The David Thomas Turner Collection (1945-2023)

View Lots  Request a Valuation  Contact a Specialist

David Thomas Turner was was born in East Yorkshire and attended Pocklington School where his favourite subjects included Latin, History and Geography. As a young man his interests developed in gardening, bird watching, history, geology and the natural world.

He pursued a career in horticulture, studying at Askham Bryan College near York and then moving to Essex to attend Writtle Institute of Agriculture to study commercial horticulture. He became an employee of the agrochemical firm May and Baker and made Chelmsford his home. It was in 1973 that a visit to Speeton on the East Yorkshire coast sparked his passion for collecting fossils, a hobby which remained with him throughout his life.

His interest in geology and fossils developed further as he became Field Visits Secretary for the Essex Rock and Mineral Society and a member of the Essex Field Club. David travelled extensively throughout the United Kingdom, both organising trips and attending visits to geological sites, archaeological digs and places of interest. He also travelled the world in pursuit of his various interests in history and the natural world, visiting places such as the Galapagos Islands, Puerto Rico, California, New Zealand, Hawaii, Iceland, The Azores, Egypt, Greece, Turkey and many more. His extensive collection of geological specimens, fossils and artifacts, which is predominantly composed of U.K. examples, comprises his own finds, augmented by purchases from dealers, collectors and trade fairs across the U.K. 

^{Approximately 40 lots from the collection will be included in our Fine Art sale on 30th of April and 1st of May with the remainder of the extensive collection featuring in our Collector’s Sale, 11th-13th June.}