TURNER, SAMUEL (1869-1929) was born at Manchester and educated at the Technical School there. After a varied career he came to New Zealand in 1911, and established himself as an importer and exporter. His travels as a merchant and mountaineer took him to many countries, including Siberia, where he was awarded the gold medal for exploration, and South America, where in 1909 he climbed to a height of 20,500 feet on Mount Aconcagua. In New Zealand he devoted much of his time to climbing. His rather eccentric manner lost him collaboration, but he achieved many successes, including the first traverse of Mount Cook (1906) and the first solo ascent (1919), and the difficult ascent of Mount Tasman. His most noteworthy work was perhaps the first conquest of Mount Tutoko, which he achieved (in company with guide Peter Graham) at his sixth attempt, after much pioneering work had been done with guides Milne and Murrell. Turner's books, including The Conquest of the New Zealand Alps (1922), My Climbing Adventures in Four Continents (1911), and Siberia: A Record of Travel, Climbing and Exploration (1905) give interesting accounts of his climbing.

He died 8 Aug 1929.

J.D.P.

Reference: Volume 2, page 206

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