Charles Tennyson Turner

Charles Tennyson Turner (born Charles Tennyson; 4 July 1808 – 25 April 1879) was an English poet. Born in Somersby, Lincolnshire, he was an elder brother of Alfred Tennyson; his friendship and the "heart union" with his brother is revealed in Poems by Two Brothers (1829). Another poet brother was Frederick Tennyson.

Charles Tennyson Turner
BornCharles Tennyson
(1808-07-04)4 July 1808
Somersby, Lincolnshire, England
Died25 April 1879(1879-04-25) (aged 70)
Cheltenham, England
OccupationPoet
Spouse
Louisa Sellwood
(m. 1836)
RelativesAlfred Tennyson (brother)
Emily Tennyson (sister-in-law)

In 1833, Charles was ordained a priest in the Church of England. On 1 October 1835, he changed his surname to Turner after inheriting the estate of his great-uncle, the Reverend Samuel Turner of Caistor in Lincolnshire. On 24 May 1836, he married Louisa Sellwood, the younger sister of Alfred's future wife; she later suffered from mental illness and became an opium addict. Charles died on 25 April 1879, at the age of 70, at 6 Imperial Square in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.[1]

Turner was key in the construction of Grasby, a small village on the outskirts of Caistor. He helped construct part of the school (Grasby School) and was the vicar of Grasby Church for a while.

Published works

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  • Sonnets (1864)
  • Small Tableaux (1868)
  • Sonnets, Lyrics and Translations (1873)
  • Collected Poems (1880, 8 months after death), assembled by Alfred and Hallam Tennyson, and James Spedding

References

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  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainWood, James, ed. (1907). "Turner, Charles Tennyson". The Nuttall Encyclopædia. London and New York: Frederick Warne.

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