Hi Morag

I've looked for your John Thomas Costain b circa 1877 Arbory and I can't find him in either the IGI or Brian Lawson's index.

Strangely, another Costain b 1877 Arbory birth is also eluding me. I'll write a separate message about that with a new heading.

JQ, in his information which I copied for you, gives Mgt Quirk an approximate birth year of 1850. But in the 1881 census, in very clear handwriting, Margaret is 40 and John is 33 ( bap Jan 1849). Well, in my limited experience of marriages in which the wife is significantly older than the husband, in censuses if anything the gap in ages is reduced by the husband adding a little to his age, and the wife losing a few years. In this case the 7 year gap could be even wider.

When you do some research during your visit to the island, hopefully you'll find out Margaret Quirk's father's name from the marriage entry, and I'll be interested to know his name. My best guess is that she was the daughter of John Quark and Anne Steitch, bap 8 Apr 1838 Rushen.

1841
Rushen district 4, page 1
Surby
John Quark age 37 fisherman
Ann age 33
Elen age 8
Michael age 11
Margaret age 4

1851 Rushen district 2, page 9
John Quark head age 48 fisherman and farmer
Anne wife age 43
Michael son age 21 fisherman
Eleanor dau age 18 ag lab at home
Mgt dau age 13 ag lab at home
all b Rushen

1861-this could be her:
Malew district 3a, page 24
Douglas Road
Margaret Quirk, unm servant age 23, born Rushen, in household of James Gell, High Bailiff of Castletown, advocate

1871
QUIRK Margaret 26 Arb 5778 13 16

Arbory district 2, page 4
Bellabbey
Margaret Quirk unmarried servant age 26 born Rushen, in household of Matthew Dawson, land owner age 80 b Mal

The 1871 servant at Bellabbey looks promising, because she was living so close to MQ's future husband. I might be totally wrong about MQ's parents, though.

1871
COSTAIN John 22 Arb 5778 12 10

Arbory district 2, page 2
Cloughbane Road, schedule 10
Thos Costain head age 52 mason
Mgt wife age 45 (nee Moore)
John son age 22 mines labourer
Eleanor dau age 19 general servant-unemployed
George son age 17 app blacksmith
Ann dau age 15
Mgt dau age 13
Elizabeth dau age 11
Catherine dau age 8
William son age 6
All born Arbory

Most likely burial for Margaret Costain nee Quirk:
COSTAIN, Margaret 49 Arb 27 Apr 1888

Donna, please would you see if there's an MI ?

Thank you

Jean C