William Turner (minister at Wakefield)
Encyclopedia
William Turner was an English dissenting divine.
, Northwich
, Wirksworth
, and Knutsford
, distinguished himself on the Hanoverian side in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715. His mother was Hannah (d. 20 February 1747), daughter of William Chorley of Preston; her first husband's name was Holder.
Turner was educated at Findern Academy (1732–6) under Ebenezer Latham, and at Glasgow University (1736–7). He was dissenting minister at Allostock
, Cheshire
(1737–46), but was not ordained till 7 August 1739. Ill-health caused him to retire from the ministry for eight years, during which he kept a school; in 1754 he became minister at Congleton
, Cheshire
; in April 1761 he moved to Wakefield
, where he continued to minister till July 1792.
His Wakefield ministry brought him into close connection with Thomas Amory
, the creator of ‘John Buncle;’ with Joseph Priestley
, then at Leeds, whose opinions he espoused; and with Theophilus Lindsey
, then vicar of Catterick
, of whose policy of inviting a Unitarian secession from the Church of England
he disapproved.
His manuscript criticisms suggested to Priestley the project of his Theological Repository
, to which Turner contributed (1768–71) as Vigilius (Wakefield). His notes in Priestley's ‘Harmony of the Evangelists,’ 1780, are signed ‘T.’
He died on 28 August 1794. He married (1758) Mary (d. 31 Oct. 1784), eldest daughter of John Holland of Mobberley, Cheshire, by whom he had two sons, the elder being William Turner
. He published sermons.
Life
The son of John Turner (1689–1737), he was born at Preston, Lancashire, on 5 December 1714. His father, a restless man, who was minister for short periods at Preston, RivingtonRivington
Rivington is a small village and civil parish of the Borough of Chorley, Lancashire, England, occupying . It is about southeast of Chorley and about northwest of Bolton. Rivington is situated on the fringe of the West Pennine Moors, at the foot of Rivington Pike...
, Northwich
Northwich
Northwich is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies in the heart of the Cheshire Plain, at the confluence of the rivers Weaver and Dane...
, Wirksworth
Wirksworth
Wirksworth is a small market town in Derbyshire, England, with a population of over 9,000.The population of the Wirksworth area including Cromford, Bolehill and Middleton-by-Wirksworth is about 12,000. Wirksworth is listed in the Domesday Book in 1086. Within it is the source of the River...
, and Knutsford
Knutsford
Knutsford is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, in North West England...
, distinguished himself on the Hanoverian side in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715. His mother was Hannah (d. 20 February 1747), daughter of William Chorley of Preston; her first husband's name was Holder.
Turner was educated at Findern Academy (1732–6) under Ebenezer Latham, and at Glasgow University (1736–7). He was dissenting minister at Allostock
Allostock
thumb|right|200px|Map of Allostock civil parish within the former borough of Vale RoyalAllostock is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, about five miles south of Knutsford. It has a population of 783...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
(1737–46), but was not ordained till 7 August 1739. Ill-health caused him to retire from the ministry for eight years, during which he kept a school; in 1754 he became minister at Congleton
Congleton
Congleton is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, on the banks of the River Dane, to the west of the Macclesfield Canal and 21 miles south of Manchester. It has a population of 25,750.-History:The first settlements in...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
; in April 1761 he moved to Wakefield
Wakefield
Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
, where he continued to minister till July 1792.
His Wakefield ministry brought him into close connection with Thomas Amory
Thomas Amory
Thomas Amory was a writer of Irish descent.In 1755 he published Memoirs containing the lives of several ladies of Great Britain, a History of Antiquities and Observations on the Christian Religion, which was followed by the Life of John Buncle, Esq. , practically a continuation...
, the creator of ‘John Buncle;’ with Joseph Priestley
Joseph Priestley
Joseph Priestley, FRS was an 18th-century English theologian, Dissenting clergyman, natural philosopher, chemist, educator, and political theorist who published over 150 works...
, then at Leeds, whose opinions he espoused; and with Theophilus Lindsey
Theophilus Lindsey
Theophilus Lindsey was an English theologian and clergyman who founded the first avowedly Unitarian congregation in the country, at Essex Street Chapel.-Life:...
, then vicar of Catterick
Catterick
Catterick could be*Catterick, North Yorkshire, England, commonly known as Catterick Village**Catterick Bridge, a hamlet near Catterick Village**Catterick Garrison, a British Army garrison near Catterick Village...
, of whose policy of inviting a Unitarian secession from the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
he disapproved.
His manuscript criticisms suggested to Priestley the project of his Theological Repository
Theological Repository
The Theological Repository was a periodical founded and edited from 1769 to 1771 by the eighteenth-century British polymath Joseph Priestley...
, to which Turner contributed (1768–71) as Vigilius (Wakefield). His notes in Priestley's ‘Harmony of the Evangelists,’ 1780, are signed ‘T.’
He died on 28 August 1794. He married (1758) Mary (d. 31 Oct. 1784), eldest daughter of John Holland of Mobberley, Cheshire, by whom he had two sons, the elder being William Turner
William Turner (Unitarian minister)
William Turner was a Unitarian minister and educator who advanced the anti-slavery movement in Northern England, contributed to the development of intellectual institutions in Newcastle upon Tyne, and published sermons on a variety of topics.-Life:...
. He published sermons.