My naso-laryngeal catarrh awfully bad

Most charming New Year’s Day. Heavy hoar frost which at first I thought was snow and which never disappeared. The sky was clear till about 3 when it became hazy. There was no wind + the roads were hard + dry. It was a perfect day for open air exercise. I ran out to Shawpark on the bicycle to see Mrs Dickson¹ + then gave Chlor[oform] to Mrs Geo. Linton² while Dav.³ removed varicose veins in her leg. Had a walk with Kennedy⁴ to Haining Loch + Deerpark. Got out the wine : carved the turkey. At dinner we had all Wellwood⁵, Kennedys⁶, Mrs Mack⁷, Boylan⁸, Erskine Harper⁹ [and] Ralph¹⁰ + Connie Smith.¹¹ Spent a merry evening at the end of which I had no voice!

¹ Mrs Dickson was Bessie Lee Dickson née Henderson (1868-1952), wife of William Stewart Dickson (1863-1939), market gardener, formerly a grocer, married 1 June 1893 at Newbattle, Midlothian. There were at Shawpark, Selkirk with two daughters, Agnes Stirling Dickson (1894-1965) and Alexandra Jessie Dickson (1902-1994) [1921 Census].

² Mary Linton née Dixon (1878-1946), wife of George Linton (1879-1945), mason, who was tenant at 20 Ettrick Road, Selkirk, 1921 Valuation Roll [see also Dr Muir’s diary entry for 6 January 1921]. They had married in 1907 at Selkirk.

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

⁴ 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).

⁵ The Wellwooders, sometimes Wellwoods, were John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966), Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir (1878-1948) and their children 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).

⁶ Kennedy (above) and his wife Mary Balfour Kennedy née Alison (1889-1978) had come to stay for a few days with their sons Ian Alexander Kennedy (1916-1988) and Charles Gordon Kennedy (1920-), see Dr Muir’s diary for 30 December 1922.

⁷ Agnes Mackintosh née Watson, formerly Harper (1859-1946), of Elm Park, Selkirk.

⁸ John Dun Boylan (1850-1924), civil engineer, voluble friend of Dr Muir, lived at Shawpark, Selkirk [1921 Census and 1922 Valuation Roll, VR011700009-/375, Selkirk County, page 375 of 611].

⁹ James ‘Erskine’ Harper (1887-1953), barrister, son of Ebenezer Erskine Harper, sheriff substitute, and Agnes Harper née Watson, later Mackintosh. Brother of Agnes Durnford née Harper.

¹⁰ Ralph Colley Smith (1891-1957), son of Patrick Smith (1858-1930), advocate and sheriff-substitute, and Alice Paterson (1863-1943). He had been badly maimed during the First World War.

¹¹ Constance Harper ‘Connie’ Smith (1900-1977), daughter of Patrick Smith (1858-1930), advocate and sheriff-substitute, and Alice Paterson (1863-1943).

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

My cold no better + I had a wretched night of coughing : fits of sneezing during the day. Touch of frost : nice calm day with a little sun. Saw a few cases + had a T + A¹ + a cyst behind the ear [?] at Viewfield. Was not at church. After lunch took Kennedy² for a walk to Gala Rigg. View very hazy couldn’t see Ruberslaw³ + the Eildons dimly. Jean⁴ kept in bed. Dressed her arm with Picric [acid] lotion + made an awful mess of the sheets⁵ Both Dr + Mrs Kennedy sang in the evening.⁶

¹ Tonsils and Adenoids.

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 Rubers Law (if this reading is correct) is due east of Hawick, grid reference NGR NT581,155, and probably visible over Riddell and Hassendean from Gala Rig, NT496,275.

⁴ Jane Henderson Logan ‘Jean’ Pike née Muir (1877-1941), Dr Muir’s eldest daughter.

⁵ Picric [acid] lotion was used for burns, where it was supposed to give immediate relief, and other skin problems. The Editor has found nothing that explains its effect on bedding.

⁶ Kennedy (above) and his wife Mary Balfour Kennedy née Alison (1889-1978) had come to stay for a few days, see Dr Muir’s diary for 30 December 1922.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/25, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1922]

Nice letter from Miss Lockhart.¹ Kept my room. Wrote Moir², McDougal³, Rabagliati⁴, Wilson⁵, Hunter⁶ + Wyllys.⁷ Kept my room all day to get rid of coryza till dinner time. Dr + Mrs Kennedy⁸ + 2 kids arrived to stay till Tuesday which was unfortunate. It was a cold wet but fresh day.

¹ Miss Lockhart is unidentified, though she and Dr Muir corresponded from time to time, see his diary entry for 12 January 1921.

² John Wilson Moir (1843-1926), M.D., medical practitioner, sometime of St Andrew’s, Fife, who 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].

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 Dec 26 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 Edinb Med J. 1916 Nov; 17(5): 345–349″.

⁴ Andrea Carlo Francisco Rabagliati (1843-1930), M.D., F.R.C.S.E., medical practitioner and dietician, 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’]; our recent researches note that in ‘Animal Sensibility and Inclusive Justice in the Age of Bernard Shaw’ author Rod Preece asserts that Beatrice Webb [Martha Beatrice Webb, Baroness Passfield, née Potter (1858-1943), English labour historian and social reformer] consulted Rabagliati in 1901, leading to her adopting a vegetarian diet and later describing herself as “anti-flesh-fish-eggs-alcohol-coffee-and-sugar-eater”.

⁵ Alexander Christy Wilson (1846-1925), medical practitioner, born 1846, Cavers, Roxburghshire, died 27 Apr 1925, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England, buried Hyde Park Cemetery, Doncaster, Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster, South Yorkshire.

⁶ Hunter is unidentified.

⁷ Wyllys is unidentified.

⁸ Assume 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), and his Mary Balfour Kennedy née Alison (1889-1978). They had two sons, Ian Alexander Kennedy (1916-1988) and Charles Gordon Kennedy (1920-).

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/25, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1922]

When I got back from Gala last night or rather when I returned from Ashkirk I found a wire from Drever¹ summoning a meeting of the Scott. Rural Practice. Sub-Com^ttee to consider a proposed reduction of the mileage grant to Scotland. David² had several operations but he got Alice Smith³ to give the Chlor[oform] + I went to town at 10.13. At the meeting we resolved to resist the proposal + at a meeting after with the Board of Health we told them so. I had lunch at the Caley Restaurant with Dr + Mrs Craig⁴ + [text deleted] Dr Martin [sic].⁵ Came out by the 4.20 with a bad coryza + was unable to dine at Mauldsheugh⁶ but Helen⁷ went.

¹ James Richan Drever (1873-1956), M.A., M.B., F.R.C.P.Ed., medical practitioner and administrator, born Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire, M.A., 1893, M.B., C.M. (Glasgow), 1906, Scottish Medical Secretary of the B.M.A., 1919- [“J. R. Drever, M.A., M.B., F.R.C.P.Ed. Late Scottish Medical Secretary, British Medical Association.” The British Medical Journal, vol. 1, no. 3772, BMJ, 1933, pp. 725–26].

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

³ Alice Barbara Stewart Smith (1892-1970), of the Firs, Selkirk, daughter of Patrick Smith, advocate, and Alice Smith née Paterson; a medical practitioner, M.D. (Edin. 1929), M.B., Ch.B. (Edin. 1920), Diploma in Public Health, Dublin, 1922, Diploma in Tropical Medicine, Kolkata, 1931, Alice worked in a number of medical instructions but spent most of her adult life in India and died 31 January 1970 at Amherst Cottage, Kodaikanal, South India.

⁴ Robert William Craig (1880-1952), medical practitioner, of the Surgery, Pathhead (Crichton Parish, Midlothian), and Margaret Corson Craig née Drummond (1883-1975).

⁵ William Robert Martine (1871-1956), M.B., C.M., medical practitioner, of Haddington, East Lothian, sometime Chair of the Scottish Rural Practitioners Sub-Committee and President of the Edinburgh Branch of the B.M.A., 1923-24 [”Dr. W. R. Martine.” The British Medical Journal, vol. 2, no. 4995, BMJ, 1956, pp. 773–773].

⁶ Mauldsheugh, Selkirk, Dr Graham’s home.

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

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/25, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1922]

I had rather a busier day than usual. First I walked to Curror Street + Hospital: next motored to Sprot Homes¹ for Dav.² to see a Miss McBride³ who wanted to come to Viewfield but I had to wire⁴ that there wasn’t a bed + she came to a friend Miss Moir, Raeburn Meadow.⁵ Then I had to go to Ashkirk to see an old tramp Pat Doyle, whom I saw a few days ago.⁶ In the evening I went over to Galashiels by train + had supper with the Patons.⁷ A very trying test of friendship but I got back by the 8.30. Had to see Miss McBride after + give her a hypo. Foggy miserable day.

¹ The Sprot Homes, Lilliesleaf, were six almshouses provided by the Miss Frances Sprot Trust endowed in 1881 by Miss Frances Sprot and known as the Miss Frances Sprot Homes.

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

³ Miss McBride is unidentified.

⁴ Dr Muir was sending a telegram, very likely from a Post Office where the message was keyed into a device, transmitted by wire, printed out at the receiving end and probably at this time in Selkirk having the message delivered on a slip of paper.

⁵ Mrs Jane Haig Moir née Thomson (about 1879-), millworker, divorced, living at 11 Raeburn Meadow, Selkirk with a boarder Madge G Thomson and her daughter Jessie Anderson Moir (1905-).

⁶ Pat Doyle is unidentified. There are no matches in the Selkirkshire, Berwickshire, Roxburghshire, Dumfriesshire or Midlothian returns so Pat Doyle could have come from farther afield in Scotland or just as likely from over the Border. The 1921 Census did record homeless individuals (cf John Watson, farm labourer, recorded as “In open air” at the end of the Lilliesleaf, Roxburghshire Enumeration 795 1 7, page 8 of 10) but absence of evidence is not evidence of absence and others must surely have been missed by the Enumerators.

⁷ Isabella Clementina ‘Isa’ Paton (about 1838-1929) and Marion Agnes Paton (about 1841-1940), sisters living on their own means at Selkirk from at least 1901 but who had flitted to Galashiels in May 1918.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/25, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1922]

Colder : snow showers up Yarrow, slight here. Megget hills very white. Freezing at night. Motored to Scott Crescent, Ashybank +c + Henderland. Yarrow Road very muddy especially beyond Douglas Burn¹ where the Road Roller is working. In afternoon went to Woll Rigg + Kirklea.² At latter met Paul Cochrane³ + Minnie [?] + Katie [?] Scott who sang beautifully.⁴ Had tea there. Got present of Tales of Violet Jacob from Julia.⁵ Got present from Julia of Violet Jacob’s Tales.

¹ The Douglas Burn crosses the Gordon Arms – St Mary’s Loch road at grid reference NGR NT291,245, immediately west of Craig Douglas and just before the burn debouches into the Yarrow Water.

² Kirklea, Ashkirk, home of William Henry ‘W H’ or ‘Will’ Ogilvie (1869-1963), poet, author, journalist and one of Australia’s great Bush poets, and his family.

³ Possibly Paul John Cochran (1868-1953), gentleman, of Whitriggs House, Kirkton, Roxburghshire, 1921 Census. He was born 2 May 1868 at Leamington Priors, Warwickshire, England and died 23 August 1952 at Kalemouth, Eckford, Roxburghshire.

⁴ Assuming that the Editor’s readings are correct, Minnie and Katie are unidentified.

⁵ Violet Jacob née Kennedy Erskine (1863-1946), Scottish novelist, diarist, story writer, Scots language poet and artist.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/25, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1922]

Rather better weather: some slight showers. Westerly wind : Saw about a dozen town cases walking. Met David¹ at Mrs Stoddart’s, Backrow.² Tried to persuade her to come to Viewfield. Paid Johnny Murray³ for Helen’s bicycle.⁴ It was £15 less £2 for the old one. Wrote Kitty Muriel⁵ + John Muir.⁶ Dora⁷ came at 7.24 + we dined at Elmpark.⁸

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

² There was more than one Stoddart household recorded at Backrow in the 1922 Valuation Roll.

³ Johnny Murray is John Inglis Murray (1869-1950), motor and cycle mechanic, partner in Stark & Murray who looked after Dr Muir’s bicycles.

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

⁵ Katherine Stewart Rennie ‘Kitty’ sometimes ‘Kate’ Muriel née Taylor (1883-1960), daughter of Edward Earl Taylor, commission agent, and Jane Logan ‘Jean’ Rennie, Dr Muir’s niece. Katherine had married, date and place unknown, Hugh ‘Ernest’ Muriel (1886-1979), bank manager working in China, and had issue Hugh John Stewart Muriel (1917-1981) and Jean Margaret Muriel (1921–2010).

⁶ John Muir is unidentified.

⁷ Andrina Dorothy ‘Dora’ Muir (1882-1978), nurse and Dr Muir’s youngest daughter.

⁸ Elm Park, Selkirk, home of Agnes Mackintosh née Watson, formerly Harper (1859-1946).

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/25, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1922]

Fine untypical Xmas weather with a renewal of the cold weather. Heavy rain + wind most of the day. Saw 10 town cases including Hospital + Brown, Cannon Street.¹ In afternoon wrote a long letter to Willie Rodger.² I also sent greeting to Charlotte Rodger³ + Dorothy Muir.⁴ Dined at Wellwood.⁵ Erskine + Mrs Mack there.⁶ Nancy⁷ who has no servants gave me a cold but altogether delightful supper + we spent a very pleasant evening.

¹ Assume Joseph Brown (1863-), spinner, worked for George Roberts & Co. in 1922, tenant of a house at Cannon Street, Selkirk, was recorded as living with his wife Christina Brown née McGill, born Bathgate, Linlithgow, and their children James Brown (1898-) and Catherine Stewart Morrison Brown (1904-).

² Assume William Brydone ‘Willie’ Rodger (1880-1959), son of George Rodger (about 1843-1885), solicitor, and Isabella Margaret or Maggie Rodger née Brydone; born Selkirk, he was later a stockbroker and was at Sevenoaks, Kent, 1911 Census and at Trey Lodge, Malling, Kent, 1939 England and Wales Register.

³ Assume Elizabeth Charlotte Rodger née Eck (about 1848-1928), born Chile (British Subject), daughter of Frederick A Eck and Janet Eck née Alexander, and wife of George Rodger (died 1910), shipping merchant, married Apr 1872, Kensington, Middlesex [Kensington 1a 241], she lived at Bridgelands, Selkirk.

⁴ Perhaps Dorothy Muir née Armitage (1873-1943), born Jun Quarter 1873, Altrincham Registration District, 8a 174, daughter of William Armitage, J.P., merchant, and Margaret Petrie Armitage née Mills. Dorothy married, 22 July 1909 at the Congregational Church, Bowden Downs, Bowden, Bucklow, Cheshire, Francis ‘Frank’ Muir (1877-1972), electrical engineer, son of Gavin Struthers Muir, Presbyterian minister and had two children: Diana M Muir (Sep Quarter 1910, Bucklow, Cheshire, 8a 172) and Margaret H Muir (June Quarter 1913, Bucklow 8a 310).

⁵ Wellwood, Ettrick Terrace, Selkirk, home of John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966) and Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir (1878-1948) and their children.

⁶ Agnes Mackintosh née Watson, formerly Harper (1859-1946), of Elm Park, Selkirk and her son James ‘Erskine’ Harper (1887-1953).

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

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/25, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1922]

Motored to Henderland. A lovely day with continuous sunshine. Snow on Megget [sic] hills. No rain. Called for James Hogg, Bowhill Lodge¹ on way back. Wrote to Clark Coupers² + some others. Went to evening service with Mrs Mack³ + went to her pew. The Choir gave selections from [The] Messiah. Didn’t hear the piano parts at all well. Gave Mrs Mack her silk petticoat!⁴

¹ Dr Muir had been visiting James Hogg at Bowhill North Lodge from time to time since November 1922 [see diary entries for 19, 20, 22 and 25 November 1922].

² The Clark Coupers are Christina Jane Couper née Clark and her daughters Evelyn Susannah Clark Couper, and Edith Hylda Hope Clark Couper, see diary entry for 22 December 1922.

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

⁴ Dr Muir and his good friend Agnes Mackintosh had had some kind of romantic moment at Elm Park on her birthday on 4 June 1921 and in spite of his assertion “Admissions of friendship only at Elmpark” of 7 June 1921 but there must still be something between them.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/25, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1922]

Glass rising : no rain. Colder : some sunshine. Made 14 town calls + finished soon after 12. Sent away more Xmas greetings. I have sent in all 31. Got a box of home made sweets from Mary¹ + sent her a Bannock.² Got the usual Black Bun³ from Tina⁴ + also sent her a Bannock.

¹ 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.

² Selkirk Bannock is a leavened tea bread, long fermented and using a sourdough-like starter ‘sponge dough’.

³ Black bun is a rich fruit cake covered with pastry and associated with Hogmanay.

⁴ Assume Christina Robertson ‘Tina’ Patrick née Rodger (1846-1924), daughter of Peter Rodger (1804-1888), solicitor and local government official, of Selkirk and married David Patrick, solicitor, of Hamilton.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/25, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1922]