On Facebook I noticed recently one or two queries about Dr Motley so thought it may be worthwhile and of some general interest to pull some of the various threads on this remarkable man into a single monograph.
Perhaps
the most remarkable story of all the individuals at Oxgangs during the 1960s
was that of Dr Motley. I always thought he looked amazing. As a wee
boy, he would have been the first black man that I had seen. I couldn't take my
eyes off him. The fact that he was a different colour to me - black to my white;
then there were his hands, I noticed too the contrast of his palms which were a
much lighter colour. And of course there was his voice-a lovely, deep, rich,
American sound; with a sweet cadence, musicality and deep mellifluousness which
was something to hear and behold.
I
always found him to be a very gentle man - a gentleman - positive and sympathetic
to his patients. He struck me as being a very happy person with a happy
disposition; he laughed a lot. As I grew older I got a sense of how immaculate
in appearance he was-he dressed in beautiful suits, shirts and
ties-class jewellery, a gold ring and a lovely watch and a handkerchief in
his top pocket-he had a real sense of style and must have cut quite an exotic
figure in grey Oxgangs. Although he wasn't tall he was very handsome with a
gentle face.
I
have spoken regularly about the concept of transactions and relationships.
Partly because it was the 1960s; partly because for years it would have been a
one man practice; and partly because of the nature of the man, I always felt I
had a personal relationship with him. No doubt hundreds of his patients over
the decades would have felt the same way.
But
what a story. Imagine how challenging it must have been for the young Arthur
Phillip Motley. He travelled thousands of miles across the Atlantic Ocean when
he came to Edinburgh as a student from the Deep South of the United States of
America in the late 1920s.
As
a black man in Edinburgh at that time, he would have been in a very small
minority, both at Edinburgh University and also in the city. I would imagine
that over the years and across the decades he must have suffered some prejudice
and the vicissitudes of discrimination. When I looked at his gentle
countenance I sometimes thought of the slings, arrows and brickbats he probably
endured from people-with his manner he probably did what many smart people
do-never reacting, never responding-just ignoring such things and getting on
with life. Although my mother, Mrs Anne Duncan (Hoffmann), made an astute point to me when
she said Would it not have been a lot worse back in the States?
Coming
to the city to train as a doctor at the university and at the Royal Infirmary
in Edinburgh says a very great deal about his character. To go on to form,
develop and build up a practice at McAlester Cottage in the fledgling
community of Oxgangs in the late 1940s and early 1950s must have been an even
greater challenge.
My
early memories of McAlester Cottage are of what a lovely house it was-white and
red and the finest house in the immediate area. The waiting room had a highly
polished parquet floor with seating arranged around the perimeter; in the
centre of the room were eight high quality, brightly coloured chairs for small
children-it was great fun to sit on them. The family would have stayed at the
practice too. I don't remember really seeing either his wife Annette or his
daughter - also called Annette - they must have kept quite a low profile.
When
he was building up the practice he must have worked incredibly hard and long
hours-no doubt he would have been called out at all sorts of times of the day
and night. Building up a practice on his own with all the inherent stresses and
strains must have been very challenging for him. And yet whenever he saw you he
never exhibited any sign of this.
Until
now, I never thought about the name of his home and surgery practice-McAlester
Cottage-after all it's a good Scots name. However it's now occurred to me that
he would have had the house built for himself-after all it's unlikely that such
a house would have been built there at the time if it wasn't for a young
doctor. I've now realised that the name was a reminder of home!
He
was born around 1906 in Texas. The family must have moved after this to
McAlester City (the McAlester of McAlester Cottage to remind him of home?),
Oklahoma where they resided at 903 E Monroe. Dr Motley was listed as being a
resident there along with his father R Frank Motley who was a minister and his
mother Ethel Motley. This is taken from the US Census of 1940. However it's
interesting to see that five years earlier, 1935, he was listed as living in
Edinburgh where he was a medical intern at the Royal Hospital, Edinburgh. Did
he move back to Oklahoma when the Second World War started? Or was it because
there were no jobs available in Edinburgh? Or was it for family reasons?
However,
he must have begun studying in Edinburgh in the late 1920s because in the 1928
Yearbook for Lincoln University, Pennsylvania-the leading black university says
the following:
 |
| Arthur Motley 1928 |
A R T H U R M O T L E Y
"Hoops" Motley, now living in McAlester,
Oklahoma., also comes to us from Wiley College.
He belongs to The Firm, to the Varsity " L
"Club, and to Alpha . " Hoops " has been among
the honour group students since his matriculation. He is a profound
philosopher of life and religion; a lover of women, Wiley, and Bull Sessions. A
few years and "Hoops" will be an M.D. from Edinburgh,
Scotland.
I'm
surmising here, but I think he perhaps chose to study in Edinburgh at that
time, because it was regarded as being the leading medical school in the world.
A medical degree from Edinburgh meant that (in theory) one could
have practiced anywhere in the world, although that said, as a black man,
this would undoubtedly have restricted his opportunities. Many people would
have had deep reservations about being treated by someone who wasn't white.
He
was still in Edinburgh in 1935, where the Census records him as working in
Edinburgh at the Royal Hospital, Edinburgh as a medical
intern. However, in 1940 he was recorded as being back at the family home in
Oklahoma.
Mother knew he had been a ship's doctor during the Second World
War, but we're unsure whether it was with the US Navy or the British; I assume
it was the American. He told her that when the ship was in port in South Africa
and the sailors encouraged him to go ashore he said No I'll have to
remain on board - when they asked him why he replied that he was frightened
I'd be lynched!
The big question is why he came back to Edinburgh
to set up a practice. Again, surmising, it is likely that this was because he
had met his wife, Annette. She was the daughter of a shopkeeper who sold
tobacco and confectionery. The shop was close to his digs and he'd met her
there. I would imagine this must have been why he chose to stay in Edinburgh; my mother said that he loved Edinburgh-good taste!
When
he was developing the practice at Oxgangs he could be seen cycling on his
bicycle to visit patients-again what a wonderful sight that must have been. He
must have set up shop around the time of the start of the NHS
in 1947-up until then patients had to pay for treatment so people always
thought twice about visiting the doctor-not to mention that such bills were
always paid for in guineas!
Being
married to a white woman must have made life challenging, both socially and
professionally, yet Mother says that he held regular large
parties at home and a line of fancy cars could always be seen outside. Before
McAlester Cottage was built he stayed in one of the Gumley's houses across from
The Store. When Dr Shepherd joined the practice he moved in there when Dr
Motley moved to McAlester Cottage. In later years he lived at Buckstone.
Dr
Shepherd was an excellent doctor, probably superior to Dr Motley. Dr Shepherd
delivered my sister, Anne Hoffmann, at home on 19 September, 1961. In the
decade or so prior to this, it must have been challenging for Dr Motley to
learn all the skills required to be a general practitioner-being human he
undoubtedly will have made mistakes. On one occasion I had a poisoned big
toe; the poison spread up to my knee; I was delirious and there was a danger that
I could have lost my leg-when Dr Shepherd visited on an emergency call out, he
immediately took control and lanced it.
Over
the years Dr Motley was very supportive of our family. It was at his practice
that I got a message in June 1976 that I'd been picked for the Olympic
Team-ironically I was there getting an injury treated.
He
regularly offered to get me a scholarship to Oklahoma University
which I never followed up. Two years later when I moved up to 800 metres for a
year I would have been ranked number one in the United States, so undoubtedly a
good scholarship would have been available, particularly with his connections
there.
He
kept in touch with his old classmates as can be seen below. After being
selected for Montreal he arranged a collection for me as a poor student to
support my athletics. I was about to go off to Loughborough University (which I
gave up after a week-I didn't feel Coe was good enough to train with when I had
Jenkins et al!). I received a sizeable cheque, but we think it was Dr Motley
who provided the bulk of the money!
Front row, the author; Dr Motley; Mrs Anne Duncan with the equally remarkable, Rev Jack Orr-two men who made an outstanding community contribution to Oxgangs
As
indicated, he kept in regular touch with his alma mater, Lincoln University,
Pennsylvania, but I suspect also Wiley College-look out for the film The Great
Debaters-all about the outstanding debating team which was formed whilst he was
there as a student:
DR.ARTHUR P. MOTLEY, a medical practitioner,
travelled the long distance from Edinburgh, Scotland, to be present
at Commencement and to celebrate his 55th reunion with
his classmates.
Mother doesn't recall ever
seeing his daughter, Annette. I thought that I had, but my memory may be playing tricks. Was she black, white or mixed race heritage? Was she sent away to a
boarding school and therefore wasn't in Oxgangs very much? She married someone
from Scandinavia-possibly Sweden and settled there.
She may have become
estranged from her father and possibly quite bitter toward him. Towards the end
of his life she wrote to him and made an attempt to get back in touch, but Dr
Motley said that although he intended to leave most everything to her, he felt
it was too late in the day and that there had been too much water under the
bridge. My mother thinks that back in the 1980s grandchildren
came to visit him and he took them for a tour of Edinburgh on the top deck of
the Number 32 bus which had a circular route.
Whenever
I think of Dr Motley it is with great fondness-the mention of his name brings a
smile to my face. He was kind, gentle and a caring doctor: he had an appetite
for life and you felt better for spending a few minutes in his happy company.
What a remarkable man and extraordinary character he was.
Updates
and Comments
Whilst editing The
Stair into a book format (1 October, 2013) I came across the following
extract from the Lincoln University Centennial Alumni Directory(1954)
MOTLEY,
Arthur Philip, physician; b
Clarksville
Tex June 18 1907; prep
L’Overature
HS McAlester Okla; at-
tended
Royal College of Surgeons Edin-
burgh:
LMSSA (London) 1939; m Annette T H Comb Oct 1929; chil-Annette. Gen prac of
med. Mem Brit Med Assn; assoc mem Brit Assn for the
Advance
of Sci; mem Coun of Scotish
Health
and Soil SOC; foundation mem of
the
Coll of Gen Practioners; mem Edin-
burgh
Clinical Club, Edinburgh Inter-
nat
Hous. Ch of Scotland. Capt Royal
Army
Med Corps 1940-46. Address:
(res)
McAlester Cottage Oxgangs Rd
Edinburgh
Scotland.
This puts a slightly different
interpretation on one or two points in the vignette on Dr Motley from 16
December, 2012.
First of all he married his wife much
earlier than I had surmised-in 1929, not very long after he came to study in
Edinburgh. And second that he was an army captain in the Royal Army Medical
Corps between 1940 and 1946.
The standard period of service in
this unit was seven years which ties in with these dates. So clearly he served
in the British Army rather than the British or American Navy. He would have
needed to have trained for 6 months at RAMC
Depot, Crookham Camp, Aldershot.
Immediately after leaving the army he
would have sought work, so perhaps he either joined a practice in
Edinburgh or set up on his own at Oxgangs. Again, I’m surmising here, but I
wonder whether he recognised that because he was black and because many people
would be prejudiced it would be very difficult for a local medical practice to
appoint him and that he therefore realised he would have to branch out on
his own and start his own practice?
Comment From Neil: Great article Peter, thank you. Dr Motley was
always a classy person, we were fortunate to have him in Oxgangs. Your article
got me thinking about the dentist - Dr Russell, if my memory serves me
correctly. Never had a problem going to Dr Motley but hated every visit to the
dentist, Dr Russell!
Response: Aye-I
can empathise-I did a swift paragraph on Mr Russell when I was wrapping up the The Stair back
on 23 December, 2012. A charming book well worth searching out is Leaves From
The Lives Of A Country Doctor by Clement Gunn set
in Peebleshire a century or so ago-a rather lovely read-you won't be disappointed!
:-)
Hello Peter Hoffmann,
Dr. Arthur P Motley is my
Grandfather. I am jumping up and down with joy. I have been searching for my
grandfather for quite a while. I have done Google searches before but all I
would get would be old dudes from the 1600 and 1700s. I did it today and up
pops your blog. I found a lot of unknown information about my grandfather.
Thank you.
As you might be able to tell I'm from
the States. My father Lewie Motley passed on in 2006. He was born in
McAlester Oklahoma in 1925; I think that was Dr Motley’s senior year at High
School. My grandmother and Dr Motley were never married. My father never talked
about his father. So I did not start searching for my grandfather until after
my father passed. As a teenager I got a chance to go to high school in
McAlester Oklahoma in 1965 at L'Overture; the schools were segregated white
only and Black schools until 1968. Some of the teachers I had at L'Overture
taught Dr Motley too; they were always talking about how smart he was. While I
was living in McAlester I got a chance to meet Dr Motley's mother, my great
grandmother and his adopted father Rev. Frank Motley.
Harold Motley
I would like to find Dr Motley's
descendants. I would greatly appreciate any information about his daughter which
you can give me. Peter thank you for the treasure of information about my
grandfather. I attached a picture of myself to this email.
Harold Motley
Harold,
Many thanks for your fascinating e
mail-one throws a stone in a pond never knowing where the ripples go!
I've attached a link to a further
update I did on Dr Motley, in case you didn't pick up on that one
I've also published a book based on
the blog and I've attached that link too;
The book includes the blogs and
comments on Dr Motley. If you are interested in obtaining a copy I would hold
fire, because your e mail is so interesting that I intend to update the book
with your comments and additional information.
It raises many further interesting
questions: Did Dr Motley know that he had a son (Lewie) and indeed a grandson
(yourself, Harold)? Why did he not marry your grandmother? Did it have any
influence on him moving so far away to study in Edinburgh?
It's interesting too that both your
father and yourself were given the Motley name. Also, that as you visited Dr
Motley's parents (your great-grandparents) it begs the question as to whether
Dr Motley was actually aware he had a son and grandson.
You mention that the Reverend Motley
wasn't Dr Motley's real father-I wonder who was? Do you have any memories of
his parents-what they were like and what they said about Dr Motley?
Like you I found it difficult to
track down any information about him. If his daughter, Annette, is still alive
she must be around 85 years old now. As I wrote, my mother thinks she married a
Swedish gentleman. It may be possible to track down information about her
through Register House, Edinburgh.
My mother was very friendly with Dr
Motley and has a lot of information and knowledge about him-they used to meet
up for many years each week after he retired until he died. She would be happy
to speak to you-her telephone number is 0131 444 0398-bear in mind the time
difference in Edinburgh! Her e mail address is j.h.d@hotmail.uk.co
I would be happy to speak to you
too-my number is 07799 673290.
If I can be of any assistance don't
hesitate to get in touch. As I wrote, your grandfather was a lovely, remarkable
man and a legend in Oxgangs!
All the best.
Peter
Hello Peter
Hoffmann,
I was happy to find and read about my
grandfather Dr Arthur Motley here on your blog! Amazing to read and see
pictures of him. He was a wonderful grandpa. He taught me 'grandpa stick it up
yo jumpa' 'I dene kene but canna whackum' He would test us again and again if
we remembered who invented the telephone and the raincoat.
He was very
generous. His daughter Annette married a Norwegian man and they moved
to Sweden and adopted me, my sister and brother. Annette died in 2000, 69
years old in London. She inherited all from her father but lost it all to men
cheating her. After Annette and my father divorced she got involved with men of
the lowest rank possible unfortunately for me and my sister. She had a very
unhappy upbringing though (in spite of such a wonderful grandpa in my eyes) and
never found lasting love in her life due to having severe personal problems
much caused by her own mother Annette, probably why you saw so little of them.
His daughter Annette was a very artistic person, she worked back stage on some theatre
when she met my dad. In my youth she designed clothes and painted on glass.
All the best
Yvonne Hjertholm
Hi,
I lived at 52 Oxgangs Farm Drive, my mother still lives there today and has
since my dad built the house in 1957. I have just returned from a visit there
over Christmas. Dr. Motley made a big impression on my early life: he was
statuesque, kind and dapper. His name for me was 'small fry' and he always said
'You are the bonniest of all the Mckennas'. His surgery, McAllister
Cottage, was a pleasure to visit. It had skittles in red leather in the
surgery and I never understood why they were there. We had little knowledge of
race relations in Edinburgh at that time and Dr Motley was the only black
person I knew as a child and that felt like a gift. I think he had a bike in
the early days. I have many happy memories of my Oxgangs childhood and would be
good to hear from others.
Caroline McKenna
When I was 12 to
17 I lived next door to Dr Motley in the Oxgangs area of Edinburgh. He was the
first black American to study in the late 1920's in Scotland and then set up a
GP practice in the late 1940's. I remember him as a lovely, kind and jovial
man. I regularly took his wee Jack Russell a walk up the Pentlands. A vicious
little devil. On returning Dr Motley would give me a handful of sweets. My
Mum, a district nurse, whom he called 'Angel' occasionally helped bath his
frail and elderly wife.
When I was 15 I did this drawing from a photograph of him.
Also, on my
wedding day we went to visit him in hospital. We turned up in
full wedding gear and flowers for him. He couldn't come to the wedding so we
took the wedding to him. He was very generous. He gave us £100 in an envelope
before the wedding. I was so surprised. He died two months later aged 84.
I'd like to thank my Mum for setting a great example and for never saying,
'he's black but he's very nice' in the way I've often heard down the years.
Vicky Mount
Hello, my name is Richard Cropper and
I`m so glad to have found your page via Lost Edinburgh. I was brought into the
world by this lovely man on 29/10/62 at 2B Oxgangs Green. My younger brother
was also delivered by Dr Motley on 29/1/65. My late Dad remembers rushing along
Oxgangs Avenue when my arrival was imminent, knocking on the door of Macalester
Cottage. Always unhurried, "Calm down Mr Cropper, I`ll be there in a few
minutes!"
I continued as his patient up until
about 1978 I seem to recall (We relocated to Murrayburn Park,Wester Hailes in
July 1970 but still continued with AP as our Doctor). Always referred to us
boys as "Professor", as perhaps to all young male children in his
practice? I remember him fondly as the archetypal kindly family Doctor
"How are your Parents? And your Brothers and Sister?" but I recall
his diagnoses could be somewhat hit-or-miss.
Richard
Comments From PsyGeo 'Thanks for remembering Dr Motley; he did his best to
help my mum - that trip to the cottage was a regular one with me in tow. We
lived at 34 Oxgangs Avenue in the mid-70s/early 80s - so far away now, and a
mostly unhappy time but made me who I am.
