The Parish of Maughold

[copied from Manx Church Magazine vol 2 no. 9 Sept 1892]

The register of this parish begins in 1647. The first entry of any interest is that of the death of " Edmond Christian, who was some time captain at sea, and afterwards, for a time, Governor of the Isle of Man; he departed this life in Peele Castle, being a prisoner there for some words spoken concerning the king, when the great difference was betwixt the king and parliament. He was committed by James, Earl of Derby, being then in this isle, and John Greenhalgh, Governor. He was buried, January 22,1661, in Kirk Maughold Church, where he was baptised." He had been released from Peel Castle in 1651, but, after the Restoration, he was sent back there. He is said to have been one of the Christians of Ballakilley, in Maughold, a branch of the Milntown family. In 1683, " Old Carrad Bane," i.e., Old White Garret, probably so nicknamed from the color of his hair. Two catastrophes are thus recorded: 1686. " Jo. Costen was killed by thunder and lightning ye 22 of June about nightfall, neare his owne house, and ye ground whereon he was slain was holed and rent with ye sd. thunder." 1695. " Will Quark in ye height of a ffeaver went out of bed and was found drowned in a doob⁺¹ of water below his owne house ye 20 of ffebry." In 1699 was buried " Poor John Cotteen, ye 19th January." The next entries tell us of alterations in the church: 1708. " Margt. Callin ale. Woods ye 7 of July. She was ye first corps yt entered in ye new door opened in ye west end of ye church"; and in 1709 was baptized " Will Costen fil ⁺² Jon. Bally-vall ye 24th June. This child was ye first yt was baptised after ye font was removed into ye North Wall." In the same year was baptised " Thos. Allen fil . Henery . . . Godfatheres the Rev Thos. Allen, Vicar of Kk. Maughold, Mr Sam Allen and Mrs Stevenson of Balladoole. This child was afterwards the fifth and last vicar of Maughold of that name, having held that office from 1746 to 1754. Henry, his father, was vicar from 1727 to 1746, and Thomas, his god-father and grand-father, was vicar for the extraordinary period of 60 years, from 1666 to 1726. Thomass father, Robert, was vicar from 1660-1666, and Roberts father, Thomas (1625-1660), was the first vicar of the family who thus held the vicarage of Maughold in direct succession for 128 years.

In 1718 " Mr Jon. Williams, kings officer in Ramsey, was buried.

1728. " This year Mr Henry Allen, of Lezayre, comenced vicar of this parish and found Jon. Christian clerk."

In 1732, Bishop Wilson wrote the following:-" I desire that the vicar for the future set down by what authority the Persons are joynd together in matrimony, whither by 1yeence and by whose lycence, or upon banns in the church."

This parish was the head-quarters of the Quakers in Man, but we only find them mentioned in three entries:-1729, "Baptised Jon. Brown of Whitehaven, an adult person, born a quaker. 1787, " Sarah Callow fila⁺³ Edward who turned quaker in Dublin and his daughter unbaptised till this day, August 7." 1763, " George Robinson, a quaker, was deposited here." Note the invidious term " deposited."

1740. " 4 men wracked in Ramsey bay February 30." A truly remarkable date ! " Eliz Christian (maid and wife) buried.

1741. "Hugh Black (Na Mooragh)" i.e. of the Mooragh (buried).

1744. " 5 men cast away on the English shore about ye 27 of January." These were probably Maughold men.

1745. " Margt. Kerruish. a poor woman, who got up out of bed, in Wm. Creetchs house December 31st, and was found dead in Cornah river January 11th, and buryed January 12th at six a clock at night."

1746. " Charles Cowle, Wm. Quark, Wm. Teare, John Teare, and Mark Joughin perished between Douglass and Ramsey, October 24, in a great storm."

1747. " Cath Fila ⁺³ Mr Jon. Lewhellin, October 26, being the first (baptism) in the chappell after re-building." This was Ballure Chapel which was consecrated by Bishop Wilson in this year.

1748. " The Rev Mr Henry Allen departed this life June 18th about ten a clock at night, being Vicar of this Parish 20 years. And buryed June 21, in the 71st year of his age."

1749. " Thomas Callow, my godson, was brought here from Leverpool, who dyd Aug. 4th and buryd ye 6th aged 22 years next St Thomass day." i.e. godson of the Vicar, Thomas Allen."

1752. " Wm McAdam and David McCartney, who perished at the Point of Ayre, having sailed from Kirkendbright in a Pilot boat, were buried Septr 24."

"Capt. John Matthews, Commander of a Liverpool ship, having, in a storm Decr. 15th in Ramsey bay, endeavoured to get on shore in his boat, perished, and was buried in the chapel yard Decr. 16."

1753. " The Rev Thomas Allen Vicar of this parish was buried the 7th of April."

The next Vicar, the Rev Thomas W. J. Woods (1753-68) was the author of a number of interesting entries in the register. It would appear that, in September and October 1755, no less than 20 Maugholdmen "perished at sea in a storm," also that they had been engaged in smuggling, as the Vicar comments thereon as follows in curious latin: " Eu ! quo negotium illicitum misers perduxit cives ! "

1756. " William Kerruish son of John Kerruish of Ballafail being mortally hurt by an explosion of gunpowder in a house at Ramsey on the 12th of May, being May-day, old style, was buried May 16. N.B-My dear relation, the Rev Mr Wilks, his son was killed by the fall of the said house and buried at Kk. Michael, and several other persons were dangerously scalded and wounded by the above accident. The above dreadful casualty being occasioned by a preparation to celebrate May sport, the said day will be, tis hoped, a caution to our Government for the future wholly to restrain that senseless diversion almost necessarily attended with ill effects."

1756.-" Daniel Kerruish, servant in Baldromma, attempting, on Sunday morning, Oct. the 16th, wth some others, to go down the Hough⁺⁴ near Maughold Head to gather-dullice ⁺⁵ slipped from the precipice, and his corpse was found miserably bruisd Oct. 17. From a profanation of the Sabbath and from sudden unprepared and eternal death Good Lord ! deliver us. Amen."

1759.-" Mr Edward Christian, of Lewague, returning home from Castletown, Novr 28rd, at night, and attempting to pass Mullin y-Quinney river, it being then high, unfortunately perished; and his corpse being found on the 25th was interred here Novr 27."

1760.-" Margaret, dam of the Rev Jno. W. J. Woods, and Mrs Elinor Cosnahan, was baptised by the Rev Mr Nelson, of Ramsey (being born the 26th of Feb^Y, two days before the defeat of the French squadron by Commodore Elliot, off the north coast of this Isle), March 18th."

" A ship bound from Cork to Glasgow, having been in a storm, stranded at Ramsey Decr 14th at night. One seaman, together with six women and six children passengers (names unknown), wives and children to soldiers belonging to the first Battalion of the Royal Scotch, and one other woman named Margie, wife to Wm. Hutchinson, a soldier in Gent Handasyds,⁺⁶ perished, and were all bured here Decr 26."

1764. " Alice dam of Mr Edmond Christian Novr. 80 (buried); himself Dec. 4 (buried)." " Himself," in this case referring to Edmond Christian, is a regular Anglo-Manx expression as applied to the head of a family or the owner of a property. " John McMickan a Disenter deposited here Decr. 28." So, like the poor Quaker, the " Disenter" was " deposited," a true indication of the intolerance of the time.

1765. " Margaret, child of Wm. Cain, drowned by falling into the tide at Ramsey on Octr. 10."

1766. " Joanna Woods, my dear mother, died Feby. 6th at five in the evening & was buried Feby. 8th.",

The next vicar was Thomas Cubbon (1769-1814).

1769. "Mary Christian, 9 years old, having deceased by the bite of a mad dog, June 18."

1775. " Robert Comer who went to the Hough to get fresh water dullish Decr. 29 & was found on the shore at Shellag in Kirk Bride Jany. 24th 75 & buried here 25th."

1788. "Wm. Christian who was drowned by bathing at Carrick ny Inneen on Sunday, Augt.8rd."

1790. " Robert son of Robert Kerruish Cardle and Eliz. Creer was baptised in kk Braddan Church, June 20th and at his grandfathers request, who was his sponsor, inserted here."

1800. " Jane Cannell who was found dead on the shore below Ballure Land."

1805. " Philip Caesar son of Capt. John Christian and Cath. Oates was privately bapt. at Omagh in Ireland July 10th 1801 and received into Ch. Sept 30."

1805. " John Christian was a captain in the Manx Fencibles, some of whom were stationed at Omagh at that time."

1807. " Edward Moore who was shot on board a small boat at the water of Oare."

After this date there is nothing but the ordinary entries. Much the most common surnames found in this register are Christian, Callow and Kerruish, Crow, perhaps, coming next, though far behind. The only curious Christian names are Cavalleroe (mans), Cashteeney and Bahee (womens.?

+1 Pool.
+2 Soul
+3 daughter
+4 Cliff
+5 Edible seaweed
+6 Regiment.