2010 Reunion

Turner Family members were invited to the Turner Family reunion celebrating the 180th Anniversary of the Turner Family's arrival in Western Australia from England. It was held in Perth and Augusta WA from Thursday 29th April to Sunday 2nd May 2010. The weekend activities were similar to that detailed below at the 2015 reunion. On the Saturday evening dinner at the Augusta Hotel, webmaster Tim Turner projected and displayed his website "live" onto the wall.

2015 Reunion

The 2015 family reunion took place, starting in Perth on Thursday 30th April, and from Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd May in Augusta.

In Perth, a large party of family members viewed the various paintings of Thomas Turner again, at the Art Gallery of Western Australia.

Post date: Jan 20, 2010 7:35:33 AM

Turner Family members were invited to the Turner Family reunion celebrating the 185th Anniversary of the Turner Family's arrival in Western Australia from England. It was held in Perth and Augusta WA from Thursday 29th April to Sunday 2nd May 2010. Planned events that took place:

Thursday 29th April:

Private viewing of more than a dozen of THOMAS TURNER'S paintings and drawings at the WA Art Gallery, Perth.

We were all astounded and overwhelmed by the quality and excellence of the paintings and drawings.

They were far superior than what is shown in black and white in the "Turners of Augusta" book, and in prints on show at the Augusta Historical Museum.

Arrangements have now taken place with the Art Gallery management for digital copies of these to be made available on CD. The Gallery employed the services of an approved, professional photographer. Digital copies of these paintings can now be obtained from the webmaster, - Tim Turner.

Friday 30th April: Welcome at the Augusta Hotel from 7pm. An informal walk around function with finger food and drinks.

Saturday 1st May: Tour of the settlement sites in Augusta in the AM, with free time in the afternoon touring local attractions (Hardy Inlet/Blackwood River cruise; Margaret River wineries; caves; Cape Leeuwin etc). Dinner was held in the evening with 45 members of the greater Turner Family attending, with guest speakers, at the Augusta Hotel.

Sunday (2nd May): Visit to the Augusta Historical Museum before all departed for home.

Discussions took place regarding future reunions. The Augusta reunion has taken place every 5 years since 1975. It could be possible to arrange a reunion for Turner Family members in the eastern states, with Taradale (Vic) mentioned as a possible venue.

For any information on the reunions, see organisers below:

§ Lynley Ward: 44A Connolly St, Wembley WA 6014. email: wardl@nw.com.au

§ Llewyn Green: 5 Galley Ramble, Dunsborough WA 6281. email: thegreenhouse@westnet.com.au

§ Claire Johnston: Mt Eliza Vic. email: caj4949@gmail.com

And webmaster: Tim Turner: St Kilda West Vic.: email: thomasturnertim@gmail.com

2021 191st Anniversary

TURNER REUNION

Was held for ONE DAY only - Thursday 29th April 2021 from 10am in Perth.

Was to be at Battye State Library, and Art Gallery of Western Australia

A Display of Turner and other related family memorabilia. However, due to recent Covid19

local outbreaks in Perth, those planned venues were closed.

A greatly simplified get-together then occurred at the home of organiser - Lynley Ward.

Augusta as the traditional venue, was postponed from 2020,

and then had to be cancelled due to Covid19 complications.

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Turner News:

VALE CHARLES BERTRAM WHITFIELD 1937-2020 I only spoke to Charlie once, he seemed to be so interested in his family history. I was then sent his memoirs and realized that he was indeed a living treasure to have written them down. He was the brother of Barbara King, the painter and Author of “Through the Seventh gate”. He is survived by Carmel and their children

IAN “Bill” DOWNIE 1926-2020 Ian was born in Goomalling Western Australia. He went to WWII and was in the RAAF. He married Ronace Mary Nora Green 1929-2005, she was born in Moora Western Australia. They had four children; Robyn, Sandra Yvonne and Jeanette. Sandy and Robyn are great supporters of the Turner Reunion. Bill was 94 when he died.

ANDREW HARLEY JOHNSTON 23.1.1947-30.10.20. Andrew passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on 30.10.20. He was at home in Mt Eliza. He was always so enthusiastic about his wife's (Claire) involvement with the Turner Family. He is survived our sons Adam Harley and Matthew Harley and two grandsons Maxwell Harley and Oscar Harley.

JOYCE CROCKER nee TURNER 1929-2019 Joyce was the daughter Walter DeCourcey Turner and Holly Richardson. She has three sisters and they all lived in Victoria. She was the great granddaughter of James Augustus Turner and Annie Amelia Armstrong. Joyce's grandfather was Walter DeCourcey Rockley Turner II. She is survived by her children.

HELEN JONES nee WHITFIELD 1930-2018 Helen was the wife of Geoff Jones and the daughter of Goldsmid Newton Arthur Whitfield and Vivienne May D’orville Hussey. Mother of Susan Canny and Kim Jones

LEITA EVA BELL nee TURNER 1923-2018 Leita was the Matriarch of the Turner clan and original Turner Reunion Captain. Author of several books her strong Turner roots and loyalty was apparent to all her met and knew her. A great lady, she will be missed at this next Reunion ** apologies if I have some of the dates/ years incorrect.

LESLEY NORMA GREEN nee GILBERT 1934 -3.3.2021 Lesley was married to John Rockley Green. She is survived by her children Pamela, Llewyn and Jillian. Lesley attended all the Turner Reunions with Llewyn and Beth

COLIN JAMES HUNT 1930– 2020 Colin was the husband of Audrey Hunt nee Turner of Geelong Victoria. Audrey comes from the James Augustus Turner family. Colin and Audrey and family attended the last Reunion in 2015. They were instrumental in getting two original Thomas Turner paintings handed over to the Perth State Art Gallery. He is survived by Audrey, and sons Walter David and Andrew.

Herbert Frank Charles Turner ("Bert") (b. 1894 d. 1969) - WW1 Diaries - Perth Book Launch

On 21st April 2021, there was a book launch in Perth on the diaries of Bert Turner a week before the scheduled Turner reunion. Leita Bell (nee Turner) was the person who started the Turner Reunions in Augusta every 5 years. She died in 2018 and left a box of Turner memorabilia which included 8 WWI diaries her father Herbert Turner had written. Leita requested that they be given to The Battye Library. However reunion co-organisers Llewyn Green, Lynley Ward and Claire Johnston were so amazed at the detail and condition of them, they decided to give them to historian Shannon Lovelady to transcribe prior to the handover. The historian managed to obtain funding and a book has been published. The photo below includes Llewyn, Claire, Lynley Ward and Helen Turner. It was a special night and Leita would have been very proud.