Still dry with sharp N.W. wind. The roads haven’t been so good for weeks + weeks. Having practically nothing to do. I cycled via Forest Road + Station (where I had to pay the balance of my ticket to Edinburgh on the 29 Dec = 3/3¹) to Orchardmains.² Very stiff going against the wind. Found them at lunch. Mary Milne³ was there + two other ladies. Couldn’t stay very long but enjoyed the call. Left at 2.30. Came back to Walkerburn on the right side of Tweed. It is a little nicer [?]. Got letter from the matron [at] Craigleith⁴ about Dora⁵ + sent Helen⁶ to see her. She found her with a temp. + some pleurisy.

² The notation of old money (pounds shillings and pence) means that Dr Muir had to pay three shillings and three pence.

² Orchard Mains, Innerleithen, Peeblesshire, grid reference NGR NT319,337.

³ Mary Lee Davis Milne née Bowden (1873-1948), Serbian Cross of Mercy, St George’s Medal, sometime cook with Scottish Women’s Hospitals but living at Bridgeheugh, Selkirk, in 1915 prior to her war service and again in the early 1920s.

⁴ The old Craigleith Poorhouse and Hospital was known briefly as Craigleith Military Hospital (1917-1918) and then operated as the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh. Some of its specialisms have recently transferred to the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh.

⁵ Andrina Dorothy ‘Dora’ Muir (1882-1978), nurse and Dr Muir’s youngest daughter.

⁶ 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]

Very strong + cold gale from N.W. Some snow on Peat Law but it was dry all day + the pavements were dry which they haven’t been for weeks. Very little to do. Saw 8 town cases. Arranged accounts for payment. Letter from Dora¹ to say she is ill. Her letter card was rather confused but she hinted at pleurisy. Wrote her. Helen² had Mrs Mack³ + Miss Watson⁴ (Jack McIntyre’s nurse⁵) at tea + went to Picture House with the former.

¹ Andrina Dorothy ‘Dora’ Muir (1882-1978), nurse and Dr Muir’s youngest daughter.

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

³ Agnes Mackintosh née Watson, formerly Harper (1859-1946), of Elm Park, Selkirk.

⁴ Miss Watson is unidentified, see also the note on Viewfield Nursing Home published 11 January 2023.

⁵ John Douglas ‘Jack’ McIntyre (1905-), born 12 June 1895 at Tower House, Helensburgh [Row parish], Dunbartonshire. He was recorded as a patient at Viewfield Nursing Home on 19 June 1921 (Census night). Jack McIntyre was not the son of John McIntyre the Selkirk draper but of Douglas McIntyre a wine merchant from Helensburgh, though the Editor suspects that there must be a family connection somewhere.

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

Gale + rain during the night + although wind still S.W. it was much colder. I motored to Beechwood, Henderland¹ + Newarkburn. We had a shower of snow on the way up, above the Gordon Arms.² [River] Ettrick very swollen. Got the Summary cards sent away.³ Awful tragedy by the death of Palfrey of the dye works⁴ who was killed by the last train last night as he was going to meet his daughter.⁵ Hiddleston⁶ who was called ‘Phoned me this morning.

¹ Henderland, Megget, north of St Mary’s Loch, grid reference NGR NT232,233, where Dr Muir had been attending the Mitchell family in 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 Gordon Arms, grid reference NT307,249, past which Dr Muir would have travelled as he went to Henderland (see footnote 1).

³ The summary cards were part of the Muir and Graham medical practice’s relatively new record-keeping system.

⁴ Charles Alexander Palfrey (1852-1923) dye-works director (not described as retired in the 1921 Census), of Broomfield, Station Haugh, Selkirk, died 8 January 1923, aged 70 [death: 1923 778 / 2 Selkirk].

⁵ The Southern Reporter noted that Palfrey, manager of Cochrane, Smith & Co.’s dye-works became confused as to his location in “dark and blustering” conditions when attempting to cross the track (for which he had a permit) so that, instead of crossing near the signal box, he had walked as far as the end of the station where, while trying to access the platform, he was hit by the incoming train. In the meantime his daughter had alighted and walked home, having to return to be told the bad news [Southern Reporter, 11 January 1923].

⁶ John Murray Hiddleston (1891-1954), L.R.C.P.S., L.R.F.P.S., medical practitioner, had been summoned to the scene of the accident.

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

Still fresh + no rain : not much sunshine S.W. [wind]. Several messages which I walked at Dovecot, Mavisbank + Sloethornbank. Then I walked to Deepslade¹ + Curling² which took me from 12 till 3.30. Very muddy in places especially at Curling where people called Mein have been since the Watsons left 6 years ago.³ I was seeing Walter⁴ who has catarrhal [illegible].⁵ Before I got back David⁶ had got Maycock⁷ into Viewfield⁸ with appendicitis + operated. He got Alice Smith⁹ to give the Chlor[oform]. Got nice letter from Wyllys.¹⁰ All the men to whom I wrote have replied but Wilson.¹¹

¹ Deepslaids, south of Selkirk Common, grid reference NGR NT485,268, visible on Ordnance Survey 25 inch Selkirkshire Sheet XII.10 (with inset XII.14) (Selkirk), published 1860.

² Curling, Bowden, Roxburghshire, grid reference NGR NT517,261, visible on Ordnance Survey 25 inch Roxburghshire Sheet XIII.8 (Bowden), published 1862.

³ William Watson was the previous tenant occupier at Curling, Bowden but James Mein was tenant occupier of the farm and house at Curling, though the records are incomplete and it is difficult to verify Dr Muir’s timing for Watson’s departure (William Watson was recorded there in the 1916 Valuation Roll while James Mein appears in the 1920 Valuation Roll, VR011600033-/210, Roxburgh County, page 210 of 972, and the 1921 Census).

⁴ Walter Mein (1905-), born Hobkirk, Roxburghshire, the son of James Mein, farmer, and Margaret ‘Maggie’ Mein nee Barrie married 1898 at Cavers, Roxburghshire. The 1921 Census records Walter Barrie, aet 16, a farm worker [1921 Census, 783/ 3/ 2 Bowden, Roxburgh].

⁵ The Editor would welcome assistance with this medical term.

⁶ David Charteris ‘Dav.’ Graham (1889-1963), M.B., Ch.B., medical practitioner and Dr Muir’s business partner.

⁷ Assume George James Maycock (1877-1957), butler, later poultry farmer, born 1877, Ryton on Dunsmore, Warwickshire, sometime a domestic butler at Yair and later a poultry farmer, died at Crieff Cottage Hospital, Perthshire.

⁸ Viewfield was the Muir & Graham medical practice’s nursing home.

⁹ Dr Muir had previously noted (diary entry 29 December 1922) “David had several operations but he got Alice Smith to give the Chlor …”, referring to Alice Barbara Stewart Smith (1892-1970), of the Firs, Selkirk, daughter of Patrick Smith, advocate, and Alice Smith née Paterson. At this she was already a medical practitioner, M.B., Ch.B. (Edin. 1920), Diploma in Public Health, Dublin, 1922, and later M.D. (Edin. 1929) and Diploma in Tropical Medicine, Kolkata, 1931. Alice worked in a number of medical institutions but spent most of her adult life in India and died 31 January 1970 at Amherst Cottage, Kodaikanal, South India.

¹⁰ Wyllys is unidentified. The Editor has done some searches and has concluded that Dr Muir has probably misspelled his colleague’s name.

¹¹ Wilson is unidentified.

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

Fresh again + wonderfully mild, a little drizzle in forenoon: raining at night. Had a pretty good night but intended staying in my room today when a ‘Phone message came to Sundhope¹ so I motored there. It was to see Dorothy², nothing much wrong. Was in the house all afternoon + didn’t go to church. Finished all David’s³ Summary cards⁴ as far as his infernal penmanship would permit.

¹ Sundhope, Yarrow, grid reference NGR NT335,252.

² There is nobody named Dorothy at or near Sundhope in the 1921 Census and no births of a child of that name in Yarrow or Selkirk 1921 to 1923. However, the Barrie family at Sundhope had a daughter Christina Dorothy Barrie (1904-1994) who was there with her family in the 1921 Census [birth: Barrie, Christina Dorothy, 1904 779 / 1 / 1 Yarrow].

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

⁴ The summary cards were part of the Muir and Graham medical practice’s relatively new record-keeping system.

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

Change again to frost + sunshine. Fairly hard frost which never goes in the shade. Hounds at Haining. Walked out to above Deepslade¹ + was joined by Helen², Louise, Jock + Tim³ + afterwards by Nancy.⁴ Saw a good deal of the Hunt. They ran up from S Common + on to Gala Rigg, Whitmuir, Riddell + back by Jerusalem to Whitmuir, Deepslade into Haining + killed somewhere on the Ettrick Road.⁵ There was a big field. We walked to Whitmuir. Got back about 2. Feeling very slack + short of puff.

¹ Deepslaids, south of Selkirk Common, grid reference NGR NT485,268, visible on Ordnance Survey 25 inch Selkirkshire Sheet XII.10 (with inset XII.14) (Selkirk), published 1860.

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

³ Louisa Jane Roberts, later Rutherford, John Stewart ‘Jock’ Roberts and George Edward ‘Tim’ Roberts, three of Dr Muir’s grandchildren.

⁴ Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir, one of Dr Muir’s daughters.

⁵ The hunt covered the east and south fringes of Selkirk and into Lilliesleaf. The only two places on their route that are not easily identified are Deepslaids, noted above, and Jerusalem i.e. Jerusalem Heights aka Jerusalem Height, north east of Friarshawmuir above the 270m Contour Line, grid reference NT510,266, at the covert now known (and shown on Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger) as Sprot’s Bonnet [Sources: oral testimony from Walter Elliot and Mrs Wilma Gunn, who recalls that her father, a driver, always referred to the road into Whitmuirhall as “the road to Jerusalem”].

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

A dismal dark wet day such a contrast from yesterday as Tuesday from Monday but not such a gale. Saw a few cases walking + gave Chlor[oform] at Viewfield from 11.30 till 2 (appendicitis – Byers¹ + curetting + coloraphy² – Mrs Ross³). In house all afternoon at Summary Cards + other clerical work. Helen⁴ went with Barbara⁵ to a show of a strong man in Victoria Hall.⁶

¹ Byers is unidentified, though an Eliza Byers (1913-1997), aged 7, was at 49 Buccleuch Road, Selkirk, the granddaughter of John Hislop, the head of household [1921 Census] and daughter of Mary Ann Young Byers née Hislop (1893-1982) who is herself recorded as a millworker at Bridge Street, Selkirk [1922 Valuation Roll]. Mary Ann Byers and her husband Thomas Joseph Byers (1893-1968), ploughman and 226729 Pte Labour Corps, also had a son James Byers (1918-2000) so there are several possible identities. It should be pointed out that there was separately a Charles Byers, draper, at Kilncroft, Selkirk in the same Valuation Roll.

² Colporrhaphy is a surgical process to repair the walls of the vagina after a prolapse.

³ Perhaps Elizabeth Elder Ross née Sinclair (1875-1939), wife of the Reverend Andrew Ross (1871-1942), Church of Scotland clergyman.

⁴ Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter and sometime housekeeper.

⁵ Andrina Henderson ‘Barbara’ Roberts, later Twhigg (1902-1996), Dr Muir’s eldest grandchild.

⁶ On Friday and Saturday the 5th and 6th January 1923 the Victoria Hall, Selkirk presented Martin Breedis. He was “The Strongest and Most Perfectly Developed Man in the World”, claimed the Southern Reporter, and “Supported by Full Variety Company”. The show featured Breedis driving a six inch nail through a three inch plank with his hand and balancing a piano on his chest with two ladies “one playing while the other sings” (that’s two separate features, the nail and the piano, in case readers weren’t sure, he wasn’t that good). There was also an (unspecified) £500 challenge.

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

A nice day with a little frost, clear + sunny. Coryza still very bad + my Eustachian blocked making me deafer than ever. Dav.¹ was in Edinburgh for consultations. Saw 9 town cases walking + cycled to Ettrickhaugh Road. Kennedy² left this morning + his wife + kids³ in afternoon.

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

² William Nicol Watson Kennedy (1888-1961), O.B.E., M.D., D.P.E., medical officer of health and school medical officer for Selkirkshire circa 1921 but by June 1921 recorded in a similar role in Croydon, Surrey (1921 Census taken 19 June 1921).

³ Mary Balfour Kennedy née Alison (1889-1978) and her sons Ian Alexander Kennedy (1916-1988) and Charles Gordon Kennedy (1920-).

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

A little rain in morning but fair after. Fresh : Walked to Dunsdale, Ashybank, Curror Street +c. Motored to Woll Rigg¹ + then walked to Goslaw Green + Shawpark. Kennedy² went to Galashiels in forenoon + had a meeting of Pub. Health Com^ttee here in evening. Have had letters from McDougal³, Moir⁴, Rabagliati⁵ + Hunter⁶.

¹ Probably to attend William Dewar of Woll Rigg, Ashkirk, who had his hand lacerated when sawing a branch off a tree on 28 November 1922. William Dewar, a manager, was recorded as Inhabitant Occupier not rated of a house known as Wollrig, Ashkirk [1922 Valuation Roll, VR011700009-/355, Selkirk County, page 355 of 611].

² William Nicol Watson Kennedy (1888-1961), O.B.E., M.D., D.P.E., medical officer of health and school medical officer for Selkirkshire circa 1921 but by June 1921 recorded in a similar role in Croydon, Surrey (1921 Census taken 19 June 1921). What he was doing contributing to local committee work in Selkirkshire 18 months or more after he appears to have flitted to south London is a bit of a mystery.

³ John Aymers MacDougall (1844-1928), M.D., medical practitioner, born and sometime in practice at Galashiels, one of Dr Muir’s oldest friends and when James Ramsay died in 1915 Dr Muir commented “Thus is severed another of the four remaining links between now and my student days. I last heard from “Ram” on 26 December when he signed himself “one of your oldest and most affectionate friends”. McDougal, Brunton and Rabagliati are the only remaining ones.” diary entry for Thursday 4 February 1915 [Heritage Hub SBA/657/18/7]. John MacDougall published an obituary of Sir Lauder Brunton in the Edinburgh Medical Journal 1916 Nov; 17(5): 345–349″.

⁴ John Wilson Moir (1843-1926), M.D., medical practitioner, sometime of St Andrew’s, Fife, was referred to by Dr Muir on Sunday 15 July 1917 “Put up a doz Reporters for friends including Blair, Jedburgh & Moir, St Andrews & Wilson, Doncaster” [Heritage Hub SBA/657/20/6]

⁵ Andrea Carlo Francisco Rabagliati (1843-1930), medical practitioner and dietician, M.D., F.R.C.S.E., author of ‘Air, Food and Exercises; An Essay on the Predisposing Causes of Disease”, 3rd Edition, 1914; he was a near contemporary of Dr Muir, studied medicine at Edinburgh, had family connections with the Borders and was long-term friend of Dr Muir’s; also note comment of Dr Halliday Sutherland “Their author was fond of coining new words based on Greek roots, which puzzled the non-classical reader.” [sources include BMJ obituary, 1930, and Bradford Telegraph & Argus, ‘Past Times’, 8 March 2000 ‘Doctor’s veggie way to a long life’].

⁶ Hunter is as yet unidentified.

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

I never saw such a contrast of weather as yesterday+ today. It was fresh + blowing a S.W. gale with torrents of rain! I kept my room all day. The cough was less troublesome but the hoarseness was bad. Got some clerical work done + made an end of the Summary Cards. Kennedy¹ was away most of the day at meetings. I took supper in the kitchen with Helen² + Mrs K.³ Had a letter from Mary.⁴

¹ William Nicol Watson Kennedy (1888-1961), O.B.E., M.D., D.P.E., medical officer of health and school medical officer for Selkirkshire circa 1921 but by June 1921 recorded in a similar role in Croydon, Surrey (1921 Census taken 19 June 1921).

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

³ Mary Balfour Kennedy née Alison (1889-1978) wife of William Kennedy (above). They and their sons Ian Alexander Kennedy (1916-1988) and Charles Gordon Kennedy (1920-), all living in Croydon since 1921, were staying with Dr Muir.

⁴ Mary Jane Wallace née Muir (1836-1933), Dr Muir’s sister, widow of James Wallace (about 1841-1922) whose funeral Dr Muir had attended at Haslemere, Surrey on 10 July 1922.

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