Magdalen King-Hall (22 July 1904 – 1 January 1971) was an English novelist, journalist and children's fiction writer. Her novel ''Life And Death of the Wicked Lady Skelton'' was made into a film twice, ''

The Wicked Lady ''The Wicked Lady'' is a 1945 British costume drama film directed by Leslie Arliss and starring Margaret Lockwood in the title role as a nobleman's wife who becomes a highwayman for the excitement. The film had one of the top audiences for a f ...

'' (1945), starring

Margaret Lockwood Margaret Mary Day Lockwood, Order of the British Empire, CBE (15 September 1916 – 15 July 1990), was an English actress. One of Britain's most popular film stars of the 1930s and 1940s, her film appearances included ''The Lady Vanishes (1938 ...

and James Mason, and the 1983 remake, also called ''

'', starring

Faye Dunaway Dorothy Faye Dunaway (born January 14, 1941) is an American actress. She is the recipient of many accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, three Golden Globe Awards, and a BAFTA Award. In 2011, the government of France mad ...

and Alan Bates.

Life

Magdalen King-Hall was the daughter of Admiral Sir George Fowler King-Hall and sister of Stephen King-Hall.

Publications

Novels

* ''Diary of a Young Lady of Fashion 1764-5.'' (1924) New edition – London: Elek, 1967. * ''I Think I Remember, Being the Random Recollections of Sir Wickham Woolicomb, An ordinary English snob and gentleman.'' London: Thornton Butterworth, 1927. * ''Gay Crusaders.'' London: Peter Davies, 1934. An historical novel set at the end of the 12th Century, about the 3rd Crusade. * ''Maid of Honour.'' London: Peter Davies, 1936. The background is 16th century England and Ireland. * ''Lady Sarah: A Novel.'' London: Peter Davies, 1939. Set in the 2nd half of the 18th century, this romantic historical novel, tells the story of

Lady Sarah Lennox Lady Sarah Lennox (14 February 1745 – August 1826) was the most notorious of the famous Lennox sisters, daughters of Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond and Sarah Cadogan. Early life After the deaths of both her parents when she was only f ...

, daughter of the Duke of Richmond. * ''Lord Edward''. London: Peter Davies, 1943. A novel about the united Irish Leader,

Lord Edward Fitzgerald Lord Edward FitzGerald (15 October 1763 – 4 June 1798) was an Irish aristocrat who abandoned his prospects as a distinguished veteran of British service in the American War of Independence, and as an Irish Parliamentarian, to embrace the caus ...

and his wife

Pamela Pamela may refer to: *''Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded'', a novel written by Samuel Richardson in 1740 *Pamela (name), a given name and, rarely, a surname * Pamela Spence, a Turkish pop-rock singer. Known as her stage name "Pamela" * MSC ''Pamela'', ...

. * ''Life And Death of the Wicked Lady Skelton.'' (1945)

University of Hertfordshire Press University of Hertfordshire Press was formed in 1992 as the publishing wing of the University of Hertfordshire. Its first publication was a book celebrating the institution's change in status from polytechnic to university. ''Our Heritage'' (Unive ...

, 2016. Based on actual events in the 17th Century, this is the story of Barbara Skelton, her secret partnership with a highwayman and her appalling crimes. * ''How Small A Part Of Time.'' London: Peter Davies, 1945. Sub-titled: 'The biography of the two beautiful Miss Lynch's of Cabragena.' The story is based on the lives of the Coughlan sisters of Ardo House near Ardmore. * ''Lady Shane's Daughter.'' London: Peter Davies, 1947. When Lady Shane separated from her husband in 1787 she went with her daughter Lucilla to live in Europe, in Paris, Venice, Russia and Germany. * ''Tea At Crumbo Castle.'' London: Peter Davies, 1949. The narrator is invited to tea at Crumbo Castle by old Mrs Toye and there sees the ghost of a young woman. The rest of the book is a flash back to 1878. * ''The Fox Sisters.'' London: Peter Davies, 1950. A reconstruction of the lives of two sisters who lived in

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the Can ...

in the 1840s, who became notorious as professional mediums. * ''Venetian Bride.'' London: Peter Davies, 1954. Ireland and Venice in the 18th Century form the background of this love story about Ned Gascoigne who inherits his father's title, estate and debts. * ''Hag Khalida.'' London: Peter Davies, 1954. Hag Khalida was the name of a house on the Sudan Cotton Plantation. A young married couple move in and the story tells how a tragedy re-enacts itself. * ''18th Century Story.'' London: Peter Davies, 1956. Founded on the fact, this novel is packed with drama and incident including an elopement and a duel. The last trial of a nobleman by his peers in the

Irish House of Lords The Irish House of Lords was the upper house of the Parliament of Ireland that existed from medieval times until 1800. It was also the final court of appeal of the Kingdom of Ireland. It was modelled on the House of Lords of England, with membe ...

in Dublin forms a fitting climax. * ''The Noble Savages.'' London: Geoffrey Bles, 1962. The eccentric Landlord Mr Crumlin tries out Rousseau's educational theories when his sweet-heart's son Jonathan is left in his care. The setting is on the Blackwater in Co. Waterford and in Brighton.

Children's fiction

* ''Jehan of the Ready Fists.'' London: Newnes, 936.Also published as a Puffin Story Book in 1944. A story for children set during the 3rd Crusade at the time of

Richard the Lionheart Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199) was King of England from 1189 until his death in 1199. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Aquitaine and Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, and Count of Poitiers, Anjou, Maine, and Nantes, and was overl ...

. * ''Sturdy Rogue.'' London: T. Nelson & Sons, 1941. A children's book set in

Elizabethan England The Elizabethan era is the epoch in the Tudor period of the history of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history. The symbol of Britannia (a female personific ...

Non-fiction

* ''Somehow Overdone: A Sudan scrapbook.'' London: Peter Davies, 1942. The author's memoirs of her time in the Sudan, where her husband worked for the Sudan Cotton Plantation Syndicate. * ''The Edifying Bishop.'' London: Peter Davies, 1951. The story of the eccentric Frederick Hervey, Earl of

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

and Bishop of Derry. * ''Story of the Nursery. '' London: Routledge & Kegan Paul: London, 1958. A history of the Nursery from the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

to the present day.

References

Sources

* British Library Catalogue at www.bl.uk. * Waterford County Museum – The Ardmore Journal: http://www.waterfordcountymuseum.org/exhibit/web/Display/article/166/

External links

Life and Death of the Wicked Lady Skelton
at University of Hertfordshire Press {{DEFAULTSORT:King-Hall, Magdalen 1904 births 1971 deaths English journalists English children's writers English historical novelists English women novelists 20th-century English women writers 20th-century English novelists Women historical novelists English women non-fiction writers