The King-Halls

I have received a message from Ian Wilson, Manager, North Down Museum, North Down Borough Council, in which he recommends a website relating to the King-Hall family, who lived at Quintin Castle at one time:-

"Interested to see [that Quintin Castle] featured in your blog ! I recommend www.kinghallconnections.com which is a vast site mostly comprising the diaries of several generations of King-Halls, all Naval officers.

I find them completely fascinating, especially those of Admiral George King-Hall who with his family spent a lot of time at Quintin Castle over about 20 years, 1905/25. His wife's sister Nini had inherited the Castle. She and her sister Olga ( the Admiral's wife ) were Kers of the Montalto and Portavo family.

See Peter Carr's book in two volumes 'Portavo' ( White Row Press, Dundonald ) Olga and Nini were celebrated beauties who lived for a time overlooking the Grand Canal in Venice. Daughter Magdalene was the romantic novelist, not Louise as you say, though the latter did write a book 'Sea Saga' based on the diaries of her forebears.

Life in Quintin despite its beautiful location in the early 1920s was not in the least romantic most of the time, with severe worries about being targets in the 'Troubles' raging then, major financial concerns and constantly frustrated attempts to sell or let the Castle.

Also, when you think about it most of us only see these places on nice summer days, but down at the tip of the Ards Peninsula it was cold, dark and windy a lot of the time in winter at Quintin.

Their father is worried about the girls then into their 20s being cut off from the world down there. George and Olga had a son whose diaries also appear - Stephen , who was present at the Battle of Jutland and gives a graphic description of being under fire.

He later became an MP and a well-known radio broadcaster. His main concern seems to have been to try to promote international peace. This website is very highly recommended for all interested in local families, buildings and history in general."