by Shona » Thu Oct 03, 2013 3:36 pm
Looking at the 1851 census, there are several families living at North Colfine and South Colfine. In addition to the usual ag labs, herdmen, etc, there was also a mason a South Colfine. There was a lot of migration around this time. I think some of the McQuilkans from the Skipness area ended up in New Zealand.
There are quite a lot of abandoned townships/'ferm toons' around Kintyre. While the ruinous walls can be seen in some cases, others have long gone. Stones could be used for rebuilding, to repair walls, construct sheep fanks.
I've visited many of the places where my ancestors lived which are now abandoned or shrunk in size.
If you are having probs tracking the McQuilkans, if you post more details, I'll have a go at trying to find the answers.
Some of the McQuilkans came to Kintyre from Antrim - I think they may have been a fishing family originally.
Btw - the name McQuilkan becomes Wilkinson/Wilkison.