PHILIP JOHN TURNER

Philip John Turner was born in Stowmarket in 1876, the second son of  William Turner and his wife Emily. William Turner ran a drapery business in the town. After completing his secondary education at Framlingham College in Suffolk, Philip proceeded to study architecture in London. He was articled to Mr. John Corder at Ipswich and elected an Associate of the R.I.B.A. in 1901. Turner was also a fine draughtsman whose numerous measured drawings were published as supplements to contemporary' journals under his nom de plume, Renrut.

Philip Turner [standing centre behind table] with his family in the garden of their home in Stowmarket. About 1895. 

He emigrated to Canada in 1906 in the company of another architect, Albert James Hazelgrove (later a prominent Ottawa architect,) and began a private architectural practice in Montreal the following year. Shortly after his arrival in Canada, he entered an Ice Palace Competition and won the first prize with his proposal. Thus, during his first winter in Canada, he saw the realization of his castle for "Our Lady of the Snows" as a focal point of the Winter Carnival celebrations.
In June 1910, he married Adeline Peddar, the daughter of Philip Charles Napier Peddar an auctioneer, valuer and land agent. The Peddar family lived in Shelland near Turner home in Stowmarket.   By this time, he not only had a good practice, but had also been appointed to lecture on Building Construction at the McGill School of Architecture. In addition, he was appointed Special Lecturer on Library Buildings (1926) in the McGill Library School. He was appointed Professor in 1933.
Turner was an accomplished architect. Apart from many fine residences, his works also include St. Phillip's Church in Montreal West, the Y.M.C.A. Chapel on Drummond Street, the Children's Chapel at the Cathedral, banks and commercial buildings in Montreal as well as the rebuilding of the Westmount Public Library. He became the President of the Province of Quebec Association of Architects in 1933 and received their Gold Medal in 1941. 
Turner was a shy man with a retiring manner. He was a conscientious teacher who lectured and wrote on subjects that he painstakingly researched and  was frequently asked to lecture on English Architecture at various public functions of social groups not only in Montreal, but throughout the Province of Quebec. His lectures were engaging and radiated his love and enthusiasm for traditional English Architecture. Several of his articles were published in Canadian periodicals. In 1936 he became acting director of the McGill School Of Architecture.
Turner fought the threat of the closing of the School with all his strength and mustered the support of several distinguished Montreal architects to prevent it from happening and to ensure the continuity of architectural education at McGill. 
Turner's health was already frail when he became Acting Director of the School, and the following year it deteriorated to such a degree that he entrusted the running of the School to his Executive Secretary, John Bland. 
He retired in 1941. The war worried him and he was hurt to see the destruction caused by the air raids and he was particularly concerned about the safety of his sisters in England. All this and his unfortunate illness weakened him and two years after his retirement and after a lengthy illness confining him to a hospital, he died of a heart attack on 13th August 1943.
In his memory, the Philip J. Turner Prize was established to be  presented to the student in the School obtaining the highest standing in Design and Construction. 
Posts he held outside architecture included, Member of the Board of The Montreal Auxiliary Bible Society and of The Executive Committee of the Diocese of Montreal.

Photo of Philip Turner and much of the text reproduced with permission of McGill University, Montreal, Quebec.

Details of Philip Turner's family supplied by Steven Williams and Sue Cowling who also gave permission to reproduce the photograph of Philip Turner with his family from their book "Serving You Through The Years"

Also thanks to Pat Bridges for information on Turner's education at Framlingham College.

STOWMARKET HISTORY AND HERITAGE
2007
email neil@stowman.plus.com