Sharp dry frost which improved the roads till they softened in the Sun, but there was no thaw proper + it was hard at night. I was for three hours from 11 at Viewfield¹ giving Chlor[oform] first to Gaza Graham² for a cervical abscess + then to Mrs Wm Douglas³ for repair of the laceration caused at her confinement. In the afternoon I cycled to Curror Street, Dunsdale, Hospital, Briarbank, The Floors⁴ + Tait’s Hill. Was called to Mrs Geo. Laurie⁵ at 8.20 p.m. + got her over about 11. Unfortunately the child, a boy, was dead. I used the forceps quite easily but the [three illegible words] still did not account for the death.

¹ Viewfield Nursing Home, Selkirk, the Muir and Graham medical partnership’s maternity home

² Assume Gaza Isabella Graham (1917-2010), born 10 July 1917 at Whitefield, Yarrow, daughter of John Graham, woollen millworker, formerly Private, K.O.S.B., and Isabella Graham née Amos, married January 1917 at Yarrow

³ Annie Davidson had married William Millar Douglas, shoemaker, 29 April 1921 at Heatherlie Manse, Selkirk and their son George Huntley Douglas had been born 28 January 1922 at Viewfield Nursing Home, Selkirk [1921, 778/ 10, Selkirk]

⁴ The Floors, Heath Park, Selkirk, Proprietor Occupier James George Chalmers, solicitor [1922 Valuation Roll, VR007900012-/275, Selkirk Burgh, page 275 of 644]

⁵ Mrs George Lawrie is not yet identified with absolute confidence but may be Christina E Lees who had married George Brown or Lawrie, railway lorryman, on 28 April 1905 at Heatherlie Manse [1905, marriages, 778/ 13, Selkirk]

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

A milder day: quite calm + fresh but dispersing the snow very slowly. By evening there was none in the park but it was still lying on the hay shed roof. I cycled for the first time since Jan. 5. The roads were very muddy. I went to Tower Street, Glebe Terrace, Kilncroft, Beechwood, Magdalen Cott.¹, Dunsdale, Hospital, Mavisbank = 6.4 miles. Got some work done at books + house accounts. When I have everything paid that I owe at present I shall only have £4 odd left. but I have as yet drawn nothing of 1921-22.

¹ Dr Muir had previously attended the Bell family at Magdalen Cottage, Linglie

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

Calm dull cold day. Slow thaw. Had a smaller list today. Operated on Bella Currie¹, Tait’s Hill for anal fissure under local anaesthesia + saw some other town cases walking + then motored to Goslaw Green, Curror Street, Forest Road, Cannon Street, Linglie Cottages + Farm + Kilncroft. Wrote report for Coop. Insur^ce Co. re J. Gill² + wrote Tom Hardie³, Ayr. Wrote Mary⁴, Patons⁵, Jean⁶ + A. J. Milne⁷, Aberdeen〃⁸ rather than liquidator¹⁰. Helen¹⁰ had tea at Elmpark¹¹.

¹ Bella Currie, Tait’s Hill may be Isabella Currie the daughter of Archibald Currie, hosiery manufacturer, who is recorded in the 1911 Census at Hillside Terrace (just around the corner from Tait’s Hill) but this cannot be corroborated

² The reference to J Gill is obscure though it may conceivably refer to James Gill, baker, who lived at 117 Forest Road, Selkirk

³ There is no reference to a Tom Hardie in Ayrshire that looks like a good match, though it may be possible to identify him when the 1921 Census is published later this year

⁴ Assume Mary Jane Wallace née Muir (1836-1933), Dr Muir’s sister, married to James Wallace, living at Scotstoune, Haslemere, Surrey; thank you letters are being sent to a number of individuals for gifts on Dr Muir’s 77th birthday the day before

⁵ The Patons are Isabella Clementina ‘Isa’ Paton (about 1838-1929) and Marion Agnes Paton (about 1841-1940), unmarried sisters who had flitted from Selkirk to Galashiels after the First World War

⁶ Jane Henderson Logan ‘Jean’ Pike née Muir (1877-1941), Dr Muir’s eldest daughter

⁷ A J Milne is unidentified but there is a further reference to him and what appears to be a bankruptcy process and the defrauding of the Muir & Graham medical partnership in Dr Muir’s diary entry for 23 February 1922

⁸ The Editor assumes that Dr Muir has used a ditto to stand for Insurance Co., though the Aberdeen Insurance Co. has not been readily identified

⁹ The reference to the liquidator is as obscure as those earlier made to J Gill and insurance but the three must surely be connected

¹⁰ Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter and sometime housekeeper

¹¹ 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]

Frost less keen + almost thawing at night, calm S.W. [wind] My 77 birthday. Letters from Nancy¹, Jean², Dora³, Guy⁴, Mary⁵ + a lot of presents from Mrs Mack⁶ viz 2 pr. knicker stockings⁷: 2 shirts 4 collars⁸ + chocs. She also brought up a bottle of port + a cake. Bell Harkness⁹ sent me two silk hankeys [sic] + Isa Paton¹⁰ a pair of knicker stockings. I got a nice letter from Mrs Taylor, Jamaica¹¹. Did a town list walking + motored to Greenhead +c. Did not get tea till 3.30. Had a meeting of V.A.D.¹² (at which only 5 turned up) about the course of lectures on Tuberculosis by Kennedy¹³. Helen¹⁴ + Mrs Mack went to Picture Ho. + came in after to drink my health. Saw Mrs Mack home!¹⁵

¹ Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir (1878-1948), Dr Muir’s second daughter

² Jane Henderson Logan ‘Jean’ Pike née Muir (1877-1941), Dr Muir’s eldest daughter

³ Andrina Dorothy ‘Dora’ Muir (1882-1978), nurse and Dr Muir’s youngest daughter

⁴ The Reverend Gavin Struthers ‘Guy’ Muir (1846-1927), Dr Muir’s brother

⁵ Assume Mary Jane Wallace née Muir (1836-1933), Dr Muir’s sister, married to James Wallace, living at Scotstoune, Haslemere, Surrey

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

⁷ The Editor assumes that Dr Muir is referring to his knickerbockers or breeks, normally similar to but shorter than plus twos and very likely his cycle wear

⁸ Collars were sold (and laundered) separately from shirts and linked for wearing by a pair of collar studs

⁹ Isabella ‘Bell’ Harkness née Lockie (1859-1929), daughter of Hugh Lockie, woollen millworker, and Helen Lockie née Fairbairn, married John Harkness baker; her daughter Ella Fairbairn Harkness (1893-1915), woollen millworker, had died 1915 aged 22 at Curror Street, Selkirk of phthisis pulmonalis

¹⁰ Isabella Clementina ‘Isa’ Paton (about 1838-1929) stayed at Galashiels with her sister Marion Agnes Paton (about 1841-1940), though they had been at Selkirk previously

¹¹ Mrs Taylor, Jamaica, may (just, though the Editor would have expected Dr Muir to be less formal) be Jane ‘Jean’ Logan Taylor née Rennie (about 1856-), daughter of The Reverend James Rennie (1826-1924), Church of Scotland minister and Catherine Stewart Rennie née Muir, thus Dr Muir’s niece, or it may refer to the wife of her son

¹² The Voluntary Aid Detachment had been very active, with Dr Muir involved as a lecturer, during the First World War but was obviously in a diminished state by 1922

¹³ Dr William Nicol Watson Kennedy (1888-1961), O.B.E., M.D., M.R.C.P.Ed., D.P.E., medical officer of health and school medical officer for Selkirkshire, 1921-about 1924; he worked in public health roles at Craiglockhart, Croydon and Selkirkshire, saw service in the R.A.M.C. and wrote a sanitary history of the Northern Russia Expeditionary Force before his career as a G.P. in Cheshire (very close to some of Dr Muir’s relatives) [sources: birth, 1888, 685/5 486, Newington; death, 15 Dec 1961, Glendale, Ashley Road, Hale, Cheshire, registered Dec Quarter 1961, Bucklow, Cheshire, 10a 140; UK & Ireland, Medical Directories, 1845-1942, Wellcome Trust; London, England; Collection: The Medical Directory, 1940; Reference: b21330724_i13766363; “W. N. W. Kennedy, O.B.E., M.D., M.R.C.P.Ed. D.P.H.” The British Medical Journal, vol. 1, no. 5276, BMJ, 1962, pp. 491–491, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20356756.%5D

¹⁴ Helen Frances ‘Mousey’ Muir (1880-1963), Dr Muir’s third daughter and sometime housekeeper

¹⁵ Dr Muir has probably used an exclamation mark because he had, perhaps was continuing to have, a very close even intimate friendship with Mrs Mackintosh

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

Dry cold: hard frost: sunless red sunrise: snowing at night. Did a round walking in forenoon + motoring in afternoon to Tower Street, Greenhead¹, Buxton², Forest Road + Linglie Cottages. Crowd at night. Helen³ at Picture Ho. with Mrs Mack⁴. Bessie Patrick⁵ is going to Connie Patrick⁶ at Crieff so Helen can remain at home. Had letters from Tim + Stewart⁷ with birthday Congrats.

¹ Greenhead farm, just north of the Selkirk Hills on the minor road heading from Scott’s Place towards Shawmount, visible on Ordnance Survey 6” Selkirkshire Sheet XII.NW, published 1900

² Buxton, under the Selkirk Hills, may well refer to the Infectious Diseases Hospital, grid reference NGR NT485,287, and visible on Ordnance Survey 6” Selkirkshire Sheet XII.NW, published 1900; however the Editor has not yet been able to establish key dates but for the first quarter of the 19th Century two isolation units are shown on the relevant Ordnance Survey sheets, the larger hospital described as Infectious Diseases Hospital, Mortuary etc No. 6a Bleachfield Road and a smaller unit described as Small Pox Hospital Selkirk Hills [cf. 1914 Valuation Roll, VR007900011-/28, Selkirk Burgh, page 28 of 786 and 1914 Valuation Roll, VR007900011-/138, Selkirk Burgh, page 138 of 786]; further research is required

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

⁴ Agnes Mackintosh née Watson, formerly Harper (1859-1946), of Elm Park, Selkirk

⁵ Elizabeth Maud ‘Bessie’ Patrick (1881-1945), daughter of Christina Robertson ‘Tina’ Patrick née Rodger and David Patrick, solicitor, of Hamilton

⁶ Constance Mary ‘Connie’ Patrick (1882-1968), sister of Elizabeth Patrick

⁷ George Edward ‘Tim’ Roberts (1911-2005) and Stewart Muir ‘Little Stewart’ Roberts (1908-2003), two of Dr Muir’s grandsons

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

Hard frost + the slush of yesterday frozen. Walking unpleasant though not dangerous. Glass [barometer] high + rising S. to S.W., calm, sunless. Did my work walking + was not at church. Only 2 messages viz. Mrs Hall¹ + Mrs Geo. Douglas², Chapel Street both with high temp 103 + 104. Jack³ + Miss Wallace⁴ came to supper. Ordered 120 galls. petrol from the Petrol Users’ Society now re-organised as the British Petrol + Motor Equipment Society Ltd.⁵

¹ Mrs Hall is unidentified

² Mrs Douglas, Chapel Street is unidentified; there were two individuals named George Douglas living a few doors apart, one a millworker, the other a spinner [1922 Valuation Roll, VR007900012-/309, Selkirk Burgh, page 309 of 644]

³ John ‘Jack’ Roberts junior (1876-1966), mill owner and Provost of Selkirk, and Dr Muir’s son-in-law, husband of Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir (1878-1948), Dr Muir’s second daughter

⁴ Miss Wallace is not identified but may be one of the Muir & Graham medical partnership’ employees; it may be possible to identify her when the 1921 Census is published this year

⁵ British Petrol & Motor Equipment Company Ltd., registered 1921, took over the undertaking and assets of the Petrol Users’ Society Ltd. for “80,559 fully-paid shares of £1 and discharge of liabilities”; details are hard to find but the Register of Defunct Companies notes that “… Realised assets insufficient to satisfy debenture holders. Struck off register 1929 …”

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

Quite 2 inches of snow this morning + fallen very quietly so that trees +c were all Xmas like. It thawed during the day but was freezing again at night. I had a big list with several of David’s¹ as he went to the Scotland-Wales football match at Edinburgh². I did most of it cycling motoring including Haining + Beechwood.

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

² This refers to the Scotland vs Wales Five Nations rugby union game on 4 February 1922 at Inverleith, Edinburgh, a 9–9 draw (though Scotland also played Wales at football the same afternoon, at the Racecourse, Wrexham, which Wales won 2-1)

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

A raw cold day with so rain + a little sleety snow at night. East [wind]. I had several morning consults: + at 11 gave Chlor[oform] to Miss Barton¹ (cousin of And. B.²) for appendectomy + to Mrs Jeffrey³ for Colporrhaphy⁴. This took till 2. I was going to motor round town after but David⁵ asked [sic] the Swift⁶ for Lilliesleaf so I walked + finished at 7. Dobie⁷ ex constable died at Victoria Hall.

¹ Miss Barton has not been identified

² Andrew Barton (about 1849-1927), farmer, born Castleton, Roxburghshire but at Morningside Farm, Logiealmond, Perthshire, 1901 Census and tenant at Oakwoodmill, Selkirk with James Barton, 1920 and 1930 Valuation Rolls; he married 1892, Stirling, Rebecca or Rebekah Monti Garden Grant, he died aet 78 in 1927 and his tenancy was taken over by his son William

³ Mrs Jeffrey is unidentified

⁴ Colporrhaphy is a surgical procedure to repair pelvic organ prolapse

⁵ David Charteris ‘Dav.’ Graham (1889-1963), M.B., medical practitioner and Dr Muir’s business partner

⁶ The Swift Motor Company made Swift Cars in Coventry; it is not clear which model Dr Muir owned of this small motor manufacturer’s many products but it had been the ‘workhorse’ car for the practice since Dr Muir had acquired it some time before August 1914

⁷ John Dobie (1234-1922), police constable, retired, died of “pneumonia after influenza” at the Victoria Hall, Scott’s Place, Selkirk, where he was caretaker and lived in a house adjacent (according the the Valuation Roll, though it seems more likely that he stayed in one of the flats on site) that was, along with the Hall itself, part of the Common Good; born 1859 at Prestonkirk, Haddingtonshire, he was in 1901 at the Police House, Caddonfoot, with his family [birth, 1859, 689/27, Inveresk and Musselburgh; death, 1922, 778/15, Selkirk; 1901 Census 774/A 3/ 7, page 7 of 13; 1921 Valuation Roll, VR007900012-/123, Selkirk Burgh, page 123 of 644]

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

Damp + misty rather colder a slight fall of snow on hills. Motored to a few town cases + then to Beechwood, Deuchar Mill + Dryhope hope¹. Was at latter for first time. It must be nearly 2 miles up the burn. There is a fairly good road to it + not nearly so wet as I expected. Gray² showed me the way + Mrs G³ gave me a delightful tea on my return. Got back at 3.20 + then did a town list walking.

¹ Dryhope-hope, sometimes Dryhopehope, is visible on Ordnance Survey 6 inch Selkirkshire Sheet IX while the start of the walk appears on Ordnance Survey 6 inch Selkirkshire Sheet XIII, both published 1863; the track Dr Muir and Mr Gray followed may be seen on the intersection of the two sheets at 3^o 10’ after running directly through Dryhope Farm

² William Gray was tenant of Dryhope, Yarrow (which included Dryhope-hope) and occupied Dryhope Farm but Thomas Graham, shepherd, was Inhabitant Occupier not rated at Dryhope-hope itself [
1922 Valuation Roll, VR011700009-/390, Selkirk County, page 390 of 611]

³ Mrs Gray has not been identified though it may be possible to do so when the 1921 Census is published this year

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

Fine day with a good deal of sun. Slight touch of frost. Snow all gone from Park: remains of sweeping still in streets. Slight showers. Had much smaller list + finished (by motoring) by 1.20. Hoped for a quiet afternoon but was called out first to Mrs Trotter, Kirkwynd¹ + later to John Neil Bell, Mill Street². Besides these interruptions Willie Lang³ came + stayed quite ¾ of an hour. I had people in from 6 till 7.50! David⁴ called at 9.30.

¹ Margaret Hume Trotter, formerly Hume, née Lees had married Archibald Trotter, carter, October 1893 at West United Free Church (sometime United Presbyterian Church), Selkirk; at 12 and 14 Castle Street at their marriage, the couple were at Kirkwynd by 1922 [Archibald Trotter, tenant at 16 Kirk Wynd, Selkirk, 1922 Valuation Roll, VR007900012-/292, Selkirk Burgh, page 292 of 644]

² John Bell, warper, was Tenant at 90 Mill Street, 1922 Valuation Roll (not James Bell as indexed by ScotlandsPeople when accessed 2022.01.31) [1922 Valuation Roll, VR007900012-/328, Selkirk Burgh, page 328 of 644]

³ Assume William Graham ‘Willie’ Lang (1856-1943), son of Hugh Morris Lang and Margaret Lang née Graham

⁴ David Charteris ‘Dav.’ Graham (1889-1963), M.B., medical practitioner and Dr Muir’s business partner

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