Sydney Turner was born on 15th October 1901 at Tarporley, the son of William Turner who was born at Churchstoke in Montgomeryshire and his wife Hannah (nee Jeffs) who was from Kelsall. The father was a domestic gardener at the time of Sydney’s birth. The Turner family already had one son called Humphrey.
The 1911 Census recorded the family as living at Alpha Cottages in Tarporley where the father was working as a farm bailiff. As well as Humphrey and Sydney, they now also had Leonard and Olive. Sydney was at school.
Ten years later, the family were still living in Tarporley, at Birch Heath where the father was working as a farm labourer for William Littler at Birch Heath House. Hannah looked after the house and family. Twenty- year- old Sydney was employed as a postman for the General Post Office in Tarporley. Leonard worked as a tinsmith and Olive was at school. Humphrey had recently married and was visiting with his wife.
During the 1920s Sydney’s work as a postman took him to living in the Broxton and Handley area of Cheshire. His deliveries were carried out on a bicycle, travelling the lanes of Cheshire. Electoral rolls for Preston Brook recorded that his parents and Leonard had moved to that area by 1930, but there is no record of Sydney living with them throughout that decade.
The 1939 Register showed Sydney’s parents and his brother Leonard and Sydney as residing at Tannery Cottage on Aston Lane in Preston Brook. Sydney was still working as a postman.
Sydney’s father and mother passed away in 1941 and 1947 respectively.
Sydney Turner passed away on 6th November 1971 at the age of 70 years. He was buried in Daresbury churchyard.
It is not known in which branch of H.M. Forces he served, but Sydney Turner appeared on the Electoral Roll Service Register for Preston Brook in 1945 as living at Tannery Cottages in the village. He also was mentioned in an article in the Warrington Guardian in June 1946 about Victory Celebrations in Preston Brook.
If anyone has any knowledge of his WW2 service, please contact Daresbury District Heritage Group.
