Quick Facts
Biography
Admiral Sir William King-Hall KCB (11 March 1816 – 29 July 1886) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, The Nore.
Naval career
King-Hall joined the Royal Navy in 1829 and took part in operations off the coast of Syria in 1840. Promoted to Captain in 1853 he commanded HMS Bulldog during the bombardment and capture of Fort Bomarsund and then commanded HMS Exmouth during the attack on the Fortress of Sveaborg near Helsinki during the Crimean War.
He also commanded HMS Calcutta during the Second Opium War and took part in the first attack on Canton in late 1856 and then the assault on the Taku Forts in 1858. He later commanded HMS Indus, HMS Royal Adelaide, HMS Russell and then HMS Cumberland.
He was appointed Superintendent of Sheerness dockyard in 1865, Superintendent of Devonport dockyard in 1871 and Commander-in-Chief, The Nore in 1877 before retiring in 1881.
Family
In 1848 he married Louisa Forman and in 1880 he married Charlotte Tillotson (née Simpson): they had two sons (Admiral Sir George King-Hall and Admiral Sir Herbert King-Hall) and one daughter. His daughter Meta was the mother of Lt-Col George Grogan VC, DSO.
He is buried in the Church yard of St Annes Sutton Bonnington, Nottinghamshire.