THOMAS TURTON, - SHEFFIELD (1806 - 1869)

I first came across  the name THOMAS TURTON when I was researching into the background of Horatio Bright. Horatio did his future prospects no harm at all when ion Thursday, 27th September at St Mathew's Church in Brixton, London  he married MARY ALICE TURTON the second daughter of Thomas B. Turton. Already a prominent local industrialist Thomas was elected Mayor of Sheffield the following year (1850)

When I visited the churchyard of All Saints Church Ecclesall Sheffield in December 2007 it was specifically to look for the grave of Joseph Jonas, a former Lord Mayor of Sheffield (1904) who had the misfortune to be stripped of his knighthood by George V in 1918 for a "misdemeanour" involving the passing of information. After locating the grave, I walked the path and came across the grave, quite by accident of, Thomas B. Turton, and his family. I copied the monumental inscription and took a photograph of the grave. When I came to check the name and details, I found that there was only a minimal amount of information available on the family hence this article.

The book "Sheffield Steel" by K.C. Barraclough, has a print of the Sheaf Works in Sheffield dated 1850 and a letterhead from the company. The latter proudly proclaims that at The Sheaf & Spring Works in Sheffield, Thomas Turton, & Sons are manufacturers of steel saws, edge tools, locomotive engine and railway carriage springs. The works were located in the canal basin in Sheffield and after 1851 were more or less adjacent to Sheffield's Victoria Railway Station.

The 1861 Census and found the family living at West Lodge Claremont Place Census Place Ecclesall Bierlow, Yorkshire, England
Public Records Office Reference RG9 Piece / Folio 3469 / 10 Page Number 49

As an aside the Liverpool Mercury dated 2nd October carried a report of a marriage.

PIERSON - TURTON - Sept 30 at the Parish Church Sheffield by the Rev. Canon Sale DD, vicar, Thomas Pierson Esq. solicitor of Sheffield to Emily, daughter of Thomas Burdett Turton, Esq., of West Lodge, Sheffield (see notes)

According to The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent (Sheffield, England), Saturday, December 11, 1869, Thomas died in West Lodge on Tuesday 7th December 1869 at the age of 63. The cause of death was given as congestion of the lungs Three days later there was a further report in The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent under the heading of

FUNERAL OF T. B. TURTON, ESQ .

It is  a marvellously descriptive report about a Victorian funeral. The procession from Claremont Crescent to Ecclesall Church, the coffin that was so heavy the bearers could not carry it, and the wind and the rain lashing down on the mourners. Positively gothic!. But what I found fascinating were the number of mourners at the funeral who appear elsewhere on this website - Horatio Bright, Frederick Mappin, Cole Brothers.   

The monument at Ecclesall All Saints Churchyard carries the following inscriptions
 

Front Panel

Sacred to the memory of THOMAS BURDETT TURTON, of West Lodge, Sheffield who departed this life the 7th December 1869 aged 63 years

and of

HANNAH TURTON, his wife, who departed this life on the 2nd of December 1884 aged 78 years

HARRIET ANN BRIGHT, eldest daughter of the above who departed this life 25th December 1907

Side Panel

Also of MARTHA ANN daughter of Thomas Burdett and Harriet Turton who departed this life 10th February 1837 aged 3 years

Also of ISABEL daughter of Thomas Burdett and Harriet Turton who departed this life the 22nd March 1837 aged 5 years

Also of ANN daughter of Thomas Burdett and Harriet Turton who departed this life 19th December1842 aged 3 years and five months

Rear Panel

Also THOMAS WHITE Grandson of Thomas Burdett and Harriet Turton who departed this life the 23rd February 1877 aged 10 years 2 months

Also THOMAS BURDETT son of Thomas Burdett and Harriet Turton who departed this life the 22nd May 1892 aged 44 years

Side Panel

Also of THOMAS son of Thomas Burdett and Harriet Turton who departed this life the 16th February 1848 aged 11 years

Also CLARA daughter of Thomas Burdett and Harriet Turton who departed this life the 28th July 1852 aged 13 years

ALSO HELEN BLANCHE daughter of Thomas Burdett and Harriet Turton who departed this life the 16th July 1876 aged 30 years

NOTES

THOMAS BURDITT TURTON
Birth: 05 JANUARY 1806
Christening: 02 FEBRUARY 1806 Cathedral Saint Peter, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Parents: Father: THOMAS TURTON Mother: ANN
Source Information:Batch No.: Dates: Source Call No.: Type: Printout Call No.: Type: C150521 1805 - 1808 0919327 Film 6909644 Film Sheet: 00

1881 Census

Dwelling No 15 Claremont Place & Crescent Census Place Ecclesall Bierlow, Yorkshire, England
Family History Library Film 1342119 Public Records Office Reference RG11 Piece / Folio 4633 / 120 Page Number 30

Name Relation Marital Status Gender Age Birthplace Occupation
Harriett TURTON Head W Female 47 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Annuitant Dividends &c
Thomas B. TURTON Son U Male 33 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Florence A. THOMPSON Visitor Female 24 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Maria BLACK Servant W Female 37 Nottingham, England Cook (Dom)
Alice PRICE Servant U Female 18 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England House Maid (Dom)

Household:
Dwelling 82 Nether Edge Rd Census Place Ecclesall Bierlow, York, England
Family History Library Film 1342121 Public Records Office Reference RG11 Piece / Folio 4639 / 4 Page Number 1

Name Relation Marital Status Gender Age Birthplace Occupation Disability
Thomas PIERSON Head M Male 46 Sheffield, York, England Solicitor
Emily PIERSON Wife M Female 39 Sheffield, York, England
Emily Maud PIERSON Daur Female 12 Sheffield, York, England
Harriet BAGLEY Serv U Female 17 Coal Aston, Derby, England General Servant (Domestic)

Dwelling Sharrow Head House Cemetry Road Census Place Ecclesall Bierlow, Yorkshire, England
Family History Library Film 1342120 Public Records Office Reference RG11 Piece / Folio 4638 / 83 Page Number 34

Name Relation Marital Status Gender Age Birthplace Occupation
Maurice Delara BRIGHT Head M Male 55 Buxton, Derby, England Iron Merchant
Harriet A. BRIGHT Wife M Female 52 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
John L. BRIGHT Son U Male 21 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Iron Merchant
Albert S. BRIGHT Son U Male 14 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Scholar
Beatrice BRIGHT Daughter U Female 8 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Scholar
Elizabeth WARDLEY Servant U Female 68 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England General Servant

Sources

Sheffield Steel by K.C. Barraclough

The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent (Sheffield, England), Saturday, December 11, 1869; pg. 12; Issue 5122.

The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent (Sheffield, England), Tuesday, December 14, 1869; pg. 8; Issue 5124

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This page was last updated on 10/03/10 10:07