THE QUALTROUGH FAMILY

From the Isle of Man to worldwide

EVA QUALTROUGH, MELBOURNE (HER RESEARCH)

Magdalene Evelyn (Eva) Pipe - Early Family History Research in Victoria by Dawn Zuccato

MAGDALENE EVA QUALTROUGH, 1901-1989, was the daughter ofEDWARD JAMES QUALTROUGHof Diamond Creek,and ELIZABETH RICHARDS.

See Eva's biography.

See Chart of Descendants for Edward

Eva was a school teacher and she married Edward (Ted) C. Pipe. Whilst the rest of the family were oblivious to their ancestors, Eva and her niece Dawn Qualtrough (Zuccato) were instrumental in investigating the early history of the Qualtrough immigration into Australia.

Eva and Ted visited the Isle of Man in 1952. Eva was very disappointed with her trip, but she laid the groundwork for the research to come. Eva would have been amazed by the technical advances made today, particularly the use of the internet and its aid to genealogy research.

Dawn grew up in Bendigo and is the daughter of Eva's BrotherHorace.

Eva kept a diary of her trip to the Isle of Man in 1952, the below article was copied from the diary by Dawn.

A lot of the research done by Eva was later found to be incorrect in a lot of aspects; please read the notes at the bottom. The diary is just printed here for information and to show how little we knew in Australia, before Elizabeth Feisst's extensive research back in the 1980's.

Magdalene Pipe’s Trip to the Isle of Man 1952.

Wednesday Nov 5th 1952.

Ted and I took the B.E.A.coach at the Railway Terminus from Belfast for Nutt’s Corner Airport. We boarded a B.E.A. plane at 2pm and arrived at Ronaldsway Airport, Isle of Man at 2.45pm. We had a lovely flight. The Air Hostess, a lovely Scotch girl, presented us with the News Bulletin, which read as follows:- “Position- Irish Coast, 3,500 feet above sea level. 176 miles per hour, 3 minutes ahead of schedule. On arriving we took a taxi to Castletown which was only a short distance away and booked in at the “Station Hotel.”

Previous to this, I had had correspondence with Mr J.D. Qualtrough, J.P. C.B.E., speaker of the house of Keys, who, from the information which I had given him, did not think that he would be a relative, but he would be pleased to meet us and discuss the matter when we arrived in the Isle of Man. As I had his address in Castletown, we called at his house, but were told that he and his wife were in the official party who were welcoming the new Governor to Castletown. So, we walked into the town and saw the official party leaving Castle Rushen, where Mr J.D. Qualtrough had delivered the address of welcome. The reception was held at the George Hotel. I looked up the phone book and there were 17 Qualtrough's in it. About 6pm we called on them, and although they were very nice they could not help us at all, but advised us to see a Mr Qualtrough at Port St. Mary. We stayed about half an hour and returned to the hotel, through the rain and wind. It was one of the wettest and coldest nights we had seen.

Thursday Nov 6th 1952.

Still pouring. Took the train on the narrow gauge railway to Port St Mary from Castleton. This was about 6 miles in the South of the Island. We contacted a Mrs Henry Qualtrough, who told us her husband was the care taker at the Tennis Courts near the Station where we had left our luggage.

So we retraced our steps and found Mr Henry Qualtrough mending nets at the Tennis Courts.

He had been a sea faring man and had at one time been to Sydney, but his main journeys were to America on the Cunard Line. Although he would be between 65 and 70 years of age he could not remember 3 brothers leaving for Australia in the early days, but advised us to see, Mr Cubbon, an ex-director of the Manx Museum at Douglas.

So, we got our luggage, and caught the service Bus to Douglas at 10.15am, arriving in Douglas at 11.30am, and after a great deal of difficulty got accommodation at the “Ridgeway Hotel”. We went immediately to the Manx Museum and looked up old manuscripts of family histories and family trees, which were incomplete owing to the death of the complier but was unable to trace our particular family of Qualtrough, although there were scores of them. The name was traced from 1419 to 1819. Many were Clergy, School Teachers and Business people.

A Quotation written in 1913's read "For over 200 years there has been a School Master in direct succession in the Qualtrough family, and their length of service is recorded on the tomb stones in Rushen cemetery." This is near Port St Mary, and unfortunately we did not know about it when we were there. But, as it was raining heavily we may not have got out to it as it was about 2 miles from the town.

The young man at the Museum phoned Mr Cubbon and made anappointment with him that afternoon; so we found our way to his house. His housekeeper admitted us into the study, and a lovely old man of 86 years received us. After greeting us he then asked which was the Qualtrough, Ted or I. And when I said that I was, he gave me a look which went right through me, and I knew from that moment, he could not help me, because I was not like the Qualtrough’s, either in colouring or stature.

He showed us Maps and Treens of the Isle of Man from the earliest times but was unable to trace our family individually. He is the author of “Island Heritage” and is now writing a history of the early Qualtrough's and Cubbon's. He took a copy of the death certificate of Uncle Ned. (which I had with me). His advice was to go to the Rolls Office.

Friday Nov 7th 1952.

We spent about 2 hours at the Rolls Office searching through the Baptism Books of the Parish of Rushen and Arbory, and it was here that we found the information that we were descendents of William Qualtrough and Katherine Cottier etc. Paid two shillings for the search. By this time my eyes were nearly falling out, so we gave up the search.

In the afternoon we went to the Manx Museum :- one of the best, for its size, that we have seen, and I had another look through the old Manuscripts, but of no avail.

Saturday Nov 8th 1952.

As it was so cold and wet in the Isle of Man, and as we were not making any headway with our business, we decided to leave by the “King Orry” for Liverpool. It was one of the nicest ships we had travel in. The boat left Douglas at 9am, and as we drew away from the pier, I felt sad at not being able to make some definite contact with any of my family, but at least I had tried.

The name “QUALTROUGH” was as common in the Isle of Man as “SMITH’ is in Victoria.


P.S.Since returning from the Isle of Man I have written to both Mr J.D. Qualtrough and Mr Cubbon, as they both wished to know how we got on. I think that probably Mr Cubbon will follow up the search.

Facts gained of the Qualtrough Family whilst in the Isle of Man.

The name Qualtrough comes from MacWalter.

Waterson is another form of the same name. MacQualtrough in 1429, Qualtrough 1430, MacWalter, MacWaltragh and Water 1511, Qualtrough 1654, and Qualterogh 1698.

The MacWalters were a strong domineering clan from Northern Ireland who invaded the Isle of Man and Landed in the South at Kentragh, by force and drove the natives North. They occupied the Parish of Rushen. Not being satisfied with this they also took a part of the Parish of……….?. Their forces were not equal to the strong Stephensons who occupied the Parish of …………? So they dared not attack them. They were aided by the Clan Cubbon.

Mr William Cubbon, M A. Knight of the Royal Norwegian Order of St Olaf, and for many years Director of the Manx Museum, told us a couple of stories of the Qualtrough’s which had been told to him by his Mother.

"A young Qualtrough had been sent on his horse to round up the sheep on Fairy Hill. Darkness fell. Unable to find his way he rode up Fairy Hill, and the Queen, surrounded by the fairies received him, and offered him a drink from a golden goblet, but cunningly he decided not to partake of the drink, as he might come to some harm, so he ran away as fast as he could, still clasping the golden goblet."


This story goes to show that a Qualtrough has very little sense of humour:- About 20 years ago, a Qualtrough in the house of Keys (probably Mr J.D. Qualtrough's father) made a certain speech which was attacked by another member and torn to bits. This annoyed the former member so much, that when he reached his home town (probably Castletown) he madly seized the stone of a sun dial and smashed it to pieces.

The following reports were taken from the Manorial Book of 1511, which Mr Cubbon showed us.

TREEN OF KENTRAGH:- From Robert McQualtrough and William, his son, and John McQualtrough, for two tenements and four quarters of land demised to them. 65 shillings.

TREEN OF SCALEBY:- From Robert McQualtrough, William McQualtrough and John McQualtrough, for 1 tenement, and half a quarter of land demised to them. Twelve shillings and fourpence.

From Donald McQualtrough for one tenement and half a quarter of land 13 shillings and fourpence.

1643 William Qualtrough for Kentragh.

1703 William Qualtrough, grandson of above.

1745 William Qualtrough.

1814 Jane, sold estate to Edward Gavone.

Note: Treen, was at one time an administrative unit (a subdivision of aparish) in theIsle of Man

From these reports it goes to show that there were many families of Qualtrough’s all springing from the same root.

This entry was found in the old Manuscripts at the Manx Museum:-

"Marriage of William Qualtrough of Kentragh and Kath Cottier of Arbory 1824"

The following entries were found in the Baptism Book of the Parish of Rushen and Arbory which I searched at the Rolls Office and seem to be of our family.

William, son of William Qualtrough and Catherine Cottier, privately baptised and publicly received June 26th 1825.

Thomas. Son of William Qualtrough and Catherine Cottier, privately baptised 9th October 1826 and received into the congregation.

Edward. Son of William Qualtrough and Kath Cottier baptised 14th September 1828.

John, son of William Qualtrough and Catherine Cottier baptised 14th November 1830.

Jane, daughter of William Qualtrough and Catherine Cottier baptised 26th May 1833

Anne, daughter of William Qualtrough and Catherine Cottier baptised 4th March 1835

Edward, son of William Qualtrough and Kath Cottier baptised 28th April 1839.

By these entries there seems to be 2 Edwards in the one family and James (my Grandfather) is not mentioned, so my conclusion is that my Grandfather’s real name was John and not James, and that Thomas (2nd son). Edward (3rd son), and John (4th son) came to Australia together; probably there is another solution but at present I cannot see it.

In the manuscripts there was this small entry of a James Qualtrough:- "James, Born 1832. Student of King William College", but I think he belonged to another family and was born in another Parish, therefore his baptism was not recorded in the Baptismal Book of the Parish of Rushen and Arbory.

These old manuscripts at the Manx Museum were incomplete owing to the death of the compiler, but some of the Qualtrough families were traced from 1410 to 1814 and "Family Trees" made of several of these families, but,unfortunately our family , decending from the above William Qualtrough and Katherine Cottier, had not been done.

Mr Cubbon took a copy of the death certificate of Edward Hever (Uncle Ned) but said that "Hever" was definitely not a Manx name. It may be a corruption of "Ewan"

He (Mr Cubbon) was compiling an early history of the Qualtrough's and Cubbon families, and when he completed it, he promised to forward a copy to me.

William, John, Edward, Thomas, Jane, Anne Lydia and Elizabeth were popular names in the Qualtrough families in the early days.

Occupations besides farmers were clergymen, school teachers (men and women), harbour masters, and business people.

There was a short note thus:- "1880- House holders- Rushen 26, Arbory5, Douglas4, Rest of Island 6.

Mr J.D. Qualtrough JP. CBE. Speaker of the House of Keyes and his wife , formerly Pearl Qualtrough, but no relation, also Mr Henry Qualtrough of Port St Mary, I could not claim any relationship.

At present, one Qualtrough has a shoe shop at Port St Mary, and another has a big mineral and soft drink factory in Douglas. Two maiden sisters have a guest at Port St Mary, and another woman a dress making business there.

Notes on Eva's Findings:

By Elizabeth Feisst 23 Jan 2010

As you knowEva's Grandfather James Qualtroughbn 1832 (along with the other brothers who went toAustralia)was from another family altogether....the family being Rev Joseph Qualtrough and Agnes McCullough.

The Kentraugh line of Qualtrough is a different line towhich this family branch connects with further back.

Note too, that Mr William Cubbon, former director of the Manx Museum is not known to have written any history of the Qualtrough family; nor was any known of by other Qualtroughs on the Isle of Man in Castletown.

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