A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Turner, John (b)

1983497A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Turner, John (b)William Richard O'Byrne

TURNER. (Retired Commander, 1848. f-p., 19; h-p., 37.)

John Turner (b) entered the Navy, in April, 1791, as Ordinary, on board the Hector 74, Capt. Geo. Montagu, lying at Spithead. In the following Aug. he was discharged. He was next, from Aug. 1795 until wrecked near Belleisle 4 Nov. 1800, employed in the Channel and Mediterranean, a great part of the time as Midshipman, in the Marlborough 74,[1] Capts. Henry NiohoUs, Joseph Ellison, and Thos. Sotheby; and after having further served, chiefly on the Home station, in the Royal William, Capt. Thos. Pakenham, and Cambrian 40, Capts. Hon. Arthur Kaye Legge and Geo. Henry Towry, he was promoted, 13 Feb. 1802, to the rank of Lieutenant. His subsequent appointments were – 30 May, 1803, to the command of a hired armed brig, employed in the Bristol Channel and in conveying impressed men to Plymouth – 21 and 29 Aug. 1805, to the London and Barfleur 98’s, Capts. Sir Robt. Barlow and Sir Joseph Sydney Yorke, the latter stationed in the Channel – 25 April, 1807 (ill health had caused him to leave the Barfleur in the preceding Nov.), to the command, which he retained until Dec. 1813, of the Ann armed tender, engaged as had been the vessel he before commanded – 12 April, 1815, for nearly four months, to the Impress Service at Swansea – and 21 March, 1816, to the Topaze frigate, Capt. Thos. Geo. Shortland, lying at Plymouth, where he remained until July, 1817. He was placed on the Junior list of Retired Commanders 23 March, 1833; and on the Senior 8 Jan. 1848.


  1. One of the most refractory of the ships inculpated in the Spithead mutiny.