The cold weather culminated in a strong N.E. gale with showers of snow + hail. I saw a few town cases walking + spent the rest of the day in the Smoke room making out cycling tours from Chollerford.¹ Helen² went with all the Wellwood children³ to the steeple chase at Kelso. I had to go out after dinner to see Mrs Hogg, Backrow.⁴

¹ It looks as if there is a plan to revisit Chollerford, Humshaugh Parish, on the North Tyne and very near Hadrian’s Wall where both Dr Muir and Frank Muir and his family had been in May 1922.

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

³ These are the children of John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966) and Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir (1878-1948) of Wellwood, Ettrick Terrace, Selkirk. Precisely which children Dr Muir was referring to must be uncertain because a couple of them are of an age where one wouldn’t call them that. The children were Andrina Barbara Henderson ‘Barbara’ Roberts, later Thwigg (1902-1996), John Stewart ‘Jock’ Roberts (1904-1950), Louisa Jane Roberts, later Rutherford (1906-1982), Stewart Muir ‘Little Stewart’ Roberts (1908-2003) and George Edward ‘Tim’ Roberts (1911-2005).

⁴ It is unclear who Mrs Hogg was as there were several families called Hogg in Back Row, Selkirk at this time..

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

Weather much the same but more sunshine + a little rain at the darkening. Still very cold. Cycled to Ettrick Road (Thos. Ballantyne¹ applying for parochial relief), Faldonside (called for Jessie B²), Hospital + Shawpark + later to Haremoss.³ Also had to go down to Mavisbank to see Jane Scott (8^a).⁴ Helen⁵ + Mrs Mack⁶ went to a concert for the Girl Guides.

¹ Thomas Ballantyne, millworker, was tenant of a house and garden at 20 Ettrick Road, Selkirk [1923 Valuation Roll, VR007900012-/485, Selkirk Burgh, page 485 of 644].

² Jessie Milne Brack Boyd (1867-1961), of Faldonside, plantswoman and gardener. Born 1867 at Chatton, Glendale, Northumberland, her family comprised parents William Brack Boyd (1831-1918) and Elizabeth Boyd née Wilson, married 1 July 1862 at Morebattle and children Adam Brack Boyd (1870-1911) of Otterburn and Buchtrig [estranged from the family], James Wilson Brack Boyd (1870-1916), who died in Belgium, and Jessie herself. In the 1921 Census Jessie was recorded at Upper Faldonside, Galashiels with her niece Dawn Gordon Belle Brack Boyd Wilson or Boyd-Wilson, later Milne (1894-1980) and two servants Jean Lothian and Catherine Duff.

³ Dr Muir had been visiting a man called John Scott at Haremoss. The Haremoss, shown on the east side of the Selkirk – Greendemains – Ashkirk road i.e. in Lilliesleaf, Roxburghshire, but he Editor has not been able to find any evidence of Scott nor of a dwelling-house called Haremoss either there or westwards across the Selkirkshire boundary.

⁴ Jane Alexander Scott née Scott (about 1868-), born Tillycoultry, Clackmannanshire, widow of Walter Scott, joiner, was recorded at 8a Mavis Bank [sic] in the 1921 Census with her children Jane Hall Scott (1892-), Janetta Leishman ‘Nettie’ Scott (1899-), Joanna ‘Joan’ Scott (1901-) and Thomas Scott (1905-). Jane and Walter had married 11 October 1890 at Ladhope Manse, Galashiels and the children, all of whom worked at Gibson & Lumgair, woollen manufacturers, were born at Galashiels, Edinburgh and Camelon (Falkirk) and Camelon respectively.

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

⁶ Agnes Mackintosh née Watson, formerly Harper (1859-1946), of Elm Park, Selkirk.

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

There was not even the bright blink of sunshine in the morning that we had yesterday. It was a day of dull grey sky + cold wind. For a changed I walked to Haremoss¹, going by the Haining to [illegible] + returning by the Sawmill, then I cycled to Hospital, Cannon Street + Forest Road. Mrs Douglas Brown² + her little girl Leslie³ were at tea. Wrote Frank Muir⁴ about the run at Chollerford⁵ + Jas. McGill regretting that I couldn’t be at his mother’s funeral.⁶ Examined a little girl Lothian⁷ for the Girl Guides.

¹ Dr Muir had been visiting a man called John Scott at Haremoss. The Haremoss, shown on the east side of the Selkirk – Greendemains – Ashkirk road i.e. in Lilliesleaf, Roxburghshire, but he Editor has not been able to find any evidence of Scott nor of a dwelling-house called Haremoss either there or westwards across the Selkirkshire boundary.

² Margaret Meikle ‘Peggy’ Brown née Donald (1885-1960) had married on 17 September 1918 at Ashwood, Galashiels, James Douglas Brown, Lieutenant K.O.S.B., attached R.A.F. and at that time “currently with the British Expeditionary Force”.

³ Lesley Joan Eleanor Brown (1919–1974), born 1 October 1919 at Edmonton, Middlesex, England, the daughter of James Douglas Brown and Margaret Meikle ‘Peggy’ Brown née Donald.

⁴ Francis ‘Frank’ Muir (1877-1972), electrical engineer and managing director and Dr Muir’s nephew, had been at Chollerford on 5 June 1922 (see footnote 5) with his wife Dorothy Muir née Armitage (1873-1943), and daughters Diana Marianne Muir, later Greener (1910-2015) and Margaret Helen Muir, later Greener (1913-2010).

⁵ Chollerford, Humshaugh Parish, on the North Tyne and very near Hadrian’s Wall where both Dr Muir and Frank Muir and his family had been on 22 May 1922, whether by coincidence or not was unclear.

⁶ James McGill (1863-), Lilliesleaf born son of Isabella McGill née Dickson who had died 14 April 1923 at Springholm, Urr Parish, Kirkcudbright, aged 84, She was the widow of Henry McGill, forester and woollen dyer (they had married in 1860 at Lewinshope, Yarrow, Selkirkshire), and the daughter of John Dickson, ploughman, later railway servant, and Margaret Dickson née Mitchell.

⁷ The girl Lothian is unidentified.

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

Brilliant morning + heavy white frost but it rapidly clouded + by 8.30 there was not a ray of sunshine. It was one of the coldest days we have had but kept dry. I cycled ea early to Haremoss + the Moat coming back by Mrs Harper, Kirkwynd.¹ Saw one or two + at 2 cycled to Forest Road, Green Terrace, Ettrick Mill, Hospital+ then to Gala to a meeting of the Panel Comm^ttee at 3.20 which lasted till 6.² The road is being repaired at So. Common.³

¹ Esther Harper nee Ramsay, of 31 Kirk Wynd, Selkirk, wife of Alexander Harper woollen millworker. She given birth to a daughter Helen Muir Harper on 17 April 1923.

² Assume that this refers to the Health Insurance Panel.

³ South Common, Selkirk is at grid reference NGR NT481,274 but Dr Muir must be referring to roadworks nearby on what is now the A7 as he headed towards Greendemains on his way to Haremoss.

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

Called at 4 a.m. for Mrs Alex Harper, Kirkwynd + found the child born.¹ She had some flooding. Went back to bed + was late for breakfast. Cycled to Hospital + called for Jack² without knowing that Graham³ had been attending him. Cycled to Haremoss + Woll Flush (Thos. Jack⁴). It was a fine day fairly sunny but the usual S.E. wind. There was some hoar frost first in the morning. Helen⁵ was at Lilliesleaf. Barbara⁶ called. They are all going to a ball at Hawick.

¹ Helen Muir Harper, born 17 April 1923 at 31 Kirk Wynd, Selkirk, daughter of Alexander Harper, woollen millworker, and Esther Harper nee Ramsay, married 8 March 1912.

² Assume John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966), mill owner and Dr Muir’s son-in-law.

³ David Charteris ‘Dav.’ Graham (1889-1963), M.B., Ch.B., medical practitioner and Dr Muir’s business partner. Dr Muir must have been very irritated by events to have described his co-partner by his surname.

⁴ Thomas Jack, labourer, was tenant occupier not rated at a house at the Floss, Woll, Ashkirk [1922 Valuation Roll, VR011700009-/355, Selkirk County, page 355 of 605]. A flush is “A piece of boggy ground, esp. one where water frequently lies on the surface, a swampy place, a pool of water in a field … Found in place-names. Deriv. floshan, -in (Gall. 1825 Jam.), -en, a large shallow puddle (Kcb.4 1900).“ [Dictionar o the Scots Leid]. The Editor assumes that the philological root of flush and floss is the same but this does not appear to be confirmed in any readily accessible sources.

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

⁶ Andrina Henderson ‘Barbara’ Roberts, later Twhigg (1902-1996), Dr Muir’s eldest grandchild, returned from New Zealand.

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

It threatened rain this morning but the day was dry, dour, sunless, cold. East wind. Walked to Dunreay¹, Chapel Street, Ettrick Terrace, Forest Road Green Square, Cannon Street + Curror Street where I saw a lad Lang² at W Anderson³ with what I thought was Diph. + sent him to Hospital but it turned out to be Scarlet.⁴ Helen⁵ + Norah Graham⁶ motored in Swift⁷ to Hardrigg⁸ to some “Brownie” function.⁹ Got letter announcing death of Mrs McGill at Springholm.¹⁰

¹ Dunreay, Selkirk, home of Wilhelmina Brown nee Reeve, widow of Andrew Brown (about 1840-1921), hosiery manufacturer, and their children Isabella Morton 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 nurse.

² Lang is so far unidentified.

³ Presumably either William Lang (about 1863-), gardener, born Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire but recorded living at Curror Street, Selkirk with his wife and three children in the 1921 Census or William Anderson (about 1876-), tweed pattern warper, born Lauder, Berwickshire but recorded living at Curror Street with his wife and two children in the 1921 Census.

⁴ There had been a nasty outbreak of Diphtheria and Scarlet fever in Selkirkshire through 1921 and early 1922 but they appear to be sporadic in 1923.

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

⁶ Norah Campion Graham née West (1887-1971), wife of Dr David Charteris Graham.

⁷ The Swift Motor Company made Swift Cars in Coventry; Dr Muir (or the medical practice) had run one as a ‘workhorse’ car since he had acquired it some time before August 1914 but Dr Graham’s must be one of their sportier models – perhaps the pre-war 3-litre 15 or the 1921 2-litre 12.

⁸ Assume Hardrigg, Annan, Dumfriesshire, grid reference NGR NY220,671.

⁹ The Brownies had started in 1914 and, though it is not known how long they had been operating at Selkirk, they were still enough of a novelty to Dr Muir in 1921 that he put a reference to them in quotation marks.

¹⁰ Presumably Isabella McGill née Dickson, died 14 April 1923 at Springholm, Urr Parish, Kirkcudbright, aged 84, She was the widow of Henry McGill, woollen dyer (they had married in 1860 at Lewinshope, Yarrow, Selkirkshire), and the daughter of John Dickson, ploughman, later railway servant, and Margaret Dickson née Mitchell.

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

Wind back to E. again : white frost : fine sunny sharp day. Cycled to Faldonside. Mrs Graham all right¹ but her Kid died last night.² David³ asked me to see some one Henderson at Faldonside who turned out to be Mrs Dees’ brother recently married.⁴ He has a touch of malaria.⁵ Then I cycled to Haremoss⁶ + finally to Shawpark.⁷ Went to evening service. A blackbird has built + is sitting on her eggs in the Jasmine⁸ below the spare room window.

¹ Minnie Meikle Graham née Morrison, wife of Irvine Stirling Graham, domestic gardener at Upper Faldonside.

² Baby Graham, born 14 April 1923, daughter of Irvine Stirling Graham, domestic gardener, and Minnie Meikle Graham née Morrison, died aged 10 hours at Upper Faldonside of “congenital debility 10 hours” as certified by John S Muir M.B. + C.M. +c [death: 1923, 775 / 51, Galashiels].

³ David Charteris ‘Dav.’ Graham (1889-1963), M.B., Ch.B., medical practitioner and Dr Muir’s business partner.

⁴ This must be William Alexander Cruickshank Henderson (1876-1944), O.B.E., A.I.C.E., civil engineer, who married Dora Salsbury Tull (1888-) at Lambeth in early 1923 [sources: marriage, Jan Quarter 1923, Lambeth 1d 402; wife’s birth, Mar 1888, Tull, Dora Salsbury, Lambeth 1d 475].

⁵ Henderson had been working in 1922 on the Apapa (Lagos) Wharfage scheme for Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Co. Ltd. Four years later he was recorded as the “Chief Eng: Representative for Messrs Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth …” on the same scheme. [sources: Ayodeji Olokujo, ‘The development of the port of Lagos, c.1892-1946’ in David M Williams (Ed.) ‘The World of Shipping’, Routledge, London, 1997; Form A for Election as Member … The Institition for Civil Engineers, 20 July 1926, William Alexander Cruickshank Henderson].

⁶ The Haremoss, shown on the east side of the Selkirk – Greendemains – Ashkirk road i.e. in Lilliesleaf, Roxburghshire, where Dr Muir had been attending John Scott. The Editor has not be able to find any evidence of Scott nor of a dwelling-house called Haremoss either there or westwards across the Selkirkshire boundary.

⁷ 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.

⁸ A reader supplied this reading for which the Editor is grateful.

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

There had been some rain during the night + it rained a little in the afternoon. Cloudy S. to S.W. Was called up at 5. a.m. for Mrs Graham, Upper Faldonside Lodge¹ who had a puny [?] little F. [female²] at 8 (C & F³). Sent Baptie⁴ home + got him down by ‘Phone⁵ from Dees’.⁶ Cycle Walked to Forest Road + Green Square + cycled to Haremoss .⁷ Saw nor heard anything of D.⁸ yesterday or today. Bella⁹ in bed all day. Got bonus from Edinburgh Life for 1922 = £41〃15〃0 which makes my £1,000 policy now worth £1,491〃16〃0.

¹ Minnie Meikle Morrison (1890-1950) had married Irvine Stirling Graham at Partick, Glasgow [marriage: 1922, 644 / 22 / 153, Partick].

² Baby Graham, born 14 April 1923, daughter of Irvine Stirling Graham, domestic gardener, and Minnie Meikle Graham née Morrison.

³ Chloroform and forceps.

⁴ Thomas Baptie (1860-1929), driver and handyman for Dr Muir.

⁵ That Dr Muir routinely capitalised the word ‘Phone suggests to the Editor that, though clearly from this quotation there was a telephone line to Thorncroft, it was not an routine part of his life (perhaps others took the messages) but to judge from his diary references, the telegram seems to be a more common medium (it is a truism, but do not forget that both ends needed a line for a telephone call, something that did not hold true for telegraphy where the ‘last mile’ could be done by a delivery). Telephone companies were initially focussed on trunk calls by businesses and domestic take-up was slow. Dr Jeremy Leon Stein uses literary references as a metric for the growth of private use of the telephone, noting that “Only after the [First World] war do telephone references become more frequent.” and that “The telephone becomes relatively common in contemporary fiction only in the decade after 1914 although even here it is still mainly aristocrats and wealthy financiers who use it. … We must await the 1930s … for the telephone to make a frequent appearance.” [see Jeremy Leon Stein. “Ideology and the Telephone”, thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, University College London, September 1996, page 104. “https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/16248644.pdf. Accessed 13 Apr. 2023.]

⁶ The Dees family, Robert Irwin Dees, Edith Mary Boileau Dees née Henderson and their children had moved from Newcastle to Faldonside after the First World War. Dees had inherited a big legacy from his uncle Robert ‘Richardson’ Dees (1814-1908), solicitor. The Dees household seems to be exactly the type to have had a telephone.

⁷ The Haremoss, shown on the east side of the Selkirk – Greendemains – Ashkirk road i.e. in Lilliesleaf, Roxburghshire, where Dr Muir had been attending John Scott. The Editor has not be able to find any evidence of Scott nor of a dwelling-house called Haremoss either there or westwards across the Selkirkshire boundary.

⁸ David Charteris ‘Dav.’ Graham (1889-1963), M.B., Ch.B., medical practitioner and Dr Muir’s business partner.

⁹ Isabella ‘Bella’ Paulin (1873-?1952), the Muir family housekeeper, daughter of James Paulin, groom, and Grace Paulin née Cranston, born Ladykirk, Berwickshire [Sources include: ‘A Souter’s Bairn, recollections of life in Selkirk’ by Jenny Corbett with Avril Jack, published Selkirk Common Good Fund, 1993].

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

Wind round to S.W. at last. Since March 12^th– 13^th it has been N.E., E, or S.E. There was a peal of thunder last night + heavy rain but it gradually cleared up to a fine sunny day, though the glass [barometer] was low. I cycled to Yarrow Manse, Mountbenger Cottages + Henderland. Found James Mitchell¹ distinctly better. Took 2h. 15m to go up + 1h. 35m to come back with the wind. Dora² sent a pamphlet about the American Mission in Egypt for which I had to pay 5^d for deficient post. Helen³ had the Thorburn children⁴ at tea. Had to give Bella⁵ a hypo of Heroin for pain in her leg.

¹ Dr Muir had been attending the Mitchell family at Henderland, Megget, north of St Mary’s Loch, since late 1921. In the 1921 Census the family comprised James Mitchell senior aged 67, James Mitchell junior, 35, Mary Richardson Mitchell, 33, Eliza Dalgleish Mitchell, 25, and Isabella Shiel Mitchell, 26.

² Andrina Dorothy ‘Dora’ Muir (1882-1978), nurse and Dr Muir’s youngest daughter.

³ Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter and sometime housekeeper.

⁴ The Thorburn children were Alastair Murray Thorburn (1920-2017) and Elizabeth Mary Thorburn (1922-), both born at Dandswall, Shawpark Road, Selkirk, son and daughter of Malcolm Murray Thorburn (1889-1977), manufacturer and sometime soldier, and Mary Alison Thorburn née Brodie, married 1916, St Giles, Edinburgh. Alastair was a soldier in later life, Colonel in the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, trained at Sandhurst and at Achnacharry, seeing combat with No. 4 Commando on D-Day and at Walcheren (awarded a Croix de Guerre for his part in the latter).

⁵ Isabella ‘Bella’ Paulin (1873-?1952), the Muir family housekeeper, daughter of James Paulin, groom, and Grace Paulin née Cranston, born Ladykirk, Berwickshire [Sources include: ‘A Souter’s Bairn, recollections of life in Selkirk’ by Jenny Corbett with Avril Jack, published Selkirk Common Good Fund, 1993].

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

One of those extraordinary sudden + complete changes of weather so characteristic of our climate occurred today. Dense mist + rain the whole day, at Haremoss¹ where yesterday I basked in warm air + sunshine I couldn’t see 50 yards! Motored there + in afternoon (Dav.² being in Edinburgh with Mr Stewart, Lewenshope³) I motored to Shielshaugh to see a child Tod⁴ with Varicella [chickenpox]. Wrote Jack Spittal⁵ who is writing a book about Dr Sam. Johnson to be published by Murray.⁶ It is nearly 10 years since he came home. Nice long letter from Dora.⁷ Helen⁸ + Mrs Mack⁹ went to the Pictures. Dav. had a case of comp. frac. in the leg in a case of McMillan.¹⁰

¹ See Dr Muir’s diary entry for 11 April 1923.

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

³ There were two Stewart households at Lewinshope, Yarrow, in the 1911 Census (Andrew, 57, and Robert, 40) and both wives were called Margaret. The Editor has so far been unable to find any further information that would help to identify who was in Edinburgh with Dr Graham.

⁴ The Warwick family was at Shielshaugh, Selkirk, grid reference NGR NT418,265 in the 1921 Census but nobody called Tod or Todd can be identified there.

⁵ John Ker Spittal (1883-1946), accountant later engineer and author, appears to have spent time in the United States, Canada and, to judge by his marriage, the West Indies. Born Caithness, he married, Hanover Parish, Jamaica, March 1918, Alice Barbara Findlay (1894-1970), who had been born at Rangoon, and he died 7 Jan 1946 in Surrey, England. He was the son of Charles Grey Spittal (1836-1891) and Rachel Spittal née Harvey (1845-1917). By the 1921 Census he is recorded as an engineer at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich but on Census night he was holidaying at the Hotel Bellevue at Dunbar with his wife Alice, brother Charlie, and Charlie’s wife Frances and daughter Gladys.

⁶ ‘Contemporary Criticisms of Dr Samuel Johnson’ by John Ker Spittal, John Murray, 1923.

⁷ Andrina Dorothy ‘Dora’ Muir (1882-1978), nurse and Dr Muir’s youngest daughter, had recently starting working at Tanta (طنطا or Ṭanṭa, Egypt), a city on the Nile Delta between Alexandria and Cairo.

⁸ Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter and sometime housekeeper.

⁹ Agnes Mackintosh née Watson, formerly Harper (1859-1946), of Elm Park, Selkirk.

¹⁰ Assume John James McMillan (1879-1953), M.D., M.B., Ch.B., medical practitioner, of St John’s, Melrose.

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