Quarrier’s Village

from Renfrewshire VII.SW revised 1912: Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland

Quarrier's Village marks the easternmost part of Inverclyde and is part of the civil parish of Kilmacolm. It takes its name from Greenock-born William Quarrier, founder of the Orphan Homes of Scotland.

While a few businesses and the registered charity Quarriers are based there, today Quarrier's Village is for the most part, composed of private homes. The individual architecture of the houses and support buildings of the original Quarrier’s Village reflect the stylistic preferences of each house's donor and as such, displays a wide architectural variation.

 

Having previously established children’s homes in Glasgow, Greenock-born William Quarrier (1829-1903) helped create a children’s village for the poor and destitute in a healthier, countryside setting. Children received a basic education with training for girls in domestic duties aimed at domestic service, and trades for boys to join the workforce.

The Old School Building

The Old School Building

Established in 1876 as The Orphan Homes of Scotland, the village was built at Nittingshill Farm. Individual family units supervised by house mother and father occupied individual houses. About forty houses were built from donations from wealthy individuals or charitable organisations.

Ancillary buildings created an independent community including: 

  • Mount Zion Church plus cemetery

  • School

  • Shop

  • Post Office

  • Laundry

  • Workshops 

  • Training ship - fully rigged wooden ship used to train boys in seamanship

  • Village Hall - Somerville Weir Hall

  • Fire Station

 

A child migration policy sent children to Quarrier’s Homes in Canada till the 1930s and Australia until the 1960s. Detailed information at The Golden Bridge - Child Emigration from Scotland to Canada 1869-1939.

Believing tuberculosis to be a major factor in children becoming orphans, three Consumption Sanatoria and a hospital were established treating thousands of patients between 1898 and 1948.

Quarrier’s son had epilepsy and in 1906, The Colony of Mercy epileptic facility opened providing treatment and access to life-skills training. The name changed in 1969 to Hunter House Assessment Centre and is now known as The Scottish Epilepsy Centre, Scotland's only residential epilepsy assessment centre.

The organisation became known as Quarrier's Homes in 1958 and Quarriers from 1998. As the NHS and social work departments took on responsibility for child welfare, Quarriers’ remit changed. Quarriers is now an outreach organisation caring for disadvantaged young people, carers and adults with disabilities across Scotland. Its head office remains within the village.

The Old Fire Station

The Old Fire Station

Many homes, the school, hospital, church and fire station were sold and converted into single or multiple private homes. Some were retained as conference facilities and business premises, some demolished e.g. the training ship, and replaced by new homes.

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