Elisabeth Pearl Duke Turner (pictured), born 17 July, 1911,  Croydon.
   Miss Duke Turner (nicknamed 'The Duchess' by the children) was appointed Lady
    Superintendent of St George's House in 1949, following the resignation through illness,
    of Miss E. M. Knocker. She held this position for a period of 7 years during which
    time she supervised the closure of St George's original premises in Otley Road,
    Harrogate and the relocation of the orphanage to smaller premises (Albany Lodge)
    in Hereford Road, Harrogate.
    Because of changing times, the need for institutions like St George's House reduced,
    this resulted in the decision being made to close the orphanage in 1956.

     Miss Duke Turner retired to Hassoks, West Sussex, where she devoted a lot of her
    time helping the elderly and the housebound with 'meals on wheels' and the provision

    of library books.

     She was responsible for a wide area, servicing 6 villages, an activity that she provided

    in all types of weather, accompanied by her aging Dachsund dog, Barnaby.
    Other voluntary work she did involved copying books in Braille for use by the blind.
 

                                                   
                                   Miss Elisabeth Duke Turner                          Miss Duke Turner with one of the St George's
                                                                                         girls (unidentified) and her dog Nobbie.

 

                                  
                                   Back row: from left Jacqueline Geraghty, Barbara Fawcett, Miss Ellis, Beryl Coates,
                            Miss Elisabeth Duke Turner, Patricia Cunningham, Arthur Roberts, Cook: name unknown and Ann C.Wheatley.
                            Front row: Valerie Kirkman, Michael Wells, Colin S.Wheatley, 'Nobbie' the Dachsund and Vera Robinson.
                            Photo c 1953, taken at Hereford Road, Harrogate.

                  Some recollections of Miss Elisabeth Duke Turner. Written by The Rev.David Uffindell 592

Thinking about Miss Duke Turner, I have the greatest respect for her. I am sure she made mistakes in the running of St. G’s just like those who superseded her but looking back with hind sight, I felt she always had the welfare of the youngsters at heart. 

When I first arrived at St.G’s I was under strict medication and was prevented from doing many things in the gym with Mr.Kendrew for fear I should hurt myself, as I was still not very strong.  This is why I was not allowed to play football and cricket. 
When the Bradford City Police bought the boys a full size snooker table,  Mr. Trendle, with the permission of Miss Duke Turner, taught me how to play Billiards and Snooker, which I became very good at, winning one or two competitions set up by him.  This proved to be very advantageous to me when I started my Apprenticeship as it was something I could do in common with the other apprentices. 

Miss Duke Turner encouraged me in this by allowing the table covers to be removed during Saturday afternoon games of Cricket & Football.  Normally everyone who was not playing  had to go out and support the teams.  Also I think it was Miss Duke Turner who introduced Badminton and asked Mr Trendle to teach me how to operate the film  projector  when everyone gathered into the Gym to watch films. 

Later, when I was about eleven years old I became very convinced about religion and decided I wanted to become a priest, she told me she did not think I would pass sufficient exams to enable me to eventually attend Theological College. Nevertheless Miss Duke Turner started to encourage me in all sorts of ways in my spiritual development.  I think it was me who asked, with the support of one or two boys and girls, if  someone could run sessions where we could ask questions on any subject, religious or otherwise, and this resulted in a once monthly meeting with Mr. Hudson Pope, who endeavoured to answer all sorts of questions and also told us about his experiences as a missionary in China. I believe he was connected  with China Inland Mission and the Children’s Special Service Mission.  It was through him I became very convinced about the presence of God being with us at all times, and ultimately, after I had left St. G’s, trained in Hereford Diocese to be a Sunday School Teacher, then a Reader, which allowed me to conduct Services etc., and later still, trained whilst in Lichfield Diocese, to be ordained.  In fact I was one of the first people to be trained in that Diocese to be an APM (Auxiliary Pastoral Minister) now known as NSM (Non Stipendiary Minister) MSE (Minister in Secular Employment)  All of this was due to the encouragement I had at St. George’s by ‘the Duke’, Mr. Trendle and Mr. Hudson Pope!

RESEARCH:  ELISABETH PEARL DUKE TURNER. 

Elisabeth Pearl Duke Turner was born September Quarter 1911 Croydon. Ref: Vol. 2a  Page 501. Her actual birth date was 17^th July 1911.Elisabeth Pearl Duke Turner died, aged 74, May 1986, in Lewes, East Sussex.Ref: Vol. 18 Page 1232.
She was one of, at least, two children, born to Sidney Duke Turner and his wife, Lilian Maud nee Wainwright. Her brother, Richard Wainwright Duke Turner, was born 30^th May 1909 in Croydon Ref: Vol. 2a Page 269. He was a Surgeon and died , aged 83, September 1992, in Lewes, East Sussex.
Her mother , Lilian Maud was one of eight children born to Sir James Gadesden  Wainwright and his wife, Emma nee Ranking.
Sir James Gadesden Wainwright was born 1837 in Everton, Liverpool. His wife, Emma, was born 1844 in Wandsworth. 

The 1881 Census  taken at Wandsworth Common shows:

James G Wainwright aged 43 Commissioner Inland Revenue
Emma aged 37
Rosa Beatrice  aged 14 Scholar b 1867
Ella Violet  aged 11 Scholar   b 1870
Mabel  Ellen  aged 9 Scholar  b 1872
Lilian Maud  aged 8 Scholar   b 1873
Muriel Daisy Christine  aged 6 Scholar    b 1875
George Bertram aged 1 month b March 1881 
The eldest son, Ernest Harold, aged 14, was a boarder/scholar at Haileybury College, Great  Amwell, Herts., and went on to become a Solicitor.
Another son, William Longworth, aged 13, was a boarder/scholar at Prospect Park House, Tilehurst, Berks., and went on to become a Surgeon.
All the children were born in Wandsworth.

The 1891 Census taken at St. Thomas’ Hospital, London shows :

James Gadesden Wainwright  aged 53 JP for Surrey and Treasurer of St. Thomas’ Hospital.
Emma aged 47
Ernest Harold  aged 25 Solicitor
Rosa Beatrice aged 24
William Longworth aged 23   Medical Student
Ella Violet  aged 21
Mabel Ellen  aged 19
Muriel Daisy Christine  aged 16
Son, George Bertram, aged 11, was a Boarder/Scholar at Woking College, Surrey.
E P D Turner’s mother , Lilian Maud, aged 18, was a Boarder/Scholar  at a private school , 12 Melbury Road, Kensington.  

The 1901 Census taken at St. Thomas’ Hospital, London shows :

James Gadesden Wainwright  aged 63  JP for Surrey and Treasurer of St. Thomas’ Hospital.
Mabel Ellen  aged 29
George Bertram  aged 21 Student at Cambridge University
William Longworth aged 32.  Married. Surgeon Med Pract. Own acccount.
Lillian Mary Wainwright aged 30 Wife of William. b Swardstone Norfolk  1870
Elisabeth P D Turner’s mother, Lillian Maud Wainwright, aged 28, was a boarding student at a School of Cookery , 16 Brunswick Square, Gloucester. Her mother, Emma Wainwright may have died between 1891 and 1901. Unable to trace her death.
Rosa Beatrice Wainwright married, March Qtr 1900, St George Hanover Square London,  Herbert Mahon, b 1872 Leigh on Mendip, Somerset, Professor of Music and they had a child, Herbert G Basil Mahon, b October 1900 in Saffron Walden, Essex.
Ella Violet Wainwright married, December Qtr 1900 Lambeth, Claude Podmore, b 1869 Elstree, C of E Clergyman. They were childless in April 1901 and living at the Rectory, Church Street, Broughton, Northants.

Lilian Maud Wainwright married Sidney Duke Turner June Quarter 1901 Lambeth Ref:  Vol. 1d Page 718. 

The 1881 Census taken at 22 High Street, Lewes, East Sussex  shows:

Richard Turner 48  Gen. Practioner of Medicine  b 1833 Lewes
Elizabeth B Turner  39  b 1842 Hastings
Constance H Turner  18  b 1863 Lewes
Mabel D   8 Scholar  b 1873 Lewes
Sidney D  6 Scholar  b 1875 Lewes
Bertha D  5 Scholar  b 1876 Lewes
Douglas D  4 Scholar b 1877 Lewes 

It would seem that Richard Turner had been married previously and had a daughter , Constance H.. His first wife must have died and he married Elizabeth Blackman Duke, March Quarter 1872, Hastings. Ref Vol. 2b Page 23. 

It would also appear that their four children were all baptized with her maiden name of Duke as one of their forenames and the surname, Duke Turner, was not a hyphenated surname. 

At the time of the 1891 Census, Sidney Duke Turner, aged 16, was a boarder/scholar at the District Royal Medical Benevolent College in Epsom Surrey. This was a public school for the sons of the Medical Profession. 

At the time of the 1901 Census, Sidney Duke Turner , aged 26, was a Surgeon , on his own account, at home. However, on the night of the Census he was a visitor in the household of  Mrs. Annie B St. Leger,  at Westbury Road, Croydon, Surrey.

 

Research by: Elsie Gale, formerly Pickering, nee Bradley.  Friday, 12^th. October 2007.

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                             
                                                                                                  Deus vult