The Company
Based
on the 1903[1] letterhead shown below,
the company known as R. Turner & Sons was established in 1820. However, it seems much more likely that the
original needle firm was possibly founded that year by Richard Turner’s father[2], Joseph Turner, and was
later renamed R. Turner and Sons. Joseph
Turner first appears in a trade directory in 1835[3] as a needle and fish hook manufacturer.
His name was included with the other Redditch area needle manufacturers who
in 1840[4] signed a memorandum
presented to the House of Commons regarding a proposed increase of duties upon
the importation of needles and fish hooks into
France. But Joseph became renowned that
year for another reason. During the
first half of the 19th 
century
many advances were made in how needles were produced, however, some caused
disruption among the local workers who feared improvements to the process would
cause their wages to be reduced. For
example, needle pointers who sharpen needles on a grinding wheel usually died at
a relatively young age because they inhaled metal fragments during their work
leading to lung disease. Because of this
they were paid higher wages than other workers.
Later when special masks were created for them to wear, which reduced
the danger, their wages decreased and they went on
strike for a period of time. “In 1840, Joseph
Turner, a needle manufacturer, of Redditch, revived the practice of hardening
needles in oil instead of water, as the oil did not crook them so much, and therefore
the same labour in straightening them was not
required . . . The straighteners assembled at Redditch, and
passed resolutions to put down the process of hardening in oil. Joseph Turner was several times mobbed in
Redditch, and at length removed to Stratford-on-Avon, but finding that town
unsuitable for needle making, he returned to Redditch, when the public opinion
had cooled down”[5].
As a result, the company did not appear
in the 1842[6] directory for the Redditch
area; however, a Joseph Turner was listed as the only needle manufacturer in
Stratford-on-Avon that year. The firm reappeared
in 1850[7] in Redditch but was now
listed as Joseph Turner & Co.
By
1855[8] Joseph’s name no longer appeared and the firm was now listed in his son’s name
Richard B. Turner. Although Richard was
recorded as a “needle maker” on Bromsgrove Road in Redditch that year, he
presumably took 
over his father’s
business because all of the needle manufacturers in
the 1855 directory were cataloged as needle makers. In 1861[9] the firm was listed as R.
Turner & Co. needle manufacturer at Old Factory on Bromsgrove Road. Then, by 1865[10], the business was recorded
as R. B. Turner & Co. at Old Factory on Bates Hill in Redditch where the
company remained and where Richard had his residence. In 1871[11] the firm had 46
employees; men, women and children, which increased to
136 by 1881[12]. Turner registered two needle case patents,
#2852 and #5261, within a year of each other in 1870[13] and 1871[14] and a few years later
between 1876[15]
and 1878[16] changed the name again to
R. Turner & Sons presumably because his sons joined the business. Turner participated in at least five major
world’s fairs: 1876[17] in Philadelphia, 1878[18] in Paris, 1880[19] in Melbourne, Australia
where they received a silver medal for their sewing needles, 1889[20] again in Paris and in 1893[21] in Chicago. The Royal Exhibition Building
pictured here was built for the
1880 Melbourne fair and is
one of the last surviving exhibition buildings from the
Victorian Period. Here is an example of
the silver medal Turner received in Melbourne.
Richard retired between 1901[22] and 1911[23] and his son Frank Gilbert
Turner became the firm’s director by 1909[24] when the firm was
incorporated and became R. Turner & Sons Ltd. It continued at the Bates Hill location until
at least 1912[25]. The factory no longer exists today and was
probably demolished when the Redditch Ringway was built in the 1970s[26].
The Owners
Richard Bourne
Turner, whose parents were Joseph Turner and Maria Bourne,
was born in Redditch in 1827 and was baptized at the Wesleyan Methodist church
there. He was recorded from 1855 until
his death as a needle manufacturer and in 1861 also became a freemason. In 1866 he married Martha Emily Lett, the
daughter of James Lett, at the Angel Street Chapel in Worcester. Richard and Martha had five children; Raymond, Alfred, Frank, Marian and Elsie. The family lived in Old Factory House which
was built next to the needle factory on Bates Hill. Richard lived a long life and died in 1916 of
heart failure at age 89 at his residence.
His obituary[27] below gives more details
regarding his life.
“DEATH OF MR.
RICHARD TURNER, REDDITCH. – With deep regret we record the death of Mr. Richard
B. Turner, which took place at his residence, Old Factory House, Redditch, on
Tuesday. The deceased gentleman, who had
reached the ripe age of 89 years, was in his usual health until little more
than a week ago. He passed away
suddenly, the immediate cause of death being heart failure. Even in times so crowded with anxiety and moving
incidents as the present, the removal of the venerable figure and highly-respected personality cannot fail to be noticed and
regretted, and in offering sympathy with the widow and other members of the
family in their bereavement we are but giving expression to the feeling of the
whole of the townspeople.”
“For the greater
part of his life Mr. Turner was closely connected with
the local industries, as were his father and grandfather before him. The names of his father and grandfather – Joseph
Turner, junior, and Joseph Turner, senior, occur on the Redditch night patrol
for Wednesday, the 5th of December, 1827, the first night, in
conjunction with those of Mr. Charles Swann and Mr. W. Bartleet. It was deceased’s father, Mr. Joseph Turner,
he introduced the process of hardening in oil in place of water, in the year
1840. This by causing discontent among
the needle straighteners, resulted in the business being removed for a time to
Stratford-on-Avon.”
“Mr.
Turner never took much part in public affairs, as he was of a retiring
disposition; but he served on the Redditch Local Board in the sixties, and was for some years secretary to the local
School of Art, in which he took much interest. He was a man of wide reading and
culture, and his recollections of old Redditch were very
clear and interesting. By the fact of his advanced age these
recollections extended to the early years of the history of our local
industries. These reminiscences were much appreciated by the limited circle who
had the privilege of intimacy with him. The funeral took place at Ipsley
yesterday (Friday)
afternoon."
Richard
Turner had three sons; however, limited information is available about them due
to the prevalence of the surname in the area and the difficulty in ascertaining
who is who without incurring substantial cost.
His eldest son, Raymond Benton Turner, was born in Redditch in 1867 and
may have been involved in the family’s needle business. Unfortunately, he died at age 38 in 1905
leaving his estate to his father. The second
son, Alfred Lucas Turner, was born in 1869 in Redditch and by 1911 was an
unmarried school master living in Bedford, a town approximately 85 miles east
of Redditch.
The youngest son, Frank
Gilbert Turner, was born in 1871 in Redditch.
He was involved with the needle business from at least 1891 when he was
living with his parents and employed as a needle manufacturer’s clerk. Although he was still living with his parents
in 1901, he had now attained the same position as his father, needle and fish hook manufacturer employer. He presumably took over the family needle
business around the time his father retired.
Frank visited the USA on at least three occasions between 1905 and 1910
on business trips to New York and Toronto, Canada. He sailed at least two times from Liverpool
on the S.S. Baltic shown on these old post cards. Evidently the firm had considerable business
in North America, which probably increased because of their participation in
the Philadelphia and Chicago World’s Fairs in earlier years. Frank was listed as the director of the firm
in 1909 and lived until at least 1916 as he was present when his father died
that year.
Richard Turner & Co. (aka R. Turner &
Sons): Genealogy
Generation 1: Joseph Turner and Maria Bourne
· Accounts and Papers: Nineteen Volumes -14- Trade:
Corn: Post Office; Postage, Session 25 January - 22, June 1841, Vol. XXVI, 1841. Part III Needles and Fish-Hooks,
ordered by the House of Commons on 23 February 1841 regarding the proposed
increase of duties upon importation of needles and fish-hooks into France. Page 2 lists Joseph Turner as one of the Redditch
area needle manufacturers as of 14 November 1840. (S-http://books.google.com).
· History and Description of Needle Making by Michael T. Morrall,
1862. Page 23-24 lists Joseph Turner as
reviving the process of moistening needles in oil in 1840. Available online at
https://archive.org/details/historydescripti00morr/page/22.
· The Victorian History of the County of Worcester, by W. Willis-Bund
and William Page, 1906. Page 274 lists Joseph Turner as reviving the process of
moistening needles with oil. (S-http://books.google.com).
·
Death: not found.
· Children:
1.
Richard
Bourne Turner (1827-1916) - see generation 2.
Generation 2: Richard Bourne
Turner (1827-1916) and Martha Emily Lett (c1844-after 1911)
· Born: Jan. 11, 1827 (S1c) Redditch (S4).
· Baptized: Jan. 22, 1827
Wesleyan Methodist, Redditch (S1c).
Listed as Richard Bourne Turner with parents
Joseph Turner and Maria Bourne.
·
1841 Census: not found.
·
1851 Census: not found.
· 1851 Census for Wife:
41 Bath Road, Worcester (S4). Listed as
Martha Lett age 7 born in Worcester with parents James
and Martha Lett and brother Barnabas Lett age 17 and five other siblings.
· 1855 Billing’s
Directory and Gazetteer of the County of Worcester, page 379. Listed as Richard. B. Turner a needle maker
on Bromsgrove Road (S=Ancestry.com and https:/books.google.com).
· 1861 United Grand
Lodge of England Freemason Membership Registers 1751-1921, No. 707 continued
from page 174 (S=Ancestry.com). Listed
as Richard Bourne Turner, age 34, a needle
manufacturer from Redditch (note: the profession is incorrectly listed in the
index as Nicole Manufr).
· 1861 Census: not found.
· 1861 Census for
Wife: 177 Private Baths, Worcester (S4).
Listed as Martha E. Lett age 17 born in
Worcester with brother Barnabas Lett age 27.
· Marriage: November
15, 1866 Worcester (S8m). Listed as Richard Bourne
Turner age 39 a bachelor and needle manufacturer from
Redditch whose father was listed as Joseph Turner (deceased) a needle
manufacturer and Martha Emily Lett age 22 from Worcester. They were married November 15, 1866 at the Angel Street Chapel in Worcester listed as R. B.
Turner of Redditch and Martha Emily Lett (S=newspaper listed on Ancestry.com).
· 1871 Census: 49
Bates Hill, Redditch (S4). Listed as
Richard Bourne Turner, age 44, a needle manufacturer
employing 46 men, women and children born in Redditch with wife Martha Emily
age 27 born in Worcester and 3 children: Raymond B., Alfred L.
and an unnamed son under a month. (Note:
Bourne is incorrectly listed as Bonrne
in the census index).
· 1881 Census: 7
Bates Hill, Redditch (S4). Listed as
Richard B. Turner, age 54, a needle manufacturer employing 136 born in Redditch
with wife Martha E. age 36, born in Redditch and 4 children: Raymond, Alfred
L., Frank G. and Marian F.
· 1891 Census: 4
Bates Hill, Redditch (S4). Listed as
Richard B. Turner, age 64, a needle manufacturer born in Redditch with wife M.
E. age 47, born in Redditch and 4 children: A. L., F. G., M. F.
and Elsie L. (Note: Elsie is incorrectly listed in the index as
Eva).
· 1901 Census: 4 Bates Hill, Redditch (S4). Listed as Richard B. Turner, age 74, a needle
and fish hook manufacturer born in Redditch with wife
Martha E. age 57, born in Redditch and 2 children: Frank G. and Elsie L.
· 1911 Census: Old
Factory House, Bates Hill, Redditch (S4).
Listed as Richard Bourne Turner, age 84,
retired manufacturer born in Redditch with wife Martha Emily. age 67, born in
Worcester and 1 child: Elsie Longmore. Also indicates they had been married 44 years
and had 5 children of which 4 were still alive.
· Death: June 6, 1916 Redditch (S8d). Listed
as Richard Bourne Turner, retired needle and fish hook and fishing tackle manufacturer with son F. G.
Turner present at his death.
· Obituary: June 10,
1916 Redditch Indicator newspaper (S=Microfilm at the
Redditch Library). His obituary mentions his father Joseph Turner who
introduced the process of hardening needles in oil in 1840 which caused
discontent in the Redditch area resulting in the business moving to
Stratford-on-Avon for a period of time.
·
Probate: not found
·
Wife’s death: not found
· Children:
1.
Raymond
Benton Turner (1867-1905). Born in
Redditch (S4) and Bromsgrove 4th QTR 1867 (S5b). In 1871 and 1881 censuses with parents. Died in Bromsgrove 1st QTR 1905
(S5d) and March 23, 1905 Worcestershire (S6). Probate: London May 11, May 1905 (S6) with
effects £690 to Richard Bourne Turner needle manufacturer.
2.
Alfred
Lucas Turner (1869-after 1911). Born in
Redditch (S4) and Bromsgrove 2nd QTR 1869 (S5b). In 1871, 1881 and 1891 censuses with
parents. Listed in the 1911 census as
Alfred Lucas Turner single age 41 born in Redditch a school master living at
128 Bromham Road in Bedford, Bedfordshire (S4).
3.
Frank
Gilbert Turner (1871-after 1911) - see generation 3.
4.
Marian
F. Turner (c1876-after 1911). Born in
Redditch (S4).
5.
Elsie
Longmore Turner (c1884/85-after 1911).
Born in Redditch (S4).
Generation 3: Frank Gilbert Turner (1871-after 1916)
· Born in Redditch
(S4) and Bromsgrove 2nd QTR 1871(S5b).
·
Baptized: not found.
· 1871 Census: with
parents (S4). Listed as an unnamed son under one month born in Redditch.
· 1881 Census: with
parents (S4). Listed as Frank G. Turner age 10 a
scholar born in Redditch.
· 1891 Census: with
parents (S4). Listed as F. G. Turner age 20 a needle
manufacturers clerk born in Redditch.
· 1901 Census: with
parents (S4). Listed as Frank G. Turner age 30 a
single needle and fish hook manufacturer employer born in Redditch.
· 1906: Sailed from
Liverpool on August 25, 1906 arriving in New York on
September 1, 1906 on the ship named S.S. Umbria (S=ancestry.com). The ship manifest lists him as Frank G.
Turner age 35 a single manufacturer a resident of
Redditch whose final destination was Toronto, Canada and was on a business trip
to the U.S. and Canada. Also indicated
he first visited the US in 1905.
· 1908: Sailed from
Liverpool on July 23, 1908 and arrived in New York on
August 1, 1908 on the ship named S.S. Baltic (S=ancestry.com). The ship manifest lists him as Frank Gilbert
Turner age 37 a single manufacturer a resident of
Redditch whose nearest relative was his father R. B. Turner Old Factory House
Redditch, final destination New York.
· 1909: Frank Gilbert Turner was listed as a
director of Richard Turner & Sons, Ltd in 1909 (S=Raymond McLaren who
obtained this information from microfilm at the Companies House in South Wales).
· 1910: Sailed from Liverpool
on June 25, 1910 arriving in New York on July 4, 1910
on the ship named S.S. Baltic (S=ancestry.com).
The ship manifest lists him as Frank G. Turner age
39 a single manufacturer a resident of Redditch whose nearest relative was his
father R. B. Turner Old Factory House Redditch, final destination New York.
· 1911 Census: not found
· June 6, 1916 Redditch (S8d).
Listed on father’s official death certificate as the informant F. G.
Turner son present at death Old Factory House Bates Hill.
Needle
Related Patents and/or Design Registration made by Turner
· 1870 Mechanical
Patent: # 1870-2852 dated October 29, 1870 for needle
cases and holders registered by Richard Bourne Turner
and Joseph Welch (S=Patent books at the British Library - Business and Intellectual
Property Centre, London).
· 1871 Useful Design
Registration: #5261 for a needle case dated July 19, 1871 (S=The National
Archives, Kew).
· 1875 Provisional
Patent: 1875-3507 dated October 9, 1875 for sewing machine needles (S=Patent books online).
Avery
style needle case with the Turner name: Quad - Needle
Casket - Fleur di Lis.
Endnotes
[1] Letterhead dated December 29,1903 available from
Raymond McLaren and the Forge Mill Needle Museum archives in Redditch.
[2] According to Richard Turner’s
obituary dated June 10, 1916 his father was the Joseph
Turner who revived the practice of hardening needles in oil in 1840.
[3] Pigot and Co’s National Commercial Directory, Worcestershire Section, 1835, page 651. Available at http://books.google.com.
[4] Accounts and Papers: Nineteen Volumes -14- Trade: Corn: Post Office;
Postage, Session 25 January - 22, June 1841, Vol. XXVI, 1841. Part III Needles and Fish-Hooks, pages 1 and 2.
[6]Pigot
and Co’s Royal National and Commercial Directory and Topography of the Counties
or Warwickshire…Worcestershire, 1842. Worcestershire Section Redditch page 28 and 29
and Warwickshire Section Stratford page 160. Available at http://books.google.com.
[7] Kelly’s Post Office Directory of Birmingham with Staffordshire and
Worcestershire, 1850, page 463. Available at http://books.google.com.
[8] M. Billing’s Directory and Gazetteer of the County of Worcester, 1855,
page 379. Available at http://books.google.com.
[9] Corporation General and Trades Directory of Birmingham . . .Redditch. .
. and Wolverhampton, 1861 by William Cornish. Page 868.
[10] Jones’s Mercantile Directory of the Iron District South Staffordshire
and East Worcestershire, 1865, page 416. Available at http://books.google.com.
The firm is also listed as R. Turner & Co, Old Factory, Redditch in Acupressure: An Excellent Method of
Arresting Surgical Hemorrhage and of Accelerating the Healing of Wounds by
William Pirrie, 1867, page 190. Available at
http://books.google.com.
[13] Patent/design #2853 from a listing
in The London Gazette dated November 11, 1870, page 4837. Available at http://books.google.com.
[14] Useful Registered Design Number #5261
available at The National Archives in Kew or at their website.
[15] Kelly’s Post Office Directory of Worcestershire, 1876, pages 1037 ad 1039. Available
at http://books.google.com.
[16] Kelly’s Post Office Directory of Birmingham with its Suburbs, 1878,
page 520. Available at http://books.google.com.
[17] Official Catalogue of the International Exhibition of 1876, Great
Britain Section, page 151. Available
at http://books.google.com.
[18] Paris Universal Exhibition
of 1878 Catalogue of the British Section Part I, page 154. Available at
http://books.google.com.
[19] Melbourne International
Exhibition 1880-1881 - Official Record Containing Introduction History of
Exhibition Description and Exhibition and Exhibits Official Awards of
Commissioners and Catalogue of Exhibits, 1882, pages 320, 328 and 614. Available at http://books.google.com.
[20] Paris Universal Exhibition
1889 - Official Catalogue of the British Section, 1889, page 54. Available at
http://books.google.com.
[21] Royal Commission for the Chicago Exhibition, 1893 Official Catalogue of
the British Section, page 238. And World’s Columbian Exposition 1893 Official
Catalogue Part VII, Great Britain Section page 121. Available at http://books.google.com.
[24] Per Raymond McLaren.
[25] Kelly’s Worcestershire Directory, 1912, pages 227 and 231. Available at http://books.google.com.
[26] In April 2019 a comparison of
current maps of the Redditch area and maps from the Victorian Period was done
and Turner’s Old Factory was located on the south side of Bates Road
approximately where it is crossed by the Redditch Ringway road
today. Raymond McLaren’s research also
indicates the factory was originally located here.
[27] From his obituary dated June 10,
1916.
