James Motley

James Motley (2 May 1822 – 1 May 1859) was a Yorkshireman closely associated with South Wales and Borneo.

Born in Leeds and educated in York and St John's College, Cambridge he spent at least some of his youth in South Wales where his father, a woolstapler, had investments in iron, coal, and tin works, being an early partner in the Maesteg Ironworks, Yskyn Colliery at Briton Ferry, Margam tinworks, and the Dafen tinworks at Llanelli. He worked as an engineer and manager (at Tewgoed (or 'Terrgoed') Colliery at Cwmavon); then underground surveyor to William Chambers of Llanelli; and finally, at Abercrave colliery, iron works, iron mines, and limestone quarries while maintaining an active interest in natural history, especially botany (he left a herbarium at the Royal Institution of South Wales, Swansea), and folklore.

After the family hit substantial financial problems, he went out to Labuan in 1849 to pioneer coal mining and other enterprises for the Eastern Archipelago Company. He was accompanied by his wife and a brother, Francis, and made the most of opportunities to study the natural history. He did not have a good relationship with the other naturalist in Labuan at the time, Hugh Low, but he corresponded with some eminent geologists (including Sir Henry De la Beche who had recommended him for the job in Labuan) and botanists, especially William Jackson Hooker at Kew Gardens, and William Mitten; in Swansea, Lewis Llewelyn Dillwyn arranged publication of a natural history book. He sent specimens to various places (unpaid except for some sold, and later misattributed, to his successor in Labuan, Edmund Scott Barber). The council of the learned society of his home city, the Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society, was especially appreciative of his contributions to their museum, calling him "one of its most useful and disinterested friends".

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