Christopher Hatton Turnor

Christopher Hatton Turnor (23 November 1873 Toronto – 19 August 1940) was an English author,^[1] architect, and social reformer.

He is known for having designed the Watts Gallery,^[2][3] Surrey and the Stoneham War Shrine, Hampshire.^[4][5]

Louth by-election, 1920 Electorate ^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas Wintringham	9,859	57.3	+11.8
C	Unionist	Christopher Hatton Turnor	7,354	42.7	−11.8
Majority			2,505	14.6
Turnout			17,213	63.1	+2.8
	Liberal gain from Unionist		Swing	+11.8
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Turnor was the son of Christopher Hatton Turnor (1840 - 1914) and Alicia Killaly (watercolorist). His father was the second son of Christopher Turnor (MP) and Lady Caroline Finch-Hatton, daughter of 10th Earl of Winchilsea, and herself was a descendants of Sir Christopher Hatton. His mother was the daughter of a Canadian engineer.

Turnor was educated at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester and at Christ Church, Oxford. He initially trained as an architect under Edwin Lutyens and Robert Weir Schultz. In addition to his architectural work, Turnor became a campaigner for agricultural reform. He co-founded the Central Landowners' Association.^[7]

He was mayor of Grantham from 1928-30, where he developed the Turnor Crescent housing scheme, in the east of the town off Hill Avenue, in May 1929.^[8][9] Bernard Samuel Gilbert (12 May 1882 - 5 May 1927) a writer lived at the Hall for last four years of life. He wrote 'Bly Market'.^[10]

Turnor married Sarah Marie Talbot Carpenter, daughter of Hon. Walter Talbot Carpenter (son of 18th Earl of Shrewsbury) and Sarah Carpenter, widow of 1st Earl of Tyrconnell. The newly wed settled at Stoke Rochford Hall, they were welcomed by his uncle Edmund Turnor.^[11] Turnor eventually inherited the Stoke Rochford property, he died in 1940 and was succeeded to the property by his first cousin Major Herbert Turnor.

He died in Torquay.^[12] The funeral was on Friday 23 August 1940 at Stoke Rochford.^[13]

Succession

Herbert Turnor lived at Little Ponton Hall. He also owned 1,914 acres around Kirmond le Mire. The Turnor family had owned much of this village, for many generations. Herbert's wife (24 April 1894 - 9 September 1969), married on 1 September 1922.^[14]

Herbert (22 August 1885 - 21 February 1979), died aged 93.^[15][16] Herbert's daughter (9 September 1924 - 21 September 2015) married on Saturday 26 July 1947. She developed a National Garden Scheme at Little Ponton Hall, now run by her grandson. Herbert had another daughter Pamela (born 22 May 1926), who is still alive.^[17]

Published works

• Land Problems and National Welfare (1911)
• Land settlement after the war (1915)
• Food Supply (1916)
• The Land and the Empire (1917)
• Land settlement for ex-service men in the overseas dominions (1920)
• The Land and its Problems (1921)
• Land settlement in Germany (1935)
• Yeoman calling (1939)