• Sunrise September 2, 1926 ~ Sunset November 21, 2019
  • “Quinton and Marjorie had a 65-year love story. Marjorie says that when she first met Quinton Talbot, it was love at first sight. She recalls she was going to school at Prospect School for Girls and he was going to work at the Naval Base in Southampton. As he was getting off the bus, he saw her and the rest, as they say, was history…” 
  • The only thing left out was – in his words: “I never slept in the dog house – we never went to bed mad at each other…” RIP in Peace Beloved Forever Still…

Quinton Eugene Talbot was fondly known to all as ‘Guinea’ Talbot or ‘Pitbull’.Quinton was born on September 2, 1926, to the late Harold and Valeria Talbot as the eldest of three children.

He was brother to Uriel ‘Cookie’ and Carolyn.Quinton was a Somerset resident through and through, growing up firstt in Ely’s Harbour and eventually moving to Cricket Lane.

While growing up, Quinton’s father Harold Talbot instilled in him the values of dedication and commitment to family.He learned early the importance of knowing a trade and was instrumental in helping his father, Harold build the family homestead on Cricket Lane (Bat-n-Ball Lane).

His sisters called Quinton a “Boy Genius” or “Mad Scientist” when they were growing up, as he showed an aptitude and interest in building, creating and solving mechanical problems. This early interest would cement his legacy as master craftsman in his later years.

According to Cookie and Carolyn, Quinton was always going into their father’s workshop in the back yard. He loved exploring and playing with the tools and cutting wood.And when Daddy Harold decided to put locks on the door to keep him out, Quinton wasn’t deterred. Not at all. Instead, he solved the problem of getting into the workshop by becoming a master lock picker.

Yes even as a youngster, he was fascinated by mechanisms and working around barriers and problems. During his early educational years Quinton attended the West End Primary.Instead of going to high school, his father enrolled Quinton into a trade apprenticeship at the Royal Naval Dockyard. It was there where he began to hone his extraordinarily, specialized gift as a master tradesman.

As an apprentice, Quinton trained as a carpenter and a machinist. He demonstrated excellence in other areas such as welding, masonry and plumbing. While in Dockyard, Quinton took risks in testing the limits of his skills and even made an iron gun – which actually worked!

He would later say that he took great pride in that creation. He credits his time at Dockyard for not only igniting and solidifying his passion for the trades, but for also helping him to develop the values and characteristics of leadership, discipline, loyalty and purpose.

When his father Harold passed, Quinton knew exactly what he needed to do, and stepped into the role of head of the family – taking over the responsibilities of providing for his mother and sisters.

In the early 1940s, Quinton left the Royal Naval Dockyard to begin his employment with the US Naval Base, which had established outposts in both Southampton and Kindley Field.
On January 28, 1954, Quinton married his wife Marjorie and began building his own family. They would go on to have five children: son Melvin, daughter Lucinda (Cindy), son Harold and daughters Lisa and Nea.
Quinton and Marjorie had a 65-year love story.
Marjorie says that when she first met Quinton Talbot, it was love at first sight. She recalls she was going to school at Prospect School for Girls and he was going to work at the Naval Base in Southampton.
As he was getting off the bus, he saw her and the rest, as they say, was history. He was a traditional gentleman and sought permission from Marjorie’s father, Clinton Saltus, for her hand in marriage.
Recently, Marjorie said of their wedding day: “My mother-in-law Valeria Talbot, made my wedding dress and the dresses of all my bridesmaids and we were surrounded by our friends and family. Yes, 65-years is a milestone for any couple to reach, and yes, over the years, like any couple, we experienced our share of ups and downs. But marriage is a very sacred thing and you have to be consistent. And I was raised believing in God and that when you stand on his word and trust in Him, all things are possible.”
This past January, on their 65th Wedding Anniversary, Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II, recognized their union and sent Quinton and Marjorie celebratory well wishes from Buckingham Palace on their special day. It was an honour that Quinton said he was extremely surprised by.
Marjorie and Quinton led a full and happy life during their 65 years, and Quinton always said Marjorie was the love of his life and their children, grandchildren and their great grandchildren were their greatest joys.
It was during Quinton’s four decades at the Naval Base where he experienced some of his greatest professional accomplishments. He was relied upon greatly as a master machinist to build or fix what was considered unbuildable and unfixable.
He was known for working on intricate projects such as repairing the Long Bird Bridge. And he was called upon to fix malfunctions with their Air Force fighter planes, submarines and naval ships.
In fact, so revered was Quinton that NASA even asked him to dismantle a large laser gun designed to shoot laser beams to the moon and back to determine the density of the earth. Always up for the challenge, he took apart this complicated and complex piece of equipment and reassembled it, making it smaller.
In August 1972, one read:
From the Department of The Navy, US Naval Air Station, NY:
Quinton, you fabricated three parts for use in the USS SKIPJACK propeller assembly. Working from prints and very sketchy information, you machined these without the benefit of field measurements. Actual measurements were not possible due to the fact that the repair had to be effected while the submarine propeller assembly was submerged. Your technical competence and machining skill were such that the new parts fit perfectly, with the result that the USS SKIPJACK was able to meet her scheduled operational commitment. Largely through your efforts, the Public Works Department has received high praise for the excellent quality of its support team. You are to be commended for your dedication to duty and I personally extend to you a “Well Done”.  – Commanding Officer, HG Rich, US Naval Air Station
Another commendation in 1982 read:
From the Naval Underwater Systems (NUSC), Tudor Hill Laboratory:
Quinton Talbot – Thank you for your excellent work accomplished for the NUSC Tudor Hill Laboratory on BTS-9029 Nose Cone. The task required extensive precision machining which you accomplished in a short time period with excellent results. The Nose Cone is a special purpose hydrodynamic fairing for a towed source. It is a major factor affecting balance, stability and performance. This source is essential for several current high priority Navy research projects. Your initiative, attention to detail, quick response and fine workmanship has benefitted these research projects and is greatly appreciated. Commanding Officer DE Paterson.
Quinton retired from the US Naval base in 1992 after 46 years of loyal service.
But truth be told, he was never “retired”. Right up until early this year, Quinton was highly sought after for his deep knowledge and help with large and small industrial projects.
There was always a knock on the door at the house or an urgent phone call from one of his mates seeking his machinist expertise.
Over the years, he worked on various projects for the Bermuda Government, including the Department of Marine & Ports Services, the Bermuda Hospitals Board, the Bank of Bermuda, the Clock Tower in Dockyard, and countless other tasks.
Even though Quinton worked hard, he was also an extremely social and outgoing person.
From the East End Mini Yacht Club to Snorkel Park, you never knew where ‘Pit Bull’ was going to show up.
But he was truley a well-known stalwart in the Somerset community.
So popular was Quinton Talbot that for his 90th birthday three years ago – he had not one, but three birthday parties.
Cup Match in Somerset was also big event at the Talbot residence.
People from all walks of life would come from across the island to sit off with Quinton and Marjorie under the big tent in their front yard.
Quinton was also a long serving honourary member of many clubs and organisations, including the West End Sailboat Club (Boat Club), the Somerset Cricket Club, where his father Harold was a founding member – and he was a regular fixture at the Prison Officers Club.
In fact, on any given day or evening, you could find him at one of these locations, usually with his good friend Preston Dill, chatting it up with the fellas over a glass of scotch and water on the rocks.
And everyone who knew Quinton knew that his favourite pastime was dancing.
You name it, the Jitterbug, the Off Time, the Jive, the Swing – Quinton was a master of it all.
He would often have the dance partners – who he called ‘Tweetie Birds’ – lined up waiting for their turn to cut a rug with ‘Guinea’ Talbot.
He would often say about his demanding dance card…”Nothing serious, there’s enough of me to go around.”

Quinton was also a true adventurer and had a love for all things outdoors.

He was an avid fisherman and could always be found on weekends miles off Bermuda hauling in huge catches of tuna, wahoo, rock fish, snapper and even shark.

He enjoyed entertaining on his boat the Satisfaction during the End to End Comet  Races; and he loved being in his workshop in his backyard making things usually out of metal that never existed before until he created it.

But he was most passionate about airplanes, especially model planes.

He took great pride in building model planes and flying them around – much to the delight of the neighbourhood children.

And in his true risk taker, ‘Boy Genius’, ‘Mad Scientist’ fashion, he became bolder in his vision, building and piloting a life-size glider or hydroplane in 1972.

Something like that had never been seen in Bermuda, and he is credited with being the first Bermudian to not only build, but fly a plane.

It caused quite a commotion in Somerset, with news coverage and crowds gathering to watch Quinton launch this new machine at Long Bay.

He would later say that he was very proud of that personal achievement.

Among some of the other highlights of Quinton’s life – he enjoyed travelling to Barbados religiously with a Bermuda contingent of friends for Test Match Cricket.

He was also a very good chef.

He is fondly remembered for making his legendary red bean Portuguese sausage soup, his one-of-a-kind fish cakes, and his tasty codfish and potato breakfast every Sunday morning with all the fixins’.

During his 93 years, Quinton Talbot is one of the few Bermudians who has lived through some of the most iconic milestones in history. And he would often recount how some of the world’s most defining moments had shaped his world view.

As a family man and a father, Quinton is remembered by his children as being a firm but fair disciplinarian.

He held all of his children to account and tried hard to instill in them a sense of right and wrong. All remember him as being an honourable, wise, decent, loving, generous and kind father.

He is remembered by his numerous friends as a man who was principled, loyal and fearless, with a quick witted sense of humour. He was a humble down to earth man who embraced and accepted people for who they were.

There’s a saying that goes: “Necessity is the mother of invention” – which simply means that when the need for something becomes imperative, you are forced to find ways of achieving it. Professionally, Quinton embodied this saying, and became a legendary and admired master of his trade and craft.

But above all, Quinton maintained a commitment to biblical principles.

Exodus 20:12 states: “Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”

Quinton exemplified this instruction from the Lord and left a great example for his children to follow. Spiritual seeds were sown early in his life and on September 2, 2019, Quinton accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior

Sadly, Quinton Eugene Talbot passed away on November 21, 2019, after an illness. But he lived a long and full life surrounded by love.

Quinton always used to say: “They don’t make ’em like me no more…They don’t make ’em like Pitbull.”

He leaves behind a giant and proud legacy that will NEVER diminish.