GENERATION 4 - ROBERT [ROBIN] QUINE OF ARDERRY

After his father’s death, Robin continued to farm on his own land at Arderry and Creg y Cowin, successfully resisting the law-suit brought by his elder brother John of Ballachrink. The dispute arose between the brothers after their father’s death, and was initiated by John on whom the law-case does not throw much credit. Already entitled to quarter of the farm, John commenced a legal action to eject Robert from a further quarter share in Arderry. In his latter years, their father had executed two deeds of gift, each of which purported to settle the share in question on a different son. John’s deed of gift was later, but he interfered to delay registration of Robert’s document, and his was lodged first at the Deeds Registry. John also questioned old John Quine’s mental acuity at the time the deeds were drawn, but substantial evidence was given in rebuttal.

There was still a large household; in 1871, besides the 60-year old bachelor Robert Quine, there were five others living in the farmhouse at Arderry; Ann Maddrell, his housekeeper, also aged 60; her two relations Isabella, working as a domestic, and Ann, a boarder. There was also William Gilmour, aged 20, the farm labourer, and 13-year old William Kneen, another boarder. A member of the Arderry household later lived in Kirk Michael, and occassionally helped to look after Frank and Amy Crowe’s children.

It is difficult to establish what the continuing relationship may have been between batchelor Robert at at Arderry [known in the family as ‘Uncle Robin’] and his elder, married brother John’s family across the valley at Ballachrink, after the law-suit. John had not named any of his five sons after Robert, although he had used the names of all his other close relatives. Until the Wills Act 1869 became law, a Manx landowner who had acquired his property otherwise than by purchase had to take decisive steps if he wished to dis-inherit his heir at law. This John and Jane had done in respecvt of their own property. Until 1869, Robert had not been free to dispose of his land and houses by his will, although he could leave his cash, investments, and other chattels to whomever he wished. This changed in 1869, and by the time Robert died on 3rd December 1876 he could have left all his property by will. He chose to die intestate, and all his real estate passsed by heirship to his elder brother John of Ballachrink, by then in his 70’s. John’s youngest son T.E. Quine made a record of the cash found at Arderry on Robert’s death;

What I saw of Uncle’s Money Dec 4 1876

£184 in gold

£15 bank notes

£81 in silver

£270

 

This was perhaps the origin of the later family legend of hidden gold at Arderry. The cash and the chattels were realised and distributed among the next of kin, each of the four branches of the family receiving an equal share. John Quine of Ballachrink inherited a full quarter; as did his nephew J.J. Cowin of Ballaquine, Lonan. A third portion was divided between the children of Jane Kelly, Lhergyrhenny, who had died the previous year. The remaining quarter ended up in America, shared between the five surving children of Elizabeth Kelly. One of John’s nephews, the 50-years old bachelor Robert Kelly of San Diego, California, returned to the Island to collect his inheritance. After Robert Quine’s death, the family ceased to live at Arderry, and the house was badly damaged by fire around the turn of the century. A substantial footbridge used to exist across the Baldwin River between Arderry and Ballachrink lands, but only a ford for vehicles. Once wheeled vehicles came into common use there was no question of building a bridge, and after the fire, the buildings at Arderry fell into their present ruined state.

RETURN TO OTHER RELATIVES INDEX