[taken from Chapter 4 Manx Worthies, A.W.Moore, 1901]

MARK HILDESLEY QUAYLE (b.1804,d. 1879),

of Bridge House, Castletown, and Crogga, Santon, was the only son of his father, of the same name, who was clerk of the rolls from 1797 to 1804, his great-grandfather and grandfather, both named John, having held the same office from 1736 to 1755, and from 1755 to 1797, respectively. Admitted to the Manx Bar in 1825, he rapidly took a front rank in his profession. From 1842 to 1847 he was a member of the House of Keys, proceeding from thence to the Council as clerk of the rolls. His appointment as magistrate dates from 1846, and, in 1873, he was elected chairman of the insular magistrates. He held Her Majesty's Commission as deputy-governor on two occasions, i.e., in 1860 on the resignation of Governor Hope, and, in 1863, on the death of Governor Piggot. He was distinguished, not only as a lawyer and judge, but as an antiquarian and philanthropist. It was his scheme of voluntary poor relief for Castletown, which was afterwards adopted by the other towns that remained in operation for many years. We extract the following remarks from his obituary notice in the " Isle of Man Times ":—" The island has lost an able, painstaking, and upright judge, who had deservedly won the respect and esteem of every class in the community. Not only, however, as a judge will his name be honoured and revered in the memory of Manxmen. He was, besides, a kind and genial man, one of Nature's gentlemen, whose grace and urbanity of manner charmed every one who approached him either on his own or on public business, while, as a politician and member of the Council, his patriotism and independence of all mere official influecees were conspicuous, the votes he gave on all public subjects discussed in Tynwald being the honest and conscientious products of his own convictions."