Leyland Historical Society

Note the witness George Haworth who will appear again. Before we continue with the Leyland Rubber story, how the rubber industry started with Thomas Hancock

James Quin and his family..

James Quin and Sarah Smith


On 2nd June 1862 James Quin married Sarah Smith in Preston Parish Church and the rubber industry came to Leyland.

The Quins originate from County Down in Ireland, Hugh, James’s father was born in 1795 and travelled across the Irish Sea to meet and marry his wife, Margaret from Mellor.

By the 1841 Census, the family had eight children, based in Lancaster Road, Preston, where Hugh Quin was described as a labourer. The children were Ann (1827), James (5th Feb 1829), Hugh (1830), John (1831), Thomas (1832), Margaret (1834), Mary (1837), William (1839) with two later children Sarah (1843 and Edward (1847).

The whole family are missing from the next 1851 Census

NOTICE is hereby given, that the Partnership heretofore subsisting between us the undersigned, as Oil Merchants and Dry-salters, under the style or firm of James Quin and Company, at Preston, is this day dissolved by mutual consent. All debts owing to and by the late firm are to be received and paid by the undersigned James Quin, by whom henceforth the business will be carried on, on his own account.—Dated this 18th day of June, 1870.

James Quin. Robert Mayor.

His other dealings were still being won up in 1870, Robert Mayor carrying on as a Commercial Traveller in Oil.

The many jobs of James Quin

1841 Aged 11 Cotton Piercer

1851 Unknown

1861 Cement Manufacturer

1862 Mill Furnisher

And dealing in smoke consuming apparatus and oil.

In the 1861 Census, the head of the household at 1 Trinity Place, Preston was now James Quin (37) unmarried, Cement Manufacturer with his father Hugh (66), mother Margaret (59), sister Ann (18) and brother Edward (14).