Patricia Jane Moberly (néeConey; 20 October 1938 – 2 September 2016) was a British public servant, Labour politician, activist, and teacher. She is best known for her work as Chair of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust between 1999 and 2011.
Moberly was born in Fareham, Hampshire. Her father was in the Royal Navy meaning that the family moved around a lot. She was educated at seven schools, including a boarding school during her teenage years. Despite the disapproval of her father, she studied English at the University of Liverpool. She would later return to her studies, attending King's College London, and completed a doctorate in 1985.
Moberly married in 1959. Her husband was an Anglican priest and she followed him to Northern Rhodesia when he was posted to a parish there. During her time in the country, that would soon become the independent Zambia, she taught at local schools and became involved in anti-racist politics. She became one of the few white women to join the United National Independence Party.
The family moved back to England in 1967 when Moberly's husband became vicar of a church in the Diocese of Southwark. She continued her career in teaching, working at three different schools over a more than thirty-year period. Her last position before retirement was as Head of Sixth Form at Pimlico School. While teaching, she continued being politically active: she served as a Labour councillor, was active in the Anti-Apartheid Movement, and was even arrested in the 1970s during a protest outside Downing Street.
Moberly was born on 20 October 1938 in Fareham, Hampshire, England.[1] She was the youngest child of Gerald Coney, a Royal Navy officer, and Margaret Coney (née Jelf).[1][2] Due to her father's career, the family moved around a lot: she had moved home 11 times by the age of ten.[2] She was educated a six different schools before being sent to board at Sunny Hill School, a private school.[2] Having received a scholarship, she studied English language and literature at the University of Liverpool: she graduated with a first class honours Bachelor of Arts (BA Hons) degree.[1][2] One of her lecturers was Kenneth Muir, the eminent Shakespeare scholar.[3] Her father had not wanted her to attend university, stating that she was "fit only to be a cook".[2]
After leaving university, the newly married Moberly took on the role of vicar's wife.[2] In 1963, her husband was posted to a church in Chingola, Northern Rhodesia.[2] The following year, Northern Rhodesia became independent of British rule and was renamed Zambia.[2] From 1964 to 1967, she taught at Chikola School, a local secondary school for black Africans.[1][2]
During her time in Zambia, Moberly became opposed to racial oppression and the Apartheid of neighbouring South Africa.[2][3] She joined the United National Independence Party, becoming one of its few white female members.[3] She also hosted political exiles from South Africa, including Zanele Dlamini Mbeki, future wife of Thabo Mbeki and First Lady of South Africa (1999–2008).[2]
In the early 1970, Moberly was arrested after a demonstration outside Downing Street: the protest was against the British government's inaction over the war in Rhodesia.[2][3] She had been accused of throwing a placard stating "No Peace Without Majority Rule" at a car containing the then prime minister, Ted Heath:[2] she was convicted of a breach of the peace.[2] She was defended by the eminent barrister Dingle Foot.[3] Her conviction was overturned on appeal, due in part because the Morning Star published a photograph of her under arrest but still holding the placard in question.[2]
From 1999 to 2011, Moberly served as Chair of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust.[1][7] This was arguably the post for which she was best known.[8] When she arrived there were clear issues with the trust: racial divisions meant that black nurses mainly worked on less prestigious wards such as elderly care, and consultant appointments were perceived as being affected Freemasonry membership.[2] During her 12 years in charge, and having been "initially met with resistance from the predominantly white medical establishment", she strived for racial and gender diversity throughout trust.[2] She was succeeded in the role by Sir Hugh Taylor, a retired civil servant.[9]
Moberly's final public post was as a member of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, to which she was appointed on 17 May 2012.[7][10] Due to her cancer diagnosis, she had stepped down from most of her other responsibilities, but also continued as a visitor at Brixton Prison.[2]
Personal life
In 1959, the then 20-year-old Patricia Coney married Richard Hamilton Moberly, an Anglican priest.[1][2][11] Together they had four children: two sons and two daughters.[1]
Patricia Moberly died on 2 September 2016, aged 77; she had cancer.[2]
References
^ abcdefghijklmno'MOBERLY, Dr Patricia Jane', Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2016; online edn, Nov 2016 accessed 20 Oct 2017
