McIndoe's personal life

Archie McIndoe, known to his family as “Nookie” was born the second of four children to John and Mable McIndoe, in Dunedin, New Zealand.

McIndoe was a second generation New Zealander, with roots going back many generations in the Kyles of Bute, Scotland. In 1859 his grandfather James came to New Zealand in his thirties from Rothesay. McIndoe's father, John, a printer died when Archie was 15, leaving his strong-willed mother, Mabel, a talented artist, to bring up the family and make the best of themselves. Archie was close to his mother, who taught and passed him many of her artistic skills.

Going to the US

Before leaving New Zealand for his fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in the US, Archie had fallen in love with a talented pianist called Adonia. Problematically, his Mayo fellowship was granted on the basis he was a bachelor. Nevertheless, he married Adonia before travelling there, initially alone. After a short period however, he missed her so much that he had to confess to the Mayo brothers that he was married. They assisted Adonia’s passage to America and gave her a job in the pathology department, where she worked alongside Archie undertaking his research on the liver.

London

McIndoe came to London in 1931, with his wife and first daughter, also called Adonia, just as the partnership between Harold Gillies and Thomas Kilner was ending. As a means of introduction, McIndoe claimed in a letter to Gillies that he was his cousin. This notion was based upon his grandfather James marrying an Elizabeth Gillies on the Isle of Bute, Scotland before emigration to Dunedin, New Zealand. Although both lived in Dunedin, there was never any real contact between the two families. Gillies himself appears to have considered Archibald a “distant cousin” at best. Certainly, they had not met until Archibald came to London from the US.

The McIndoe’s second daughter Vanora was born in London, just before Archibald entered training and practice with Gillies, a move which his wife, Adonia, initially bitterly opposed. She thought he was abandoning respectable abdominal surgery to become, as she remonstrated to Gillies, a “Bond Street quack, lifting faces”. She never really fitted into the role of plastic surgeon’s spouse expected at the time. They argued about his career, and a distance grew between them, metaphorically, and then at the outset of World War 2, physically. To avoid the predicted London bombing, McIndoe packed his family off to live back in Minnesota. They returned in the middle of the conflict, but relations

remained strained. The McIndoe’s separated in 1946. McIndoe’s daughters remained living with him in Sussex, and a divorce was finalised in 1953. 

A second marriage

McIndoe married again in 1954. The second Lady McIndoe being one Constance Belchem, a divorcee whom he had known since 1947. It was she who later played an integral role in the annual Guinea Pig Club reunions.

Poor Health

McIndoe had his first heart attack on a plane coming back from a visit to Barcelona. He had undergone a cataract procedure, but had gone abroad to achieve it, wanting to keep this news away from rivals and potential patients. By early 1960 however, his heart and health were failing. He sensed his time was limited. Despite this, he put himself forward for election to President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Whilst supportive of this potential honour, his wife wanted him to preserve his health by scaling back his responsibilities. Something which, given his drive and personality, was unlikely to happen.

Having gone to the Royal College of Surgeons Council annual dinner on April 11th, McIndoe returned to his flat in London. He died whilst sleeping, in the early hours of 12th April, being found by a maid the next morning. However, he died already knowing that his election as President of the College was a certainty, having been told two days beforehand by his friend, and the only other candidate, Sir Arthur Porritt, that he had decided to withdraw. In effect, the Dinner became a very discreet celebration of his election to the Presidency.

Sir Archibald McIndoe’s memorial service was held at St Clement Danes, the RAF church in central London.