Henry McQuillen 1823- 1886
Mason & Builder
Henry 1823 had two sons named Henry. The illegitimate Henry 1845, ancestor of Jim McQuillan and Henry born Lesbury 1869 with wife Isabella, ancestor of Pat Mann
Born in Scotland - parents as below,
~1823. Henry McQuillen was born Scotland to parents John McQuillen & Janet Baxter.
( I know his parents as: He, son, Northumberland, is the informant on the 1866 d.c. of Janet McQuillen, nee Baxter & she the widow of John)
I do not know where he was born
His brother John McQuillon 1819 was, reportedly, born in Auchtermuchty Fife, - see My Tree reference below; his brother Robert McQuillon ~ .1826 was born in Edinburgh
1841C. Likely Henry with his elder brother John, ag. labourers recorded at the Blair Adam Inn Outhouse , Cleish - could not find this record on FMP, only Ancestry . Cleish ~5k SW of Kinross, where Henry has a son in 1845
| John McGullin | 20 |
| Henry McGullin | 15 |
I think his father had already died( 1828) , but his mother lives until 1866: she is in Auchterderran with another son, Robert, in 1841C, and, maybe, living there alone, as Janet Baxter, pauper, in 1861C.
A Google search comes up with a John McQuillen born 1819, brother Henry, to John McQuillen and Janet Baxter 1789-1866 -on a My Tree , subscription! - site : Jim McQuillon has obtained details of this from its owner, Kathy
1845 - 1849, Henry McQuillen moves south from Kinross to Lesbury. Leaves behind his son, Henry 1845, conceived with Janet Couston, and takes up with Isabella McCleod . Did he know he had a son, Henry Mcquillan, fathered by land girl Janet Couston ? - or had he left the district prior to his birth??? Family lore( Harry 1933) has it that he moved to Northumberland to work on the Lesbury railway bridge: this, shown below, built 1849
. 
An old photo of Lesbury Railway bridge . And a more recent one
Just as a bit of background to the Railway, the line between Newcastle and Berwick was actually opened in 1847, with this bridge originally built with timber trestles, these were replaced by Robert Stephenson’s design in brick and stone and the 18 Arches opening in 1849 (the year after Henry’s marriage) and the Royal Border Bridge at Berwick in 1850.
1848.Henry McQuillen, of Lesbury, married Isabella Mcleod on 9/12/1848 at Lamberton Toll, witnesses John Adamson & Janet Faisey.- info Alastair.
Lamberton Toll, 5 k from Berwick, was renowned for being the place where runaway lovers from England were united in the bands of matrimony! Berwick ~ 50 k N of Lesbury. I have been unable to find this on free bmd or on Scotlandspeople
https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/birth-death-and-marriage-records/irregular-border-marriage-registers
Toll marriages are interesting, the most famous one being Gretna Green but Lamberton, just north of Berwick, served the same purpose on the east coast. Highly dodgy practises and quasi legal, but recognised. Most of the records have been lost, so we were very lucky to find the one for Henry and Isabella- in which Archives?? .
Most people assume they were used for elopers or for those in need of a quick marriage to legitimise their offspring, but they were also popular with Presbyterians ( Isabella was one) and the like who apparently who didn’t want a Church of England Wedding. Next question was our boy Henry, “Kirk of Scotland”??
1849. Ann Graham McQuillen is born Alnwick Jun 1849 - this b.c. would confirm her mother's name, but no need for this as the mother of Isabella McLoud was Ann Graham . This a quick birth
1851C. Henry McQuillen, 27, mason, is living with his wife & daughter in Lesbury, Alnwick
| Henry | McQuillen | Head | Married | Male | 29 | 1822 | Mason (Journeyman) | Scotland | |
| Isabella | McQuillen | Wife | Married | Female | 24 | 1827 | - | Lesbury, Northumberland, England | |
| Ann G | McQuillen | Daughter | - | Female | 1 | 1850 | - | Lesbury, Northumberland, England |
1861C. Henry McQuillen, 38, mason, is living with his wife & 5 children in Lesbury Gate, Old Hank Hill, Lesbury, Alnwick
| Henry | McQuillen | Head | Married | Male | 38 | 1823 | Mason | Scotland | |
| Isabella | McQuillen | Wife | Married | Female | 34 | 1827 | - | Lesbury, Northumberland, England | |
| Ann | McQuillen | Daughter | - | Female | 11 | 1850 | Scholar | Lesbury, Northumberland, England | |
| Jane | McQuillen | Daughter | - | Female | 9 | 1852 | Scholar | Lesbury, Northumberland, England | |
| Mary | McQuillen | Daughter | - | Female | 7 | 1854 | Scholar | Lesbury, Northumberland, England | |
| Edward | McQuillen | Son | - | Male | 2 | 1859 | - | Lesbury, Northumberland, England | |
| Margaret | McQuillen | Daughter | - | Female | 0 | 1861 | - | Lesbury, Northumberland, England |
1861.May 1st . Mr H. McQuillan,the secretary of the Lesbury Choral Society, and a native of the 'land o'cakes' gave a most felicitous rendering of an old Scotch song, "Woo'd an' married an'a" and received a hearty encore- FMP Alnwick Mercury
1863. Son Henry McQuillen born 20/7/1863, baptised 23/8/1863 Lesbury
Interesting that he calls another son Henry, whilst his first son, Henry 1845, born out of wedlock, was still alive in Scotland! BUT,
he may have been unaware that he had such a son, or at least unaware of what he had been called!!
1871C. Henry McQuillen, 48, builder [6 men], is living with his wife & 3 children in Lesbury, Alnwick
| Henry | McQuillen | Head | - | Male | 48 | 1823 | - | Scotland | |
| Isabella | McQuillen | Wife | - | Female | 45 | 1826 | - | Northumberland, England | |
| Edward | McQuillen | Son | - | Male | 11 | 1860 | - | Northumberland, England | |
| Henry | McQuillen | Son | - | Male | 7 | 1864 | - | Northumberland, England | |
| Isabella | McQuillen | Daughter | - | Female | 5 | 1866 | - | Northumberland, England |
So, Isabella & Henry have at least 7 children: Ann Graham McQuillen 1849, Jane McQuillen 1852, Mary McQuillen 1854, Edward McQuillen 1859, Margaret McQuillen 1860, Henry McQuillen 1863, and Isabella McQuillen 1866 -1884
1876. Described as a builder in FMP report of his daughter's Jane's marriage to John Bell and on a similar report of his eldest daughter's, Ann Graham's, marriage to John Scott . Both in Lesbury Church
1878. Described as a builder in FMP report of his daughter's Mary's marriage to Robert Geggie
1880. His wife, Isabella McQuillen, died Alnwick Dec 1880, stated age 54,
1881C. Henry McQuillen, 54, widower, stone mason, is living with 2 daughters in Lesbury, Alnwick .2 sons, Edward & Henry are living with an aunt in Lesbury
| Henry | Mc Quillen | Head | Widower | Male | 54 | 1827 | Mason Stone | Scotland | |
| Margt | Mc Quillen | Daughter | Single | Female | 20 | 1861 | Housekeeper Dom | Lesbury, Northumberland, England | |
| Isab | Mc Quillen | Daughter | Single | Female | 15 | 1866 | Scholar | Lesbury, Northumberland, England |
1884. His daughter, Isabella, died , aged 17/18, on 21/1/1884-FMP Newspaper report
1886. ~16/3/1886 Henry McQuillen, of Lesbury, was appointed Ruling Councillor, for the ensuing year, of the Primrose League in Lesbury, FMP Newspaper report. The Primrose League was an organisation for spreading Conservative principles in Great Britain. It was founded in 1883.
1886. Henry McQuillen, stated age 61, builder, died Lesbury on 1/8/1886 Sep Alnwick- seemingly no probate, have double checked! .. Surprisingly no press mention of his death - on FMP at least !
He died of liver cirrhosis, 9 months, on 1/8/1886 in Lesbury. The informant was Henry McQuillen, son, present at the death
