Canon John Quine was born on 5th May 1857 and, as you will see from the photographs below, he was Vicar of All Saints' Church, Lonan for 45 years, from 1895 until his death on 29th February 1940. He was Chaplain to the House of Keys from 1906 to 1924 and Canon of St German from 1909 to 1940.
He was an academic, a former president of the Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society, an author and was also the headmaster of Douglas Grammar School from 1893 to 1895.
He introduced Archibald Knox to a study and love of Manx Celtic crosses and they often walked out together looking for objects of antiquity and inscribed stones of the Isle of Man (some of which are outside All Saints' Church, Lonan).
Both Canon Quine and Knox were staunch supporters of having the Cathedral on St Patrick's Isle renovated, returned to the Church of England, and used as the Cathedral of the Isle of Man. This did not come about but the wish was behind the three pieces of communion silver designed by Knox (two of which were commissioned by Canon Quine).
To find out more about the Cathedral silver, and the gift made by the Quine family to Peel Cathedral, please see the section on Peel Cathedral Silver under the Silver Metalware heading.
To find out more about Canon John Quine there is a Facebook page dedicated to him, his family, life and work - John Quine Forum.
Unlike the other examples of Knox designs it is angular - Annie Knox claimed that it was actually Quine's own design (though as Quine was a great friend of Knox, the latter may have had a hand). Tim Quayle however is on record as saying that Knox personally drew the design direct onto the massive slate.
Whatever the circumstances were the two men were great friends and as can be seen in the second from last photograph below there is an inscription on the grave border saying "Donor and designer of the stone - A Knox - life long friend". Perhaps the headstone was designed by Canon Quine or the two together - the Knox designed pavement inside Lonan Church is very angular and was a design concept well ahead of its time in 1914.
What is clear - Knox did not have a hand in the final lettering etc. as he died seven years before Canon Quine.
Cleaning of the grave took place in 2022.
