An earlier post detailed the challenges that the island of Papa Westray (known locally as Papay) had experienced since 1896 in trying to get a local Resident Medical Officer. Prior to that the doctor from Westray had to be rowed over. Once Papay had secured funding for a resident doctor they found it was very hard to recruit them, and they often didn’t stay. Many were young women doctors, newly qualified in Glasgow and Edinburgh and found the lack of transport and housing made it intolerable for them to remain on the island. Link to earlier post
One woman doctor was the exception to this. She arrived in 1926 and stayed until 1945. Dr
Jean McPhail had previous experience of Orkney and islands and this likely
informed her decision to apply for the job on Papay. Also by this time a house for the doctor had
been built, complete with surgery. Island life clearly suited her as she became
fully involved in the community, married a local man and stayed for almost 25
years.
This is the story of Dr Jean Mcphail, later Cursiter, and is told
in two parts. Part 2 will focus on a remarkable rescue of a seriously injured
woman from Papay to Kirkwall accompanied by Dr Cursiter.
Jean (sometimes known as Jane) was born in the British West
Indies around 1895. Her father was a Cocoa and Spice planter on an Estate, but
the family had returned home to Mull by 1901.[1] It’s likely he was a Manager
or Factor on the Estate as there is no evidence he owned it. Jean qualified as
a doctor at the Edinburgh School of Medicine for Women in 1914 and in 1921
completed a Diploma in Public Health jointly from Edinburgh & Glasgow Universities.[2]
Her brother, Donald McPhail, was born and had practised on
the island of Mull.[1] He moved to Eday as a Medical Officer in 1914, then
Sanday from 1916 to 1927, and on to Dounby.[3] Dr Jean McPhail had stood in for
him as a locum on Sanday in 1923.[4]
In 1926 Jean answered an advertisement from the Papa Westray
Parish Council for a “Lady Medical Officer” and began work in October for a
salary of £360.[5]
 |
| Orkney Herald 14 July 1926 |
Having been appointed, Dr Jean McPhail was the first doctor to set up in the newly built accommodation of Morven House complete with surgery.[6]
 |
| Doctor's House, Papay Westray |
During her time on the island Dr McPhail was very involved with the community which had a population of approximately 237. As a member of the Papa Westray Scottish Women’s Rural Institute (SWRI), she gave talks about food hygiene and first aid, important issues for Public Health. She also provided prizes for competitions and gifts for other events, notably, the haggis for the Burns Supper. Dr McPhail was also a skilled knitter as she won second prize for knitting a child’s dress at the Orkney County Show in 1929.[7]
While on Papay she met her husband, Ian Cursiter. His family
had the neighbouring farm of Gairbolls. Ian’s
father, David, was a boatman. David Cursiter had often been part of the crew rowing over to
Westray for the island doctor in the years before Papay had their own resident
doctor. He was also on the Parish
Committee for securing a purpose-built house for the doctor.[8]
Jean and Ian married
on 28 October 1929 at St Magnus Parish Church in Birsay and a later
reception at Dounby House as by then her brother, Donald, was living and
working in Dounby. Her sister Marion also attended.[9]
In March 1931, at the age of 36, Jean gave birth on Papay to their
only child, John (Jack) Cursiter.[10]
Later in November 1931 a local newspaper, The Orkney Herald, reports Dr Cursiter taking a key role in the dramatic rescue of a patient from Papay in November 1931.
The Orkney Herald headline read
Injured Woman’s Terrible Flight. Marooned and helpless on Papa Westray. Rowing Boat’s Hazardous Voyage.
It details the accident involving Jessie Groat on Papay, and the remarkable journey to the Balfour Hospital in Kirkwall, accompanied by Mr Groat and Dr Cursiter. More of that in Part 2 of the story ….
Although we know little of her time as a doctor on Papay, their
son, Jack, shared some memories with his family. One is of Ian Cursiter rigging
up lights in the Doctor’s surgery at Morven House using a car battery. This
enabled Dr Cursiter to perform operations after dark.[11] At that time the
house had no electricity so this would be essential, particularly in winter
when days are so short. Jack also spoke of his memories as a boy of
helping on the farm with his father, while his mother was seeing patients.[11]
Interestingly it seems a few years later Ian went out to
South Africa to manage a farm. He came
back for the family and they all sailed on the “Balmoral Castle” to South Africa in 1935.[12]
 |
| "Balmoral Castle" Passenger List, March 1935 |
However we can place the family back on Papay by 1937 so it appears that adventure was short lived.[13]
Meanwhile the next chapter in Dr Cursiter’s life takes the family to the island of Colonsay, an island in the Inner Hebrides, where Dr Cursiter again worked as the resident doctor. During her time there she drove the first private car on the island, a vehicle owned by her husband, Ian. He also used it to collect children from the remoter parts of the island and take them to school at Kilchatten.[14] Ian later drove the island school bus.
 |
| The Doctor's car (Photo with permission of Donald & Rachel McNeill) |
When the first air ambulance was available to Colonsay in 1950, Dr McPhail was the first patient. Colonsay was linked via a causeway to Oronsay where a runway had been constructed to enable the air ambulance to land. Dr McPhail was eventually transferred to Edinburgh for medical treatment.[15]
According to the Oban Times Dr Cursiter died on 1st
October later that year, aged 56. Her funeral was well attended. Her obituary continues “Of a sociable
disposition she retained the confidence of her patients throughout her period
of service”. She had lived and worked at
Benoran House on Colonsay, and serviced the community until her final illness in
1950.[16] She was survived by her
husband, Ian, and son Jack. Sadly Ian died suddenly at the age of 49 in 1958.
On the day of his death he was reported to have been doing his normal tasks and
was described as a “sincere and genuine friend to everyone in the island”.[17]
Clearly Jean McPhail/Cursiter was dedicated throughout her
life to the communities she served.
Working with few medical facilities and during times of hardships for
all the communities she served throughout her life. Another remarkable early woman doctor.
As ever we are keen to hear from anyone who may have any
connection to Dr Jean McPhail/Cursiter or any of our other early women
doctors. Unfortunately we have no photo
of Dr Jean, it would be lovely to locate one. She sounds a formidable woman.
With thanks
to Jocelyn Rendall for information on Papay, and also to Dr Jean’s family for
sharing stories.
References
[1] Ancestry
website record
[2[ Various UK medical registers and directories
[3]“Roond Aboot
Birsay” News for and by the people of Birsay 2006.
[4] Sanday
Parish Minutes and death registers 1923
[5] Orkney
Herald 14 July 1926
[6] Rendall Jocelyn. (1991) “Wanted a
Doctor”, Orkney View (30) October/November, pp28-30
[7] Various
copies of the Orkney Herald
[8] Obituary
for David Cursiter, Orkney Herald 13 March 1935
[9] Marriage
register
[10]Scotland’s
People website reference 033/2/3
[11] Family
recollection
[12] “Balmoral
Castle “Ship manifest, date of departure 29 March 1935.
[13] District
of Papa Westray Register of Deaths, September 1937
[14] “Colonsay’s
first car”, Scotsman 6 January 1947
[15] “Lady
Doctor First Patient; Captain David Barclay approves Oransay air strip”,
Cambeltown Courier, May 1950
[16] Obituary
for Dr Cursiter, Oban Times, October 1950
[17] Obituary
for Ian Cursiter, Oban Times 1 March 1958
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