RICHARD ASHE KING

Born in 1839 - Died 27th May 1932

 

 

He was a son of Reverend Dr Luke White King, headmaster of Ennis College, Ireland, and Magdalene Ashe. He was born in 1839, and died on 27th May 1932, and was buried at Kendall on 1st June. Educated at his father's college and at Trinity College, Dublin, he took holy orders but left the Anglican Church in disillusion. After a spell as a literary journalist in London, he moved to Blackrock, county Dublin, where he became an active member of the National Literary Society. Returning to London early in 1897, he married Helen Brookfield Jacob, second daughter of Major-General William Jacob in April 1898. They had no children. He served as literary editor of Turth for many years and was later elected president of the Irish Literary Society.

Helen was an artist and during the course of her life painted portraits, largely in oil, of a number of her relatives. In 1928 Helen had a vision of Jesus and painted him from memory. The portrait was controversial, as some people thought Jesus would have had a beard in his time. She painted a second portrait from memory showing Jesus with a beard.

 

A self-portrait.

Portrait of Richard Ashe King by Helen.

 

 

 

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