THE DIARIES OF GEORGE KING-HALL
HMS Lord Warden Mediterranean Fleet - Flagship
1870: At Portsmouth - Captain Court martial - Gibraltar - Ride in Spain - Salvage of Psyche. 1871: At Malta -Ship's dance - Italian cruise, visits Palermo, Naples, Messina and Catania - Lent to Rapid - Activities in Malta - Greek cruise, visits Corfu - Spanish and Portuguese cruise - Visits Vigo, Lisbon, Visit by King of Portugal - Visits Cadiz, Tangier, Port Mahon - Social activities Malta- 1872: Governor's Ball - Returns to Lord Warden - Salvage of Lord Clyde - Visits to Vigo and Corunna and other Spanish ports - Visit by King of Spain - Gunroom picnic - Visits Malaga, Barcelona, Genoa and Palermo. - Injured, in hospital. 1873: Greek cruise, Piraeus, Corfu - Death of Martin - Maltese Ball - Promoted Lieutenant - Return to England.HMS Resistance Channel Fleet
1873: On leave with family at Devonport - At sea in Devastation - Visits London - Visit by Board of Admiralty - Prince of Wales at Holyhead - Joins Resistance - Winter at Lisbon and Madeira - Chapel of St John, San Roque. 1874: Visits Vigo, Corcubion and Arosa Bay - At Plymouth with family - Visits London with father - Trouble with Russell - Summer cruise around UK, Portland, Milford Haven - Visit to Liverpool - Arrival in Mersey - Mayoral party - Visits to Belfast, Lough Foyle, Glasgow, Western Isles, Stornaway, Scapa Flow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Sunderland - On leave - Mother's operation.1874: Long Gunnery Course - Meta's wedding - Meta leaves for Malta 1875: Illness of mother - Visits to London - Death of mother - Birth of George Grogan - Move of family to London - Trouble with Russell and Robbie - Robbie to the Cape. 1876: Views on Admiralty - Lev'e at St Jame's Palace - Visit to Fleet Street.HMS Lord Warden Queensferry - Guardship
1877: Visits Scottish relations - Disgrace of Russell - Visits Queenstown and Bantry - Cowes week - Visit of Prince of Wales - Visit to James Hall at Broadmoor - Christmas at Sheerness with family.HMS Audacious China Station - Flagship
1878: To Hong Kong in Pekin - Meeting with Meta and family in Malta - Passage Suez Canal - Visits Aden, Colombo, Singapore - Joins Audacious - War scare with Russia - Visits to Nagasaki, Kobe and Yokohama - Japanese festivals - Tension with Russia - Descriptions of Japanese life - Visit to Vladivostock - Return Hong Kong - Visits Canton - 1879: Returns UK.HMS Druid - West Indies and North American Station
1879: Sails for West Indies - Visits to Newfoundland and Labrador. (No diaries until Oct 1880). 1881: At Port Royal, Jamaica. Haiti - Social functions at Port au Prince - Unfavourable remarks on Haitian society - Visits to other Haitian ports - Visit to Havana - Visit to Halifax, meets Forman relations - Returns to UK - Meets stepmother - Rejoins ship in Newfoundland - Meta dies of typhoid. 1882: Visits to various islands, including Cuba - Gulf of Honduras - Visit to Swan Island, Bay Islands and Belize - Mass christening in Bay Islands - Gunboat diplomacy with Haiti - MacFarlane's accident - Return to UKHMS Lord Warden - Queensferry - Guardship
1883: At Queensferry, Firth of Forth - Visits Shetland Islands and Orkneys - Social life in Scotland - Marriage of Francie.HMS Euryalus - East Indies Station - Flagship
1884: Appointment to Euryalus - Passage on Norham Castle to Cape Town - Description of other passengers - Joins ship at Mauritius - Visit to Zanzibar - Meets Sultan of Zanzibar and General Mathews - Visits Aden - Visits Bombay - Drunkenness in Wardroom - Visits to Colombo, Candy and Trincomalee - Promoted to Commander - Visit to Calcutta - Viceregal party - Visits Delhi, Agra and Benares - Returns home from Bombay in liner - Description of fellow passengers - Leave at The Elms and London.HMS Shannon - Coast of Ireland - Coastguard
1885: Paris to learn French - Appointment to Shannon - Joins ship in Plymouth - To Bantry Bay - West coast cruise and visit to Lough Swilly - Winter at Bantry Bay - Social life - Trouble with stepmother. 1886: Leave at The Elms and London - Bantry Bay - West Coast cruise - Devonport - Sailors unhappy - Visit by William KH - Returns Ireland - Cruise to N coast of Spain - Death of father -On leave for funeral and to make family arrangements - Trouble with stepmother - Rejoins ship at Loch Swilly - Social life - Trouble with Robbie - Miss Mansfield - Thoughts on stepmother - Returns to winter at Bantry - Various social and family events -Reminisces on father's visit to Devonport. 1887: Visits The Elms - More trouble with stepmother.HMS Penguin - East Indies Station - Zanzibar Channel
1888: Takes command in Trincomalee - Visits Maldives - Negotiations with Sultan - Shadowed by Russian ship - Visits Seychelles - Arrive Zanzibar - Meets General Mathews and other officials - Death of Sultan - Attends Consular Court - Visit to new Sultan - Anti slavery patrol - Capture of dhows - Visit to Mombasa - Attends service at mission school - Dispute on anti slavery policy with British Resident - Various anti-slavery patrols in Zanzibar Channel - Hippopotami shooting expedition - German activities in region - Arrival of Flag ship and C-in-C - Social events and exercises - Assistance to Germans at Kilwa against native uprising - Independent cruise Mayotta, Seychelles, Mauritius, Madagascar and Mozambique - Activities at various ports. 1889: Patrols between Zanzibar and Mombasa - Anglo-German dispute about spheres of influence - Friction between C in C and Resident -To Aden - Patrols in Red Sea - Relieved by Pigeon - Return to UK - Pay off ship in Sheerness.HMS Melita - Mediterranean Station
1889: Joins Racoon fleet exercises Spithead Review - Visit of Kaiser and German Squadron - Fleet exercises in Channel - Visit to The Elms - Appointed to Melita - Passage to Malta - Conversations with Prince Louis of Battenberg - Commissions Melita - Princess Louise of Battenberg - Senior officer at Alexandria and Port Said - Meets Miss Ker 1890: Visits Cairo and pyramids with Miss Ker - Social life in Alexandria - Visits to Port Said - Proposal and engagement to Miss Olga Ker - Olga returns to England - Visits Malta and Sicily - Visits Suakin, Sudan - Treatment of natives - Malta. Lord Charles Beresford. 1891: Collects 4 ton capital from Cyprus -To Suakin - Battle of Tokar - Port Said - Visits Beyrout and E. Med ports - Salvage of Seignelay - Malta - Cruise in Adriatic and Ionian Sea - Disappointment not promoted - Alexandria, Port Said, Suez and Suakin 1892: Promoted Captain - Returns to UK.HMS Volage - Home waters - Training squadron
1892: Marriage to Olga - Finances 1894: In command of Volage - Cruise to West Indies 1896: Grounding in Channel Islands - Near disaster off N of Norway - Half Pay 1897: Took Royal Arthur to Sydney - 1897 Review.HMS Narcissus - China Station
1897: Appointed in command of Narcissus 1898: Joins Narcissus in Nagasaki - Tension with Russia over Wei-Hai-Wei - Appointed Commissioner at Wei-Hai-Wei - Departure of Japanese - Take-over ceremony - Negotiations with Chinese -Conversations with Prince Henry of Prussia - More negotiations with Chinese - Baptised - Chinese imperial politics - Conversations with Jellicoe and Prince Henry 1899: Manilla as Senior Naval Officer (RN) - Protection of British interests - Discussions with Gen.Otis and Adm. Dewey - Witnesses battle between US and Filipino forces - Large loss of life - Firefighting in Manilla - American Commissioners - Farewell to US authorities - Visits Dagupan - Nearly aground - Negotiations with Filipino general - Uncharted rocks - Visits Hong Kong - Rheumatism in knee - Return passage to UK - Arrive Portsmouth - Met by Olga - Convalesces at Margate.HMS Revenge and Chief of Staff - Mediterranean Station
1899: Slow convalescence - Dreyfus trial - Visits Bath - Appointed in command Revenge in Med. 1900: Joins Revenge - Magazine explosion - Briefing from Sir John Fisher - Painting ship grey - Tactical games - Offered post of Chief of Staff - Relief of Ladysmith - Accepts post with reservations - Engagement of Harry Grogan - Greek cruise - To England on sick leave with rheumatic fever - Visits The Elms - Return to Malta - Comments on Sir John Fisher. 1901: Death of Queen Victoria - Visit of Duke and Duchess of York (King George V) - Visit of Lords of Admiralty - Olga visits Malta with Stevie - Fleet exercises in W. Med and with Channel Fleet - Use of wireless - Visit by King of Portugal - Exercises in E. Med - Views of Fisher - Family arrive in Malta 1902: Social life in Malta - Prince Louis of Battenberg - Fleet prize firings - Sir John Fisher and staff return to UK.Admiralty - Assistant to Admiral Supt. Naval Reserves
1902: On leave at The Elms and Quinton Castle - Joined by family - To Admiralty - Search for accommodation - Death of Rose Ker - Movements of family - Accommodation difficulties. 1903: E. Coast tour - S. Coast tour - Drinking habits of C in C Med. - Olga in Switzerland - Meets Robbie in Paris - Leave in Switzerland - Visit from Nini - Naval gossip - Olga returns - Olga not well. 1904: Dick and Nini Ker - Tour of Ireland - Rejects appointment to RNC Greenwich - Dinner Savage Club - Meets Battenberg family in park - Promoted Rear Admiral - Birth of Madge - Family to Ireland - Leaves Admiralty.1904: Olga stays at Quinton - Weekend Canford Manor - Meets Winston Churchill - At Quinton - Move to Southsea - More about Dick and Nini Ker - Bertie engaged - Stevie's height. 1905: Trip in Submarine - Fisher v. Beresford - Move to Chaddesley Corbett, Kidderminster - Bertie married in Gibraltar - Career disappointment - Local bicycling expeditions - Course at RNC Greenwich-Naval plans for Stevie - War Course - Visit to Canford Manor - Stevie interview and medical for Navy - Lunch with Fisher. Good news - Appointment to Queenstown confirmed - Stevie passes into Navy. 1906: Parish politics - Move to Queenstown.Senior officer on the Coast of Ireland - Queenstown, Cork
1906: Hoist Flag - Visits Vice Regal Lodge - Calls in Cork area - Family arrive - Social events - Visit of Viceroy -Tour of Cork and Kerry coast - Visits Bantry House - Visits Vice Regal Lodge - Visit of Atlantic Fleet - Tour of Donegal coast - Tour of Antrim and Down coast - Tour of Wicklow and Dublin coast - Talk with R.C. Bishop - Visit to Cork. 1907: Tour of Waterford and Wexford coast - Court at Vice Regal Lodge - Various family visits - Tour of East coast - Origins of Quinton - Olga not well - Olga presented in London - Tour of Kerry and Limerick coast - Rural conditions - Visit of King Edward VII to Dublin - Receives C.V.O. - Tour of Down and Antrim coast - Stays at Quinton - Political difficulties with Lord Mayor of Cork - Viceroy and party to stay - Drydock ceremony - Visits Cork - Visits Youghal and Blackwater - Tour of Galway and Sligo coast - Visits Aran Islands - Olga miscarriage. Stillborn boy - Kinsey relations - Unwelcome promotion - Visit of Duke of Abruzzi. 1908: Stays with Viceroy - Tour of Donegal coast - Tour of Mayo and Sligo coast - Promoted Vice Admiral - Family to France - Tour of Cork and Kerry coast - Visits Down and Antrim - Hauls down Flag - To Quinton on Half Pay.Half pay - England, Ireland and Switzerland
1908: At Quinton - Social life in Co. Down - Meets Perceval Maxwells - Visit to London - House hunting - To Admiralty about new post - Robbie causing trouble. 1909: Move to Brighton - Naval gossip - Cancer scare - Fisher and next appointment - Move to Albany Villas, Hove - Umpires Fleet exercises - Near collision - Bantry House - Fisher v. Beresford - Wedding of Aileen Grogan - Fails to obtain Reserves appointment - Visits The Elms - Parochial disputes - Shaen relations - Visits First Lord - Farewell to Fisher. 1910: General election - Turkish Navy post - Madge's flu - Letting house - Death of Edward VII - Forman relations - Future employment and financial worries - Fleet exercises - King George V and Fleet - Interview with 1st Sea Lord - Family to Freiburg - 60th Birthday at The Elms - Finances - Walks in Black Forest - House in Hove let - Olga house hunts in Montreux - To Switzerland for winter - Madge's adenoid operation - Summoned to Admiralty - Offered and accepts CinC Australia - Lords reform - Prepares for Australia - Interview with King George V - Christmas in Switzerland. 1911: Family farewell and departs with staff.Commander-in-Chief, Australia - Sydney, Australia
1911: Passage to Australia - Arrival Sydney - Official visits and calls - Various port visits - Family arrives - Marital problems of Governor General - Various social functions - Appointed KCB - Behaviour of Lady Poore - Visits Norfolk Island - Visit to Suva, Fiji - Ceremony with Chiefs - Visits Vila, New Hebrides - Political problems - Missionaries - Various events and activities at Sydney - Visits Sheep Station - Visits Melbourne - Meets Adm. Creswell - Discussions with Australian politicians - Various functions -Visit to New Zealand - Speech to Navy League - Moves establishment to Hobart. 1912: Talks with Premier - Lady Poore - Site of Port Arthur Prison settlement - Captain Amundsen and Captain Scott - Return Sydney - Lou's medical expenses - Political discussions - Social events - Visit to Dangar Station with Olga - Lou's article on RAN - Capt. Bruen's engagement - Visits Noumea, New Caledonia -Dance and D'jeuner - Convict settlement - Arrives Vila, New Hebrides - Dispute with French - Visits Suva, Fiji - Ceremony with Elders of Bau - Description of Fiji - Visits Auckland - Arrive Sydney - Visits Brisbane - Various functions - Gossip about Governors - Bundaberg Station with family - Talk with Times correspondent - Wedding of Capt. Bruen - Visits Blue Mountains - Visits Melbourne - Ball - Churchill's speech - Step-mother dies - Two brothers C-in-C - At Auckland - Naval policy speech - Description Milford Sound - Returns Sydney - Churchill as First Lord. 1913: To Hobart - Visit by GG - Japanese naval visit - Memorial service for Scott - Future of Admiralty House - Return to Sydney - Australian dockyard problems - Saw Quo Vadis - Empire Day - Visits site of Canberra - Opium places - Sale of The Elms etc - Family return to UK - Final farewell at Melbourne - Political row at Navy Board - Russell K-H - To Adelaide - Clara Butt - Returns Sydney - Visit by UK parliamentary delegation - Visit to Jenolan Caves - UK gossip - Arrival of Australian Squadron - Hands over Command to Adm. Patey -To Melbourne - Final farewells - At Fremantle - Meets niece, Russell's daughter - Arrives Durban - Train journey to Cape Town - Stays with Herbert K-H at Admiralty House - Arrives England - Lunch Battenberg - Interview with Churchill - Interview with King George V - Financial assistance to Robbie - Christmas at Albany Villas. 1914: Visits to Admiralty - Decides to retire - Placed on Retired List.