Rev. George Henry Turner

1. Biography
   1. Chelwood – Baptism
   2. Ashbrittle
   3. Education
   4. Holborn
   5. Deopham
   6. Move South
2. Legacy
3. Footnotes

Vicar of Deopham 1850 – 1861

Biography

Chelwood – Baptism

© Ancestry

Ashbrittle

© Ancestry

Education

George Turner was educated at Balliol College Oxford where he attained his B.A. in 1843 and his M.A. in 1847; he was ordained deacon in 1845 and priest in 1846 by the bishop of Salisbury.¹

Holborn

The Churchman’s Companion of 1851 said that Rev. George Turner had previously been the curate of St. Andrew’s, Holborn before coming to Deopham.

Deopham

The Norfolk News of August 17^th 1850 says that Rev. George Henry Turner M.A. was instituted to the Vicarage of Deopham on July 29^th 1850. He first appears in the Register of Burials on November 1st, 1850.
This was a particularly important appointment for the village since for a long time the village had not had a resident vicar (the last one was likely to have been the Rev. William Cullyer at the end of the 17^th century). By the time of the Rev. George Turner’s appointment, the Pluralities Acts passed in 1838² and 1850³ had outlawed clergy from holding the living for multiple parishes (pluralism) and also from being resident outside the parish from which they drew their income. Turner’s predecessor (the Rev. Richard Adams) was both non-resident and the holder of parishes in plurality. The Rev. Richard Adams had financed a number (at least eight) of curates to act on his behalf in Deopham – these are listed in the table of Incumbents and Curates here.

One of the problems resulting from there not having been a resident vicar in the village for many years was that there was no vicarage. At the time of the 1851 census, carried out on April 8^th, the Rev. George Turner was living at “Green” – in a household of ten persons made up of himself and his wife, a son and daughter, his father, both in-laws and two servants. Clearly at this stage the new vicarage had not been completed. There is more information on the financing, construction and subsequent enlargement of the vicarage here.
White’s 1854 directory confirms that Rev. George Turner was the incumbent at that time.

The following advertisement appeared in the Norfolk Chronicle dated Saturday, December 8^th 1860:-

Move South

After Deopham, Crockford’s Clerical Directory records that he took up an appointment at Fleet Marston near Aylesbury, a tiny village with a population of 23, and a church attendance of 8 at the time of the 1851 Religious Survey.

The record of the Deopham Manor Court held on May 9^th 1866 summarised his travels as “formerly of Deopham, late of Ilford, Essex then of Bayswater in Middlesex”. At this Court, it was recorded that he had sold an eight acre field in Deopham for £400.

The 1868 edition of Crockford’s Clerical Directory did not include an entry for George Turner, implying that at that time he did not hold a clerical post.
The 1871 census recorded that George Turner, his wife Sarah and eight children (8 of which are recorded as being born in Deopham) were living at No. 15, Burlington Road, Paddington, London. His profession was recorded as “Clergyman”. The 1872 edition of Crockford’s Clerical Directory did not include an entry for George Turner, implying that at that time he still did not hold a clerical post.
The 1881 census recorded his residence as being in a house called “Woodlands” (not the vicarage) in Woodham Walter, Essex, having remarried. His 23 year old daughter Jessie Maude (described as having been born in Deopham) is living with them. His occupation is stated as being “Vicar of Tolleshunt Major” which is some 8 miles from his home.

Volume 4 of the Alumni Oxoniensis⁴ records:

The period spent in Deopham is conspicuously absent, in fact the whole period from 1847 when he gained his M.A. until 1872 when (according to the above cutting) he started at Branksea Island is completely missing. In fact, a number of newspapers reported that he actually started there in January 1873. His resignation in 1874 is confirmed in the press. The presence of a daughter born in Deopham living with him in Woodham Walter whilst being vicar of Tolleshunt Major anchors him to this extract of lives of Oxford graduates.

Legacy

The opening in 1851 of the first village school (thereby completing the project started by the Rev. Henry Spencer), the building of a vicarage and some renovations of the church were the Rev. George Turner’s legacy to the village.

Footnotes

1. Information from Crockford’s Clerical Directory for 1865, pg 634:
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2. Although this Act had limited many of the practices that were being criticised (particularly outside the Church of England), it still contained a large number of escape clauses making it somewhat ineffectual.
   https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/1-2/106/contents
   ↩︎
3. Spiritual Persons not to hold Benefices in Plurality except under certain Circumstances.
   That, notwithstanding any Provision in the said recited Act contained, it shall not be lawful, after the passing of this Act, for any Spiritual Person to take and hold together any Two Benefices, except in the Case of Two Benefices the Churches of which are within Three Miles of one another by the nearest Road, and the annual Value of one of which does not exceed One hundred Pounds.
   https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/13-14/98/enacted
   ↩︎
4. Alumni Oxoniensis (1715-1886) volume 4.djvu/243, page 1449
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Date	Change
17/4/24	1866 Manor Court record; comments on Branksea Island
6/4/24	1860 carriage advertisement
24/1/24	Pluralities and non-residence
5-6/11/23	1871 Census & Crockford’s
25/10/23	Baptism + 1841 census
23/10/23	1851 Census
27/8/23	Comment about Burials Register
29/11/22	Published