Whiteley Turner (1866 – 20 February 1921) was an English mill worker, shopkeeper and author.

Turner was born in Sowerby, Yorkshire, the third son of Robert, a wool sorter, and Elizabeth Turner. ^[1] At the age of eight, he was sent to work at Peel House Mills. ^[2] Four years later, he moved to Solomon Priestley's woolen mill. There, he lost his right arm in an industrial accident, when his sleeve was caught in a carding machine and the limb was wrenched off at the shoulder. ^[2] As a result, he lost his job. ^[3]

He was subsequently able to attend Luddenden National School as a free scholar, ^[2] and then began selling newspapers and tea, which he delivered to his customers on foot. ^{[2] [3]} He kept a shop at Mount Tabor. ^[4]

In 1895, he began to write articles describing his local walks for the Halifax Courier. ^[2] From 1904 to 1907, the newspaper serialised his A Spring-Time Saunter, about a four-day ramble from his home at Mount Tabor, over the Pennine Moors, to Haworth, ^[2] taking in such features as Fly Flat Reservoir, Castle Carr and Brontë Waterfalls. ^[3] By popular demand, ^[2] this was published in revised form as a book, A Spring-Time Saunter: Round and About Bronte Land, illustrated by Arthur Comfort, in 1913. ^[2] The book includes first-hand recollections from people who knew the Brontë family. ^{[2] [3]}

There were several editions. The first, a subscribers' edition, had 2,000 copies. ^[2] The second had 1,000, and the third, in 1915, 3,000. ^[2] However, the latter initially failed to sell, due to the outbreak of World War I. ^[2] Eventually, copies were circulated to wounded soldiers from Yorkshire, paid for by the Courier Comforts Fund, and the edition sold out. ^[2] A further, paperback, edition was published in 1986.

The book was described by The Courier in 2007 as "a local publishing legend". ^[2]

Turner is buried in Wesleyan chapel yard at Mount Tabor. ^[2]

Bibliography

• —— (1913). A Spring-Time Saunter: Round and About Bronte Land.
  • —— (1986). A Spring-Time Saunter: Round and About Bronte Land. M.T.D. Rigg Publications. ISBN  978-0950919188.

References