In tribute to Aunty Nia
I grew up believing Miss M H Turner, known to us as Aunty Nia, was J M W Turner’s granddaughter, until I worked out that that was highly unlikely. She adopted a daughter, (who may have been her neice, and who became my Mother's best friend when they were still at school, and as there seemed to be no other family, the two families became close and went on holiday together etc.
Because she gave in trust to each of my parents first five children, £500 at birth, which enabled me to fulfil my dream of returning to England, and we subsequently received a number of items from the museum she and her Mother had established in Hastings, I wanted to sort the matter out, as some sort of memorial to her. (The other children, there were another four, didn’t suffer, as we each gave the then difference in exchange rate to those who came after us.) I decided she had probably made a bequest to the Hastings Museum, as she did to the National Gallery, the RA and the Tate, (Internet search will give some details) and my research there revealed some letters from her, in one of which she states she is Turner's cousin. (I also found letters written on her behalf by my Grandfather.)
She died in 1952 (I have that from the Turner Bequest file held at Hastings Museum). I think the photo above was taken in the area of Stepaside, 50 St Helen's Park Road, where my grandparents then lived, it looks like it.
She and her Mother had a 'Museum' as she called it, at 46 Eversleigh Road, and in later years Auntie Jo sent us items that I have seen listed in the catalogue (unfortunately all lost in a bushfire) but nothing related to Turner, though some of them may have been collected by him.
I have recently discovered this:
These are my older sister's memories:
"I only knew she was distantly related to Turner, the artist, but didn't know what the relationship was. I thought her father was a nephew or cousin of Turner. I can remember visiting her in Eversfield Place, more than once I think. My memory tells me I was there on my own and I can remember waiting at the front door to be let in, so I guess Mother had made arrangements for me to visit while she did something else 'cause it would have been a bit far for me to have made my own way there. I can remember playing "Snap" and probably other card games and having afternoon tea. "
My only real memory is going up some stairs to visit her, she was in bed (she had rheumatoid arthritis in her later years and was often in great pain) and she called me ‘Ducky’ to which I took exception. Which is why the visit stuck in my mind. I also have a vague memory associated with her of two snuffling dogs, pugs or Pekinese.
And in Historic Hastings, by David Thornton (the Mayor, 1985 -7) writes
"The Mayor's Parlour is of great interest due to the furniture it contains. These were the possessions of the great English painter,Turner, who painted Hastings and other ports. They consist of two Georgian wine coolers and a sideboard with chairs. It has been suggested by a relative of Turner's (i.e. Miss M H (Nia) Turner, it is mentioned in the bequest file) that he may have designed them himself. If so, he had a sense of humour for if a guest of the Mayor puts his glass on the polished top which slopes slightly it invariably slides off and breaks, causing embarrassment to the guest and cost to the Mayor."