William Arthur Joseph Turr

William Arthur Joseph Turr was a Freemason and member of Lodge Temperance 2557 who served in the 2nd World War. A letter to the Provincial Grand Secretary of Northumberland from WBro John Sowerby, Secretary, and dated 7th November 1947 attached a list of the names and service of forty three Brethren and Brother William is shown as a Civil Defence worker.

At the Lodge Temperance 2557 meeting held at the Royal Assembly Rooms, Westgate Road, on 15^th April 1929, William was proposed by WBro John R Hope and seconded by his brother in law, Bro Barnard Dresner as a fit and proper person to be made a Freemason.

He was a 31 year manufacturer’s agent residing at 36, Devonshire Place, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne. A successful ballot was held the following month on 20^th May and he was initiated into the mysteries and privileges of Ancient Freemasonry on 16^th December 1929. He was passed to the second or Fellowcraft degree on 17^th March 1930 and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason on 15^th September 1930.

He was also a petitioner and founding member of King Solomon Lodge 7464 which was consecrated on 29th January 1958.

During 34 years’ service as a Master Mason, Bro William had given considerable service to the Lodge and Freemasonry in general so in recognition, at the Provincial Annual Meeting held on 30^th November 1964, the Provincial Grand Master appointed and conferred on him, the acting rank of Provincial Grand Steward.

We know from the 1939 register that William was a civil defence worker volunteering with the St. John’s Ambulance Service and was a part time Air Raid Precautions (ARP) Warden.

William was born on 19^th January 1898 in Cathcart, an area of Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland to Abram Adolf Turski and Anna Josephine Sara Horowitz. William’s father, known as Adolf or Adolphus Turr, was born in Nowogrudok in Russia (modern day Navahudrak, Belarus) and mother Anna was born in Berlin, Brandenburg, Germany. They married in Berlin on 21^st March 1893 and had four children:

• Frieda Rosa Victoria (02/03/1895 – 14/03/1968)
• William Arthur Joseph (19/01/1898 – 09/06/1972)
• Elizabeth Lillie Augusta (24/01/1899 -14/09/1971)
• May Ethel Violet (28/05/1904 – 02/05/1965)

William’s parents arrived in Scotland shortly after the birth of their daughter Frieda in Berlin, but by the 1901 census had moved to Hornsey, Middlesex where Lillie and May were born.  Adolphus is with his wife and family and is working for himself as a stationary merchant and both are shown as being British Subjects. William remained in St. Pancras, London until 1924 when he moved to Newcastle upon Tyne to marry Bertha Dresner in 1925.

In the 1939 register taken on 29^th September 1939, William and Bertha are living at 36, Devonshire Place, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne and William is a Manager of scrap metal. Also in the household is his brother-in-law Barnard Dresner, a scrap metal merchant, and sister-in-law Pearl Feld (Dresner).

Barnard was also a Freemason and member of Lodge Temperance 2557. He was proposed by Wbro John R. Hope and seconded by Wbro Nathaniel Bergman, Assistant Director of Ceremonies on 21^st June 1926. He was a 29 year old Iron & steel merchant living at 14, Devonshire Place, Jesmond, Newcastle. A successful ballot was held the following month 19^th July and he was initiated into Freemasonry on 16^th August. Bro. Barnard was passed to the 2^nd degree on 20^th December and raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason on 21^st March 1927.

William and Bertha had two daughters. William died on 9^th June 1972 aged 74 and Bertha shortly after on 23^rd October 1972 aged 81. Both are buried in the Jewish section of Byker and Heaton Cemetery, Newcastle upon Tyne.

Photo courtesy of William’s granddaughter Debbie Ross

Image of Certificate courtesy of PGL of Northumberland Archives and Library

Updated 11/05/2022