Charles Turner (13 June 1803 – 15 October 1875) was a British businessman andConservative politician.[1]
He was the son of Ralph Turner, a trader fromHull,Yorkshire. He entered business inLiverpool as anEast India Company merchant. He subsequently became chairman of theBritish Shipowners Company and of theRoyal Insurance Company, and a director of theGreat Northern Railway. From 1851 – 1861 he was chairman of theMersey Docks and Harbour Board.[1][2] He was appointed as ajustice of the peace for theCounty Palatine of Lancaster and Borough of Liverpool, and was adeputy lieutenant for the county.[1]
Politically, Turner was a Conservative, and inJuly 1852 was elected one ofLiverpool's twomembers of parliament, along withWilliam Forbes Mackenzie.[2] However, the two defeatedLiberal candidates issued an election petition contesting the results. In the ensuing court proceedings the two men'selection agents were found to have been guilty of bribery andtreating. On 21 June 1853 the election of Turner and Mackenzie was declared void.[3] Turner was again chosen as a Conservative candidate for Liverpool at the nextgeneral election in 1857, but was unsuccessful.[2][4]
Turner was to return to theCommons in 1861. In that year the representation of the existing constituency ofSouth Lancashire was increased from two to three members of parliament. Turner was nominated to contest the seat for the Conservatives. In his nomination speech, he set out his opposition to the separation of church and state and to elections bysecret ballot.[5] Theby-election was held on 17 August and Turner defeated his Liberal opponent by a majority of 834 votes.[6] He held the seat at the nextgeneral election in 1865.[7]
TheReform Act 1867 abolished the South Lancashire constituency. When thenext general election was held in 1868, Turner was elected as one of two members for the new seat ofSouth West Lancashire, holding it in1874.[8] He remained an MP until his death.[2]
In 1843 Turner married Anne Whitaker ofMelton,Yorkshire, and they had one son.[1] In 1875, he became unwell, and it was widely expected that he would retire from parliament. Before he could do so he died at his residence inDingle, Liverpool aged 72.[2]
Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forLiverpool 1852 – 1853 With:William Forbes Mackenzie | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forSouth Lancashire 1861 –1868 With:Algernon Egerton 1861 – 1868 William Legh 1861 – 1865 William Ewart Gladstone 1865 – 1868 | Constituency abolished |
| New constituency | Member of Parliament forLancashire South West 1868–1875 With:R. A. Cross | Succeeded by |