Lived in Mourne Park from 1920 when he arrived as a newly-wed until his death in 1961.
The last Earl of Kilmorey to live in Mourne Park
Vice Admiral of Ulster
Was gravely ill with Spanish Flu in 1918 but survived and married Norah Hastings in 1920
Francis Charles Adelbert Kilmorey, known as “K”
Our Great Grandfather
Born 12th September 1894
Died 1961
Children: Eleanor Needham (our Grandmother) in 1921, and Hyacinth, known as Guinty in 1925
Notable Moment
To celebrate his coming of age in 1904, the laundry was converted into the Long Room and Sitting Room; they are joined to the house by the Long Room Passage. A new laundry was built, beside the Gardener’s House.
Our Grandmother, details here.
Known as Guinty
K and his brother, as they grew up , were sent to Eton. Their tutor had so enjoyed living in the kingdom of Mourne that he obtained a local property, Drumindoney, and founded a boys’ Prep school, which he called Mourne Grange. This flourished until the early 1970s, when it was acquired by the Camphill movement, and became a farm-based village community.
(text extract taken from A Short History of Mourne Park, Julie Ann Anley, October 1999)
He subsequently joined the Life Guards.
The Old Earl died in 1915. His son was serving in the Army, at Verdun. When he was recalled for his father’s funeral he arrived home with his pockets stuffed with conkers. These were planted out and are known as the Verdun Chestnuts.
