Fifty years married on March 24, 2001, Cecil and Dearest Mottley of Springbank Avenue, Cascade, did not celebrate this milestone occasion until a fortnight ago, when their seven children and twelve grandchildren could all be here in Trinidad during the summer school vacation.
The pride and joy of the couple's lives are their seven children Pam and Pat, (bankers), Judy and Helen, (nurses), Charles an employee of Nestle's, self-employed Skippy and Lois, a psychologist now studying for a degree as a nurse practitioner. "We are proud of everyone of them and their achievements" said the golden couple who were married at the Belmont Gospel Hall on Erthig Road by Reverend Headley Mc Lachlan fifty years ago.
Not only was a golden anniversary being celebrated but it was cause for a grand family reunion over the week-long period which included the anniversary dinner at the Trinidad Yacht Club; Sunday morning Mass at Grace Chapel on Long Circular Road; a visit to Asa Wright; numerous beach limes; and the reunion curry-que at the Mottleys' Cascade home.
It was at the Belmont Gospel Hall that Cecil Mottley first met Dearest Simpson. "She used to play the organ in the church, I knew her to say Hello but I was otherwise engaged at the time" says a still very handsome Cecil. "We were not friendly but a missionary Gordon Mc Lelland came to Trinidad from Detroit. He was planning a radio programme 'Glad Tidings Hour' and was looking for a resident soloist. I do not know how he got me. I got an accompanist who two weeks before the programme became afraid and scared."
So a friend suggested "you better ask Dearest" and that was the start of a courtship which has lasted for half a century because explained Cecil "apart from singing we had to practise. In October 1950, I asked: Dearest do you want to marry me and she replied: no you are not my type." But the handsome tenor had his day when she changed her mind and on March 24 1951 they were married.
Dearest, who worked in the accounts section of Plimmers' opticians stopped working to take care of her family. Cecil had just started to work at Alstons Electrical Department, moved on to General Electric Company as Sales Manager when they opened a branch during the Federation, did a six year stint at Trinidad Trading Company and finally got his big break in Neal & Massy's Electrical Department, until Furness & Watson made an offer he couldn' refuse as Sales Manager Electricals, where with passage grants thrown in for four to the United Kingdom, the Mottleys enjoyed their travel facilities greatly and Dearest, who is now stricken with arthritis "moved through Europe in great style."
Cecil's deepest regret is that his wife who was really good at the violin, organ and piano, can no longer use her hands to fulfil her musician's talents. "She won for three consecutive years the Rockley Musical Evening playing the violin at the Rockley School of Music" boasts Cecil, who is more fortunate and still sings as a tenor in various choirs "wherever they have trouble, Sacred Heart, Rosary, Tranquillity Methodist, they call me 'we need help boy' and I am happy to help."
"He is a very good tenor and they are always short of tenors" said his beloved Dearest, but then Cecil really enjoys singing "there are no two ways about it. I suppose that is what makes me feel so good. I cannot stop singing and actually once won the Music Festival years ago as a member of the Kentucky Kings Quartet."
Dearest attributes her long married life to the fact that "I have never tried to change him. Never try to change your husband" is her advice to young couples "whatever he is you let him stay like that and just agree with what he says." For Cecil it was the fact "I gave her one ministerial portfolio, Minister of Home Affairs and Finance. I have one, Minister of Labour. But I think Mr T (tolerance) plays a very important part. I know I have a short temper but she never wants to quarrel with me. If I get vexed I am vex alone. She never quarrels with me." And in chimed Dearest "it takes two to make a quarrel."
Life has been very good for the Mottleys, with the exception of Dearest's arthritis which really turned bad about five years ago and Cecil's greatest wish is to see a vast improvement in the health of his wife, who has also had to cope with a rare eye disease, trigeminal neuralgia, a confrontation between the three nerves around her right eye, in the past three years.
Dearest's arthritic episodes are worst in the rainy season, says Cecil "she is in trouble; in the dry season she is okay. But it does not prevent her from going out, if a car is leaving here, she asks where are you going, I am going too."