridgelands, Selkirk (1921 Census) with her brother William (1861-1930) and sister-in-law Isabella Scott née Dodds (about 1869-1930). The siblings were the children of John Scott, farm servant, and Agnes Scott née Scott and were both born at Coldstream, Berwickshire. Agnes died 17 April 1946 at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, usual residence Ashton Cottage, Bowden, Roxburghshire at which time she was described as a ‘fundholder’.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/26, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1923]

Left Chollerford at 9.35 having first dispatched my box to Hawick where Baptie¹ is to call for it. It turned out the finest day since I came on Thursday week. Slight N.E. wind + bright sun. I had a terrible experience at Woodburn² where the wire of the variable gear broke + the pedals wouldn’t revolve. Mercifully a mechanical postman [?] was able to do the repair but the sticking of the cranks I couldn’t understand. Unfortunately the gears didn’t work well + I lost the use of the low gear where I required it next. I got eggs + beer at Horsley³ + tea at Jedburgh. Walked about 30 hills before Elishaw. The repair at Elishaw cost me 1h 15m + lunch probably ¾ + other stops 30 minutes. It was nearly 5 when I reached Carter⁴ but I only took an hour to Jedburgh + 2½ 2 hours home. Mousey⁵ had a nice meal awaiting me + after a hot bath I felt quite fit.⁶

¹ Thomas Baptie (1860-1929), driver and handyman for Dr Muir.

² Dr Muir probably had the problem whilst descending the steep hill that is West Woodburn, grid reference NGR NY893,869, before continuing to Elishaw, NY860,952, at the junction with the A68.

³ Horsley, NY845,967, about halfway between Elishaw and Rochester.

⁴ Carter Bar, NT701,068, the Scottish border and the high point of Dr Muir’s journey.

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

⁶ Remember that Dr Muir is 78 at the time of this particular adventure.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/26, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1923]

Weather exactly the same + not a ray of sunshine : but there was less of the N.E. wind. Spent the forenoon writing to Patrick¹ + Helen² + after lunch had a delightful run via Wall, Bridgend, Corbridge, where I crossed the Tyne, Dilston, Riding Mill, Bywell (lovely place with old castle + 2 old churches), Aydon Castle, Halton Castle³ + home by the Via Romana.⁴ An old army man + his wife in the hotel were very pleasant. He told me knew Fanny Maxwell Scott.⁵ Began packing for my return home tomorrow.

¹ Patrick Rodger Stewart ‘Pat’ Muir (1879-1961), Dr Muir’s only son, living in New Zealand since 1902.

² Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter and sometime housekeeper.

³ Wall, NY917,689, Bridge End, NY910,661, Corbridge, NY990,646, Dilston, NY975,633, Riding Mill, NZ018,614, Bywell, NZ048,615, Aydon Castle, NZ001,663, and Halton Castle, NY997,679.

⁴ The Roman Road.

⁵ Fanny Maxwell Scott is unidentified.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/26, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1923]