| George Turner - After his arrival in New Zealand | George Turner His first 30 Years |
Family tree | Turner page |
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The Turner family did not know the origins of their ancestor, George Turner, until the 21st Century. When he married in 1852, George gave his age as 35 making his year of birth as about 1817. There were some clues about his ancestry. The youngest son of George was John Turner, born in Auckland in 1855. The first son of John was John Laurie Turner, born in 1879. The birth was registered by the child's grandmother, Elizabeth Laurie. Elizabeth gave the father's name as John Blatchford Turner. When John's youngest son was born in 1905, the boy was named Mervyn Blatchford Turner. George's son John died in 1927. The remaining family after that was not aware of the significance of the name Blatchford. In the 21st Century, DNA could be tested and the descendants found that the paternal line had been Blachford (without the 't') before it became Turner. The Turner family has autosomal DNA matches who are descendants of Daniel Blachford who was born in Tooting, London in 1781. We also have Y-DNA male line matches with the surnames Blachford, Blatchford and Weeks. Daniel Blachford was married in 1827 but he had many children before that. There are a number of unmarried Turner mothers who named their sons George Turner between 1810 and 1817. However we believe that the Ann Turner in the image below was the mother of "our" George. There is unlikely to be any written record of the father. Daniel is known to have been rich enough to avoid any dispute with the parish. |
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Baptism of George Turner to mother Ann Turner at Hertford in 1814. Baptism solemnised in the Parish of All Saints and St John with the Liberties of Brickendon and Little Amwell in the Town and County of Hertford in the year 1814. When Baptised - 1814 June 26 Christian Name - George (illegitimate) Parent's name - Ann Turner Abode - Back Street, All Saints Workhouse. Ceremony by - Thomas Lloyd. Our research has not yet found the parents of Ann Turner or any record of George before 1830 below. George had obviously been told of his father's name when he was young and remembered it in later life. |
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On 28 August 1830 George Turner and two others were tried at Cardiff, Wales. They were Thomas Jones, 18, Labourer, George Turner, 17 Cordwainer, (Shoemaker) and Richard Callaghan, 18, Hatter. They were the prisoners numbered 4, 5 and 6 of the 8 men charged at The Great Sessions held at Cardiff on that day. Their names can be seen on the second of the two pages to the left. The alleged crimes occurred on the afternoon and the night of 31st July 1830. It was charged that they burglariously broke and entered the dwelling houses of William Griffith of Crossgwtta and Richard Lloyd of Ewenny and with having feloniously stolen goods and chattels of the said William Griffith and Richard Lloyd. Six witnesses were called: William Griffith, Ann Griffith, Morgan Evan, William John, Edward Barrett, and John Hopper. Some of the evidence and the decisions of the jury in the two cases follow below. |
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Jury decision in the claim made by William Griffith - Found Guilty Summary: Thomas Jones, George Turner and Richard Callaghan on 31 July about 5pm with force of arms the house of William Griffth feloniously did break and enter and: 1 Silver watch, value 2 Pounds, 1 Gold ring, value 5 shillings, 2 handkerchiefs, value 3 shillings each, 1 ounce of tea, value 6 pence, 1 pound of sugar, value 8 pence. of the goods of William Griffith. 1 waistcoat, value 2 shillings, 2 handkerchiefs, value 3 shillings each, 1 pair of halfboots, value 5 shillings, 1 pair of shoes, value 5 shillings. of the goods and Chattels of Morgan Evan in the house feloniously did steal and carry away against the peace of the King (William the 4th), his Crown and dignity. William Lewis, Attorney |
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Witness Gwenllian Lloyd A summary: Gwenllian was a shopkeeper, the wife of Richard Lloyd of Ewenny. She went to bed at 11pm on the night of 31 July having previously checked that all the doors and windows were secure. She got up about 8am and found soot in the grate and a footprint in the soot on the kitchen hearth stone. In the shop she found a great quantity of goods had been taken. The canvas bag and nearly all the articles shown in the court room are the property of her husband and were stolen from the shop. The three prisoners were at the shop at times on Saturday evening making small purchases. Witness William John A Summary: William John was a yeoman of Casella about 14 miles from Ewenny. When going to work at 5.45 am on 2nd of August he saw the three prisoners in the rick yard of his master, Major Smith. He asked them what they were doing there and they said that they were sheltering from the rain. They had 3 bundles. About 2pm, having heard of the burglary, he went on a search for the prisoners with others. They were found with the bundles in a shed about 7.30pm. The bundles included items claimed by Gwenllian Lloyd. The next page has only two lines before the signatures. |
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Jury decision in the claim made by Richard Lloyd - Found Guilty Summary: Thomas Jones, George Turner and Richard Callaghan on 31 July about 11pm feloniously and burglariously did break and enter with intent the Goods and Chattels of the house of Richard Lloyd to take away: 10 shawls, value of 4 shillings each 6 handkerchiefs, value of 5 shillings each 6 other handkerchiefs, value of 3 shillings each 6 other handkerchiefs, value of 2 shillings each 10 yards of Irish linen, value of 1 shilling and 6 pence per yard 6 yards of Cambric, value of 1 shilling and 6 pence per yard 2 pieces of Ribbon , value 10 shillings per piece 2 pairs of shoes, value 4 shillings per pair 3 pounds of Tobacco, value 5 shillings per pound 6 pairs of stockings, value 2 shillings per pair 1 Canvas bag, value 6 pence 1 Cap, value 1 shilling and 6 pence did steal against the Peace of the King (William the 4th), his Crown and Dignity. |
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The Sentence by the Court at Cardiff. This is a copy of Page 217 of a book held by The National Archives at Kew, London. Source - Home Office: Criminal Registers, England And Wales, 1805-1892. Series - HO27. Documents - Records created or inherited by the Home Office, Ministry of Home Security, and related bodies. Piece 39. Piece scope - A - L This book includes the County of Glamorgan of which Cardiff is a Part. Column 1 Names - This includes the 3 names: Thomas Jones, George Turner and Richard Callaghan. Column 2 When Tried - Midsummer Session. Column 3 Crimes - Burglary (2 convictions). Column 4 Death - All 3 men were sentenced to Death. The following Columns except for the last are blank for the 3 men. Last Column - Commuted Sentence or Execution Deportation for Life for the 3 men. |
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On board the Hulk "Justitia" at Woolwich on 8th October 1830. Thomas Jones, George Turner and Richard Callaghan are convicts transferred from Cardiff to the Hulk "Justitia" moored at The Thames, Woowich with numbers 4398, 4399 and 4400, Listed are their ages (as recorded from the trial), Crime (Burglary) and Sentence (Life). Their tranfer date, 17 February 1831, is over 5 months after their arrival. Another convict, Edward Lewis (number 4388), had arrived 2 days earlier. He was also on the "Exmouth" that transported them to Sydney. In 1852 he was a witness at the marriage of George Turner to Margaret Walker in Auckland. |
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Exmouth muster list at Sydney Departs Woolwich 2 March 1831. Departs Plymouth 26 March 1831. Arrives Sydney 28 July 1831 after a rough voyage. Alphbetical list of muster. George Turner 5th from bottom. Number 31/1324 Number 42 of convicts in list Age: 19 Education; R (reads) Religion: Protestant Married or single: S Native place: Leicester. Trade: Shoemaker 3 years. Offence: House breaking. Where tried: Cardiff When tried: 28 Aug 1830 Sentence: Life. Former conviction: 6 months. Height: 5 feet, 9 1/2 inches. Complexion: Ruddy. Colour of hair: Light sandy. Colour of eyes: Dark grey. How disposed of: John Taylor, Pitt Street. Marks on body: Blue mark across inside right arm over wrist (from another list). |
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Proposed marriage 1832 Summary: George Turner had met Golonia Godfrey, the second daughter of John Godfrey of Hawkesbury. This is Golonia's petition to the Governor for permission to marry George. The petition is dated 15 August 1832. At the time George, although a shoemaker, was a watchman at the Sydney dockyard. Golonia, with the consent of her father, who shared her knowledge of George having sober and industrious habits has been induced to accede to the solicitations of this young man of becoming his Wife provided the sanction of your Excellency to our union may be obtained. On the second page - the note from Golonia's father: I hereby certify that in consequence of my personal knowledge of the good character of the memorialist and his being a good tradesman, I consent to his union in wedlock with my daughter Golonia Godfrey, provided that the sanction of His Excellency, Governor Bourke can be obtained, and most humbly recommend the prayer of my daughter's petition to the favourable consideration of His Excellency. |
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Three Supporters for petition of Golonia and George John Taylor, Shoe maker of Pitt Street. George Turner has been in my employment for eight months and I have found him a very sober, steady young man and is well able to maintain a Wife. Edw Chambers: We have known the Petitioner for many years and believe her statements to be correct. John Redman: I have known the petitioner and George Turner for some time as Honest and Industreous habits and worthey your Excellancy's Consideration . |
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Two page letter to Governor dated 12 September 1832 about Banns called at Church and Watchman at Dockyard Page 1 includes: That the Petitioner, relying on your Excellency's goodness, caused the Banns of Marriage to be published at St James' Church and Petitioner and her intended husband were called in the usual way One Sunday when that it appears from some irrgularity in the transmission of the Petitioner's Memorial, which Petitioner has since been informed should have gone through the hands of the Minister and the further publication of the Banns was suspended. Page 2 includes the Petitioner's plea to the Governor to "confer on her the greatest blessing in his power". At the foot is a note that includes: "the man George Turner has served as a watchman in the Dockyard about four months during which time his conduct has been satisfactory. S. Nicholson. JP. |
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Two letters about the marriage and watchman The letter on the left dated 25 Sept 1832 says that the Governor will not allow the marriage. The last paragraph reads: I am directed by H.E. Inquest that you will apprise the applicant that Turner cannot be allowed to Marry at present, having only arrived in the Colony in 1831, and that you will report why a shoemaker is employed as a watchman, and whether there is not a demand for such tradesmen. Signed T Haughton The other letter is dated 10 November 1832. The last paragraph says: I am directed by the Governor to inform you that His Excellency considers it proper that Turner should be assigned as a shoemaker, and to request that you will place his name before the Board accordingly. Signed T Harington |
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After the Governor denied George his wish to be married it would not be surprising if George was somewhat annoyed. His reputation of being a good and industrious employee seems to have been tarnished by the following five notices that appeared in the Gazette. |
Gazette No.55 December 1832 - George was appointed as a shoemaker to James Scott of St. Hiliers (In Hunter Valley between Newcastle and Muswellbrook.)  |
Gazette No.124, 31 March 1833, Absconders - George Turner from James Scott of Hunter's River. |
Gazette No.151, 14 April 1833, List of Runaways apprehended during the last week. - George Turner from James Scott.  |
Gazette No.211 May 1833 - List of Runaways Apprehended during the past week - Stockade (Newcastle) in irons - Turner, George. |
Gazette No.241, 24 June 1833, Absconders - George Turner from Escort to Merton, since 11 June. Merton is at Hunter's River. |
This notice on page No. 241 was the last Gazette notice about George Turner, Exmouth, that I found. Also no Ticket of Leave or Pardon has been found. We assume that in June 1833, or soon after, George changed his name and joined a ship to join the crew. The next that we know of George was the baptism of his son, George Turner Cunningham, son of George Cunningham, a seaman, and Margaret, born in Auckland on 2 May 1848. So, for 15 years, George was travelling the world as a seaman. It would be interesting to know which countries that he visited, possible even England. See page "George Turner - After his arrival in New Zealand" for the remainer of his story. |
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George Turner After his arrival in New Zealand |
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