George TURNER, jeweller (fl. 1851)

George TURNER, jeweller, married Mary Anne WINDEATT in Exeter, ST. Sidwell's church on 26/05/1834. They subsequently moved from Exeter to Torquay sometime after their first child, also Mary Anne, was born (probably 1834) but before their third child (George) was born in Torquay (probably 1841). There he set up shop at 1 Lower Union Street.

George TURNER appears to have had a considerable influence on the WINDEATT family because two of Mary Anne's brothers (Richard and Thomas) both became jewellers as did two nephews (John's son, Robert and Richard's son, John Chapman Windeatt). This was almost certainly because George Turner took them on as apprentices because of the family connection. Moreover several other family members also left Exeter for the coast where the tourist trade had boomed in the mid-nineteenth century and there was work to be found in tourist service industries.

I'm also wondering if George TURNER and William TURNER, who married Pasca, Mary's sister (see previous page) were brothers?

Here are the family in a succession of census descriptions:

1841 - Married with 4 children

Living in Lower Union Street. Robert MAY, a cordwainer aged 60, Ann his wife aged 55, and their son George, aged 25, are living next door.

Name	Age (rounded down for adults)	Sex	Occupation	Birthplace
George TURNER	25	M	Jeweller	Y
Mary Ann TURNER	25	F	?May M	Y
Mary Ann TURNER	6	F	-	Y
Sarah TURNER	4	F	-	Y
Elizabeth TURNER	2	F	-	Y
George TURNER	1 month	M	-	Y
Thomas WINDEATT	14	M	-	Y
Thomas TURNER	9	M	-	y

HO 107/229/10 Folio 19, Page 32

Thomas WINDEATT, living with them here as a 14-year old apprentice, is Mary's younger brother - the seventh son who sadly went mad and died. Who is Thomas TURNER aged 9? He must be another relation, perhaps a nephew of George's? He appears in the next census, ten years older and serving his apprenticeship.

Link to a page about Thomas WINDEATT - the seventh son.

1851 - Married with 7 children (8 if you count Elizabeth)

Still living in Lower Union Street (and George MAY, aged 37, shoemaker is still living next door now with his wife Sarah).

Name	Relationship	Mar	Age	Sex	Occupation	Birthplace
George TURNER	Head	M	38	M	Jeweller Employing 1 Man 3 Apprentices	Exeter, Devon
Mary Ann TURNER	Wife	M	36	F	---	Horabridge, Devon
Mary Ann TURNER	Daur	U	16	F	At Home	Exeter, Devon
Sarah TURNER	Daur	-	14	F	---	Exeter, Devon
George TURNER	Son	-	9	M	---	Torquay, Devon
Fredrick TURNER	Son	-	4	M	---	Torquay, Devon
Thomas TURNER	Son	-	2	M	---	Torquay, Devon
Henry TURNER	Son	-	2m	M	---	Torquay, Devon
Thomas TURNER	Apprentice	U	19	M	Jeweller's Apprentice	Exeter, Devon
Robert WILCOCKS	Apprentice	U	17	M	Jeweller's Apprentice	Teignmouth, Devon

Where is Elizabeth - she should appear here aged 11 or 12. She reappears in the 1861 census below.

He was still at 1 Lower Union Street in Torquay in 1856

see the link on Terry Leaman's website to Kelly's Post Office Directory of Devonshire 1856

1861 - Three more children

George TURNER	Head	Mar	47	Master Working Jeweler	Exeter
Mary A. TURNER	Wife	Mar		Devon, Horrabridge
Frederick TURNER	Son	-	14	Apprentice Jeweler	Torquay
Thomas TURNER	Son	-	12	Scholar	Torquay
Henry TURNER	Son	-	10	Scholar	Torquay
Richard TURNER	Son	-	5	Scholar	Torquay
Francis J. TURNER	Son	-	3	Scholar	Torquay
Sarah TURNER	Daur	Un	24	Milliner	Exeter
Elizabeth TURNER	Daur	Un	21	Dressmaker	Exeter
Susan TURNER	Daur	Un	8	Scholar	Torquay
Richard HOSKIN	Nephew	Un	18	Apprentice Jeweler	Guernsey

George, the eldest son (who would have been 19) has left - perhaps to work elsewhere. And Mary Ann, the eldest daughter (who would have been 26) has left - probably to get married. Three more children, Susan, Richard and Francis have been born. A new apprentice is a nephew, Richard HOSKIN. Perhaps he is a relative of Mary Ann's mother, Thomazine, whose maiden name was HOSKIN?

1871 - A smaller household

George TURNER	Head	Mar	57	Jeweler	Exeter
Mary A. TURNER	Wife	Mar	57		Horrabridge
Richard TURNER	Son	-	15		Torquay
Francis J. TURNER	Son	-	13		Torquay
Walter FROOM	Grandson	-	3		London

Only two children and a grandson living at home now. And whose child is Walter FROOM? Two of Mary Ann's brothers married FROOM brides so there may be a further connection there?

Also in 1871, there was a George TURNER, watchmaker, working in London in 1871 and who, I suppose, could be the son who was aged 9 in 1851 - see the link on Shirley TURNER's website to the London Commercial Directory for 1871.
[Later: Another researcher has found George junior in London in 1871. He was living in Tottenham Court Road and married to Kate FLEMING with a one year old baby daughter (also Kate).]

We have no records of this family other than the census records, nor have I found any TURNER researchers who appear to know anything more.

Please get in touch if you know anything about this family.

E-mail contact for the Horrabridge tree: Sandra Windeatt: e-mail: web@windeatt.f2s.com