TURNER, NATHANIEL (1793-1864) was born at Wybunbury, Cheshire, the son of a small farmer. He became an orphan at the age of nine, and went to live with an uncle who was a staunch Wesleyan. At the age of 16 he was converted by a sermon preached by Joseph Lowe, and in 1820 he was nominated for the Wesleyan mission service. He did much mission work at Audlem, Black Brook and elsewhere, and on 23 Jan 1822 was ordained in London (Jabez Bunting taking part in the service). On 15 Jan he married Anne Sargent (of Stafford), and on 15 Feb they sailed in the brig Deveron, with William White.

On arrival in Van Diemen's Land, Turner spent some months preaching to convict gangs. When Hobbs arrived early in 1823 the Turners accompanied him to Sydney, and in Aug they left for New Zealand with Marsden in the Brampton. Leaving their families at Rangihoua, Turner and Hobbs walked overland to the station at Kaeo (Whangaroa) where they found Samuel Leigh (q.v.) so ill that Marsden advised his return to New South Wales. Marsden having negotiated with the natives for the purchase of the land on which the station was established, Turner became colleague to William White, who was in charge of the mission. Hobbs and J. Stack were also on the staff. Turner had first to learn the language and combat the hostility of the natives. On 13 Jun 1824 were opened the first two Wesleyan churches in New Zealand.

White now visited England and Turner was left in charge. Being assaulted by the natives on several occasions, he sent his wife to Paihia for refuge. On 15 Jan 1827 Hongi's people attacked the mission and burned the buildings. Protected by Patuone, Turner and his colleagues withdrew with their families to Bay of Islands and he sailed in the whaler Sisters for Port Jackson to consult Marsden and the committee. The mission was reopened by Stack in Aug, and Hobbs returned in Nov. Turner undertook work at Parramatta and later was requested to proceed to Tonga in the hope of saving the mission there. Making his station at Nukualofa (Dec 1827), he managed by his wisdom and experience to revive the languishing cause, and had considerable success in making converts. In Oct 1828 he held his first Methodist class meeting in Tonga, and in Jun following the king attended. By 1829 he had opened five schools. In Jan 1830 Aleamotua, the newly elected Tui Kanokubolu was baptised; and in Aug 1831 Taufa'ahau (as George Tubou) and his wife (Salote). The whole of Vavau and Haapai were nominally Christian in 1835. After a successful ministry there, Turner returned to New South Wales. He was sent by the Parramatta conference to Hobart where he worked for four years amongst convicts, settlers and soldiers and extended the activities of his church by several visits to Launceston.

The conference of 1834, noting the languishing condition of the mission in New Zealand, decided, with the concurrence of the London committee, to send Turner there as chairman. Reluctant on account of his family to move from the educational facilities of Australia to a country which possessed none, he was fortunate enough to meet a young Cornish local preacher (James Buller, q.v.), who had recently arrived from England and was willing to accept engagement for two years as tutor to his children. They accordingly sailed for New Zealand in the Patriot (Apr 1836). Turner took charge of the station at Mangungu, where the mission had been re-opened under the protection of Patuone and Waka Nene after the sack of Kaeo (1827). In a few months he was again able to preach in the Maori tongue, and by 1837 the Wesleyan mission claimed a roll of over 600 natives admitted to membership or probation. In Feb of that year Turner met Marsden on his visit to Hokianga and entertained him for some days before he left on a litter for Waimate. On 18 Aug 1838 the mission was accidentally burned down, Turner losing a large accumulation of journals and manuscripts of great historical value. He co-operated cordially with Busby in asserting his authority (notably in connection with the trial of a Maori murderer in Apr 1838, and in the difficulties arising from the scheme of De Thierry and the establishment of the Roman Catholic mission in New Zealand). In Mar 1839 Bumby, Ironside and Creed arrived to reinforce the mission, and in Aug Turner left for New South Wales in the Francis Spaight. He was sent by conference to Hobart, and at the end of 1840 to Launceston. He served at New Norfolk, Tasmania (1844-46) and then returned to Parramatta. During the early period of the diggings in Australia Turner visited the Victorian goldfields. At the conference of 1853 he retired, and after visiting New Zealand, Tonga and Fiji took up his residence in Brisbane (1855), where he died on 5 Dec 1864. Turner's knowledge of the Maori language, idiom and lore was outstanding, in view of the short period that he lived amongst the Maori people. He took much interest in public affairs and in his retirement wrote a good deal in the Australian press. His life, The Pioneer Missionary, was written by his son, the Rev Josiah Turner (1872). Mrs Turner died on 10 Oct 1893.

Turner, op. cit. (p); Buller; Morley; W. J. Williams; N.Z. Herald, 3 Nov 1893.

Reference: Volume 2, page 206

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