Harold King, 1887-1956

Abstract

Harold King, who died on 20 February 1956, was brought up in Wales, although he had no Welsh blood in him. His father, Herbert King, who, together with his wife, came of Lancashire farming stock, was a schoolmaster by profession; he had received his training at Carmarthen and had hence become specially interested in Welsh education. Harold, the eldest of four children, was born on 24 February 1887 in the village of Llanengan, Carnarvonshire, where his mother was headmistress of the church school, his father being headmaster of the church school at the neighbouring village of Llanbedrog. Soon after Harold’s birth the family moved to Llanystumdwy, where his parents were headteachers of the church school until 1891; in the latter year they moved again, this time to Bangor, the move being dictated by Herbert King’s desire to provide the best education for his children; the parents remained head teachers of the St James Church School in Bangor until their retirement in 1923. It was in this modest and serious-minded environment that Harold King grew to manhood, and the marks of his upbringing remained with him to the end of his life. His earliest education was received at the school where his parents taught; from this he moved to Friars’ Grammar School, Bangor, where he spent about five years, and in 1905 he entered University College,, Bangor, as the holder of two scholarships. King himself has recorded that at this time he had a general interest in science, but was quite undecided as to which particular branch he would pursue. At the end of his intermediate course he was still undecided, but at this stage he was influenced by the advice of a fellow student to choose chemistry as one of the subjects for his final examination. The advice that was given to King was based on the excellence of the teaching of chemistry by the late K. J. P. Orton who held the chair at Bangor; it was a fortunate circumstance that he accepted this advice, for as he himself said, under the inspiration of Orton’s teaching he found chemistry both interesting and easy; his period of indecision was over; he had found the chosen subject for his life’s work, and in 1909 he graduated with first class honours.