Dawson Turner (rugby union)

For the English banker and botanist (and grandfather of the below), see Dawson Turner.

Dawson Turner (15 December 1846 – 25 February 1909) was a rugby union international who represented England from 1871 to 1875.

Dawson Turner

Birth name	Dawson Palgrave Turner
Date of birth	15 December 1846
Place of birth	Calcutta, India
Date of death	25 February 1909(1909-02-25) (aged 62)
Place of death	Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England
School	Rugby School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Forward Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) University College FC Richmond F.C. () International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1871–1875 England 6 Goals: 0; Tries: 0; Conv: 0; Pens: 0; Drop: 0

Early life

Dawson Palgrave Turner was born on 15 December 1846 in Calcutta, India. He was the son of Gurney Turner (1813–1848) and Mary Anne Hamilton Mowatt. His paternal grandfather, after whom he was named, was Dawson Turner (1775–1858), the banker and botanist, and he got his middle name from his paternal grandmother, Mary Palgrave (1774–1850). He attended Rugby School

Rugby union career

Turner, having played rugby at school, went on to play for Richmond F.C., one of the clubs of choice for Old Rugbeians. Turner made his international debut on 27 March 1871 at Edinburgh in the Scotland vs England match. Of the six matches he played for his national side he was on the winning side on three occasions. He played in the first five matches against Scotland, the only man to do so. He was described as a "desperately hardworking forward, always keen and untiring" and "regardless of risk or danger". He played his final match for England on 8 March 1875 at Edinburgh in the Scotland vs England match.

Career and personal life

On 12 March 1867 he married Emma Morgan in St. John's Church, Toronto. They had at least two children, Harold Palgrave Turner (born 1872 in London) and Mary Hamilton Turner (born 1873 in Peterborough, Canada West). He initially trained as a doctor and in 1871 was student obstetrician at University College Hospital. By 1891 he had divorced Emma and described himself as a retired military officer. He died in March 1909 in England.