Henry Turner (Queensland politician)

Henry Turner (10 November 1844 – 9 August 1932) was a member of both the Queensland Legislative Council and the Queensland Legislative Assembly.^[1]

Turner was born in November 1844 at Aynho, Northamptonshire, England to Thomas Turner and his wife Leah (née Fathers).^[1][2] He was apprenticed in a plant nursery and then worked as a gardener.^[2] Upon arriving in Rockhampton in 1880, he worked at the local meatworks for many years where he began to take an active interest in the labour movement.^[3]

Upon the resignation of James Stewart to stand for a senate seat in the 1901 federal election,^[4] Turner, representing the Labour Party, contested the subsequent by-election in June of that year and defeated the Ministerial candidate, John Linnett.^[5] The election outcome was successfully challenged in the courts by Linnett and he was declared duly elected.^[6]

Turner once again won the seat at the 1902 state election^[7] and in the 1904 state election and remained the sitting member till his resignation in May 1907.^[2] Two months later, Premier William Kidston appointed Turner to the Legislative Council,^[8] remaining there until the Labour members of the Council voted to abolish the Council in March 1922.^[1]

Turner married Louisa Langford Stevens in Middlesex in 1866.^[9] The couple had 5 children.^[1] His wife Louisa died on 11 February 1882 and was buried in the North Rockhampton Cemetery.^[10][11] He subsequently married Ida Martha Ridgewell (b. 29 March 1879; d. 1965) and they had two children, Gwendoline Ida (1911–1975) and Geoffrey Ridgewell (1918–1998).

Henry died in Brisbane in 1932 and was buried in Toowong Cemetery.^[12]