his father, who had died a month before his birth and who was of the same name, and had been Clerk of the Rolls from 1797 to 1804. His great-grandfather and grandfather, both named John Quayle, had also held the office from 1736 to 1755 and from 1755 to 1797 respectively, thereby making Quayle the fourth son in a direct line to have held the position.

Mark Quayle was admitted to the Manx Bar on 5 July 1825 and succeeded John McHutchin as Clerk of the Rolls