HORSFALL TURNER, ERNEST RICHMOND (1870 - 1936), schoolmaster and local historian

Born 13 January 1870 at Brighouse, Yorkshire, son of Joseph Horsfall Turner, who was also a schoolmaster and local historian. He was educated at his father's school and commenced his career as a teacher at that school. Later he graduated at London University. He taught at Blaenau Ffestiniog and Colwyn Bay before being appointed headmaster at Llanidloes County School in 1895. He learnt Welsh and then began to take an interest in local history and geography. Among other works he published Wanderings in County Cardigan (n.d.), and The Municipal History of Llanidloes (1908). These contain his own pen and ink drawings, since he was a skilful illustrator. Later in life, he became also an artist in water-colours. After retiring in 1932 he carried out much research into the history of the Chartist movement in Montgomeryshire and his manuscripts are now at the National Library of Wales. He was elected a member of Llanidloes town council in 1901, and was twice mayor of the town, 1908 and 1927-28. In 1897 he married Annie, daughter of J.N. Crowther, and they had a son who was town clerk at Aberystwyth. His wife died in 1923. He died at Llanidloes, 13 March 1936, and was buried there.

Author

• Edward Ronald Morris

Sources

• The Montgomeryshire County Times, 18 March 1936
• Welsh Secondary Schools Review, 1930
• information from his son

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20733004

Published date: 2001

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