Snow lying again + a little falling this morning. There was some frost too + the roads + pavements were very slippery. There was a strongish S.W. wind + most of the snow disappeared. Two operations for appendicitis at Viewfield (Mrs Grandison + after Wilson¹) which took from 11.15 till 1.15. Before that I walked to Hospital, Dunsdale, Mavisbank +c + in afternoon cycled to Ettrickbridgend + Beechwood nearly 16 [miles]. I had to walk Ettrick Road + Oakwoodmill Brae but rode Fauldshope + Hutlerburn. Met Dittmar² + Kennedy³ re Hospital. Peggy Hunnam⁴ died at Hospital. Mrs Simpson⁵, Wellwood, fell + hurt her legs.

¹ Mrs Grandison and Wilson are unidentified

² Assume Frederick Dittmar (1869-1934), M.D., D.P.H., Medical Officer to the Scottish Board of Health, later the Department of Health for Scotland [birth, 1869, 685/5 246, Newington; death, Sep Quarter 1934, Dittmar, Frederick, Newbury 2c 258; obituary, “Dr. Frederick Dittmar.” The British Medical Journal, vol. 2, no. 3839, BMJ, 1934, pp. 236–236, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25321903.%5D

³ William Nicol Watson Kennedy (1888-1961), O.B.E., M.D., D.P.H. and Medical Officer of Health and School Medical Officer for Selkirkshire, 1921-about 1924

⁴ Margaret Williamson ‘Peggy’ Hunnam, born 5 July 1914 at 26 West Port, Selkirk; she was the daughter of William Hunnam, restaurateur, and Agnes Isabella Hunnam née Heatlie, married 13 May 1910 at Selkirk

⁵ Mrs Simpson, Wellwood

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

Fresh: dull: drizzle at times. After seeing a few cases I went to forenoon service, the first time I have been at Church since Jan 1^st. After Church I cycled to Bridgelands + Mill Street + then had to [go] back to the Hospital to see little Peggy Hunnam¹ who has symptoms of Cardiac failure after Diph.² Saw her again at night. Wrote Barbara³ + Nancy⁴. Helen⁵ very much taken up with baby⁶.

¹ Peggy Hunnam is presumably Margaret Williamson Hunnam, born 5 July 1914 at 26 West Port, Selkirk; she was the daughter of William Hunnam, restaurateur, and Agnes Isabella Hunnam née Heatlie, married 13 May 1910 at Selkirk

² The serious outbreak of Diphtheria had been running in Selkirk through most of 1921 and into 1922

³ Andrina Henderson ‘Barbara’ Roberts, later Twhigg (1902-1996), one-off Dr Muir’s granddaughters

⁴ Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir (1878-1948), Dr Muir’s second daughter

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

⁶ The baby referred to is Esther Ramsay Harper, born 1921, daughter of Esther Harper née Ramsay of Kirkwynd, Selkirk; both had been brought in by Dr Muir in a state of crisis, see Dr Muir’s diary entry for 17 February 1922

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

Thawing but very cold + N.E. wind. Hills all white. Walked to Viewfield, Clifton Road, Anderson Road, Mavisbank, Sloethornbank, Ashybank, Hospital, Mill Street, Forest Terrace [?], [and] Glebe Terrace. It is just a year past on the 13^th since Tom died¹. This is the last of a family I have known intimately + in the most friendly way since I came here. First old Mr Dunn² passed, then Mrs³, Dick⁴, Jack⁵, Tom + now Hyndmer⁶. I also walked to Briarbank. Got P.C. [post card] from Rennie⁷ hoping I was coming down on 7^th March.

¹ Thomas ‘Tom’ Dunn (about 1844-1921), druggist, chemist and Registrar, of 9 High Street, Selkirk, one of Dr Muir’s oldest friends, died 13 February 1921, aged 77 [778/ 13 Selkirk]

² John Dunn senior (about 1817-1875), chemist [death, 1875, 778/ 7, Selkirk]

³ Hyndmer Rutherford Dunn née Hewat (about 1818-1884) [death, 1884, 778/ 37, Selkirk]

⁴ Richard Hewat ‘Dick’ Dunn (about 1846-1899), tweed manufacturer, married 1887, Earlston, Agnes Ralph Waldie

⁵ John ‘Jack’ Dunn (1855-1917), solicitor and bank agent, born 1855, died 11 March 1917 at 4 Abercrombie Road, Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire

⁶ Hyndmer Rutherford ‘Miss’ Dunn (about 1843-1922); for more detail see Dr Muir’s diary entry for 17 February 1922

⁷ The Reverend James Rennie (1826-1924), Church of Scotland minister and widower of Catherine Stewart Muir, thus Dr Muir’s brother in law; living at Prestwick, Ayrshire

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

Dark morning with a little hoar frost: raining till 12 + then very heavy soft snow in big flakes. It was fresh however + the roads got very slushy. I motored to Hospital +c + Ettrickbridgend + we had to wipe the snow off the screen frequently. Mrs Harper¹ going on favourably. Helen² is getting the baby cleaned + its smells removed³. Miss Dunn⁴ died this morning.

¹ Esther Harper née Ramsay (1888-1951) of Kirkwynd, Selkirk had been brought in by Dr Muir with her baby, both clearly in a state of crisis

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

³ Esther Ramsay Harper (1921-1925), the baby of Esther Harper née Ramsay (above)

⁴ Hyndmer Rutherford ‘Miss’ Dunn (about 1843-1922), died 17 February 1922 at 13 High Street, Selkirk, aged 79, of “Cerebral Congestion 7 months Hemiplegia 7 months”, certified by John S Muir M.B.; the daughter of John Dunn, chemist & druggist, and Hyndmer Rutherford Dunn née Hewat, and brother of Thomas ‘Tom’ Dunn (about 1844-1921) [her death, 1922, 778/21, Selkirk]

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

Dull, mild, damp, calm, showery. Snow all disappeared from Hay shed roof. Saw cases walking + motored to Raeburn Meadow, Hospital, Ettrick Mill + Ettrickbridgend. Miss Dunn nearing her end¹: comatose. Got Mrs Alexander Harper², Kirkwynd into Viewfield + Helen³ undertook the care of her baby. What the other kids are going to do I don’t know. Got all the the paid accounts worked out + arranged names in ledger – day book alphabetically.

¹ Hyndmer Rutherford ‘Miss’ Dunn (about 1843-1922), daughter of John Dunn, chemist & druggist, and Hyndmer Rutherford Dunn née Hewat, and brother of Thomas ‘Tom’ Dunn (about 1844-1921); she was the Tenant Occupier of a house at 13 High Street, Selkirk [1921 Valuation Roll, VR007900012-/113, Selkirk Burgh, page 113 of 644]

² Esther Harper née Ramsay (1888-1951), born Selkirk, married, 1912, Selkirk, to Alexander Harper (millworker and Tenant Occupier of a house 29 Kirkwynd, Selkirk by 1922), and she died 1959, at Selkirk, aged 71; children Alexander (1913-), James Ramsay (1916-), Walter Ramsay (1919-), and Esther Ramsay (1921-1925) [sources: birth, 1888, 778/ 88, Selkirk; 1912, 778/ 7, Selkirk; death, 1959, 778/ 49, Selkirk; 1922 Valuation Roll, VR007900012-/293, Selkirk Burgh, page 293 of 644]

³ 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]

Fresh: no wind: rather drizzly in morning but fair after. Made 21 calls walking in the forenoon + motoring in afternoon. Attended [meeting ?] of Visiting Committee in Pollok’s offices¹ at which Kennedy² was present to discuss the question of [word deleted] quarantine huts³. Helen⁴ went to Picture House with Miss Wallace⁵.

¹ John Pollok (1858-1938), Town Clerk and Procurator Fiscal, Selkirk

² William Nicol Watson Kennedy (1888-1961), O.B.E., M.D., D.P.H. and Medical Officer of Health and School Medical Officer for Selkirkshire, 1921-about 1924

³ There was a prolonged outbreak of Diphtheria at Selkirk from early 1921 and now continuing into 1922

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

⁵ Miss Wallace has not been identified though it may be possible to do so when the 1921 Census is published later this year

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

Still calm but fresh: snow slowly melting: roads muddier. Less doing. Still I made 23 calls besides Beechwood + Ettrickbridgend which I did motoring and Briarbank which did walking between 6 + 7 + thus escaped the wearisome consulting hour. David¹ came with a man Ross from Edinburgh to let me see a very attractive Hillman² car which he thought of buying price £460 less £100 or more for the S.S.³

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

² Hillman Motor Car Company from 1910 (Hillman-Coatalen from 1907) of Coventry

³ Straker Squire or Straker-Squire Ltd., also Brazil, Straker (1901-1927), motor manufacturer; the Muir & Graham partnership had run their Straker Squire since at least early 1919

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

There was a slight fall of snow last night but it disappeared during the day. The frost was certainly less keen + wind N.W. I started out early + did the cases at Mavisbank, Sloethornbank, Ashybank, Hospital +c before 11 when I gave Chlor[oform] at the Home to Maggie Piercy¹ on whom Dav.² operated a colostomy for cancer of rectum. In the afternoon I motored to Bluecairn + Ettrickbridgend where I had to see Mrs Tom Mitchell³.

¹ Margaret Piercy, grocer, unmarried, of 9 Dunsdalehaugh, Selkirk, the daughter of Isaac Piercy, woollen spinner, and Margaret Piercy née Murray

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

³ Mrs Tom Mitchell has not been identified (though it may be possible to do so when the 1921 Census is published later this year) but Thomas Mitchell, occupier of house, table, joiner’s shop and land at Ettrickbridgend [1921 Valuation Roll, VR011700009-/320, Selkirk County, page 320 of 611]

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

Frost still holding: duller than yesterday. Quite calm + wind round to N.E. Snow still lying on roof of hay shed. There was Communion but I didn’t get to Church. Have not been at church this year. Cycled to Mavisbank, Hospital, Forest Road + Market Place. Was in house all afternoon. Went out at night to see Maggie Leithead, Mavisbank¹. Miss Dunn² (pretty far through) + Mrs Geo. Douglas³.

¹ There is nobody called Leithead recorded at Mavisbank but Margaret Leithead or Scott, widow, was Tenant Occupier of a house at 24 Back Row, Selkirk [1922 Valuation Roll, VR007900012-/286, Selkirk Burgh, page 286 of 644]; it may be possible to confirm or reject this identity when the 1921 Census is published some time this year

² Hyndmer Rutherford ‘Miss’ Dunn (about 1843-1922), daughter of John Dunn, chemist & druggist, and Hyndmer Rutherford Dunn née Hewat, and brother of Thomas ‘Tom’ Dunn (about 1844-1921); she was the Tenant Occupier of a house at 13 High Street, Selkirk [1921 Valuation Roll, VR007900012-/113, Selkirk Burgh, page 113 of 644]

³ Annie Douglas née Davidson had given birth to a son George Huntley Douglas on 28 January 1922 at Viewfield Nursing Home, Selkirk [1921, 778/ 10, Selkirk]

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

Keen frost + a dry calm sunny day. Saw 32 walking (+ [illegible] + including Buxton¹ + Linglie Cottages). Mr Brown of Vellore², brother in law of Mrs Mack³ + brother of the late Rich^d Brown⁴, died today. Went down at night + called at Elmpark. Mrs Mack made me speak to Erskine⁵ who had rung her up from London. Distributed my communion cards.

¹ Buxton may refer to the Infectious Diseases Hospital just under the Selkirk Hills

² William Brown (about 1851-1922), banker, of Vellore House, Muiravonside [Maddiston], Stirlingshire and husband of Henrietta Watson (1862-1944), Agnes Mackintosh’s sister

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

⁴ Assume Richard Brown (1856-), but the Editor has been unable to locate him later in his life

⁵ James Erskine Harper (1887-1953), barrister and Agnes Mackintosh’s son

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