Ethel Turner (24 January 1872 – 8 April 1958) was an English-born Australian novelist and children's literature writer.

Life

She was born Ethel Mary Burwell in Doncaster in England. Her father died when she was two, leaving her mother Sarah Jane Burwell with two daughters (Ethel and Lillian). A year later, Sarah Jane married Henry Turner, who was 20 years older and had six children of his own. Sarah Jane and Henry had a daughter, Rose. Henry Turner died suddenly, leaving Sarah Jane with nine children and little income. In 1879 Sarah Jane moved to Australia with Ethel, Lillian, and Rose; within the next two years she married Charles Cope and gave birth to his son Rex. Turner was educated at Paddington, New South Wales Public School and

Sydney Girls High School Sydney Girls High School (abbreviated as SGHS or Sydney Girls) is a Education in Australia#Government schools, government-funded Single-sex school, single-sex Selective school (New South Wales), academically selective secondary school, secondar ...

—she was one of the school's original thirty-seven pupils. She started her writing career at eighteen, founding the ''Parthenon,'' a journal for young people, with her sister Lillian. As 'Dame Durden' she wrote children's columns for the ''

Illustrated Sydney News ''The Illustrated Sydney News'' was a monthly English language newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. History First published on 8 October 1853 by Walter George Mason (1820 – 12 March 1866), William Edward Vernon and Ludolf ...

'' and later for the ''

Australian Town and Country Journal ''Australian Town and Country Journal'' was a weekly English language broadsheet newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, from 1870 to 1919. The paper was founded by Samuel Bennett with his intention for it to be "valuable to everybody ...

''. In 1891, the family moved to ''Inglewood'' (now known as ''Woodlands''), a large house in Lindfield, now

Killara Killara () is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Killara is located north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Ku-ring-gai Council. East Killara is ...

, which was then out in the country. ''Woodlands'' still stands today in Werona Avenue and is where she wrote ''Seven Little Australians''. In 1896 Ethel married

Herbert Curlewis Herbert Raine Curlewis (22 August 1869 – 11 October 1942) was an Australian judge and writer. Early life and education Curlewis was born in Bondi, New South Wales and was the eldest son of Frederick Charles Curlewis, a brickmaster, and his w ...

, a lawyer. After living in Mosman, they built their own house overlooking Middle Harbour. The house, Avenel, is where Turner spent the rest of her years. She survived her daughter Jean Curlewis, who died of tuberculosis, by 28 years. Jean was also a writer of children's books, although not as popular as her mother. Jean's works include ''The Ship That Never Set Sail'', ''Drowning Maze'', and ''Beach Beyond'' (1923). Her son

Adrian Adrian is a form of the Latin given name Adrianus or Hadrianus. Its ultimate origin is most likely via the former river Adria from the Venetic and Illyrian word ''adur'', meaning "sea" or "water". The Adria was until the 8th century BC the ma ...

was a

barrister A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdiction (area), jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include arguing cases in courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, jurisprud ...

, captain in

WW2 World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated, with many nations mobilising ...

and a

Changi Changi ( ) is a planning area located in the geographical region of Tanah Merah in the East Region of Singapore. Sharing borders with Pasir Ris and Tampines to the west, Changi Bay to the southeast, the South China Sea to the east and the ...

and

Thai-Burma Railway The Burma Railway, also known as the Siam–Burma Railway, Thai–Burma Railway and similar names, or as the Death Railway, is a railway between Ban Pong, Thailand, and Thanbyuzayat, Burma (now called Myanmar). It was built from 1940 to 1943 by ...

POW POW is "prisoner of war", a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. POW or pow may also refer to: Music * P.O.W (Bullet for My Valentine song), "P.O.W" (Bull ...

and later judge. Turner died at Mosman on 8 April 1958 at 85. She is buried at Macquarie Park Cemetery in Sydney's North.

Career

Her best-known work is her first novel, ''

Seven Little Australians ''Seven Little Australians'' is a classic Australian children's literature novel by Ethel Turner, published in 1894. Set mainly in Sydney in the 1880s, it relates the adventures of the seven mischievous Woolcot children, their stern army father ...

'' (1894), which is widely considered a classic of Australian children's literature and was an instant hit both in Australia and overseas. It is about a family of seven children growing up in Australia. The book, together with its sequels ''The Family at Misrule'' (1895) and ''Little Mother Meg'' (1902) deal with the lives of the Woolcot family, particularly with its seven mischievous and rebellious children, in 1880s Australia. A companion to "Seven Little Australians", ''Judy and Punch'' was published in 1928. Like her stepfather, the character of Captain Woolcot was a widower with six children. The book was made into a feature film in Australia in 1939 and a UK television series in 1953. A 10-episode television series was made in 1973 by the

Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is Australia’s principal public service broadcaster. It is funded primarily by grants from the federal government and is administered by a government-appointed board of directors. The ABC is ...

. Turner published a number of other books for children, short stories and poems. ''Three Little Maids'' (1900) is a strongly autobiographical novel about her family's migration from England to Sydney, Australia. Turner wrote more than forty novels. Some were about the mischievous Woolcots. Others were serialized, like her books on "the Cub", and some were stand-alone. The children she wrote about were all adventurous and independent. They frequently got themselves into sticky situations and got themselves out of them with very little to no adult help.

Awards and honours

Turner was awarded a number of prestigious literary awards and could be considered one of Australia's best-loved authors. She is listed on The Australian Women's Register. The Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature is given annually under the auspices of the

New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards The New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, also known as the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, were first awarded in 1979. They are among the richest literary awards in Australia. Notable prizes include the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, th ...

. Curlewis Crescent in the Canberra suburb of

Garran Garran is a suburb in the Woden district of Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory. Garran was named after Sir Robert Garran who made numerous contributions to the development of higher education in Canberra. The streets in Garran are nam ...

is named in her honour and also for her husband. In 2020, a

river-class ferry The River class is a ferry type operated by Transdev Sydney Ferries on Sydney Harbour. History In September 2017, Transport for NSW Transport for NSW (TfNSW) is a Government of New South Wales, New South Wales Government transport service ...

on the

Sydney Ferries Sydney Ferries is the public transport ferry network serving the city of Sydney, New South Wales. Services operate on Port Jackson, Sydney Harbour and the connecting Parramatta River. The network is controlled by the New South Wales Government ...

network was named in her honour.

Works

*''

'' (1894) *''

The Family at Misrule ''The Family at Misrule'' (1895) is a novel for children by Australian writer Ethel Turner. It is a sequel to the author's 1894 novel '' Seven Little Australians''. The novel was originally published in the UK by Ward, Lock & Co. in 1895. Abs ...

'' (1895) *''Story of a Baby'' (1895) *''

The Little Larrikin ''The Little Larrikin'' (1896) is a novel by Australian writer Ethel Turner. It was originally published by Ward, Lock & Co. in London, England, in 1896. Synopsis Laurence (or Lol), the larrikin Larrikin is an Australian English term meani ...

'' (1896) *''Miss Bobbie'' (1897) *''Camp at Wandining'' (1898) *''Gum Leaves'' (1900) *''

Three Little Maids ''Three Little Maids'' is an Edwardian musical comedy by Paul Rubens (composer), Paul Rubens, with additional songs by Percy Greenbank and Howard Talbot. The story concerns three simple curate#Anglican Communion, curate's daughters who go to L ...

'' (1900) *''Wonder Child'' (1901) *''Little Mother Meg'' (1902) *''Raft in the Bush'' (1902) *''Betty & Co'' (1903) *''Mothers Little Girl'' (1904) *''White Roofed Tree'' (1905) *''In the Mist of the Mountains'' (1906) *''Walking to School'' (1907) *''Stolen Voyage'' (1907) *''Happy Hearts'' (1908) *''That Girl'' (1908) *''Birthday Book'' (1909) *''Fugitives from Fortune'' (1909) *''Fair Ines'' (1910) *''An Orge up to Date'' (1911) *''Apple of Happiness'' (1911) *''Fifteen & Fair'' (1911) *''Ports & Happy Havens'' (1911) *''Tiny House'' (1911) *''Secret of the Sea'' (1913) *''Flower O' the Pine'' (1914) *''The Cub'' (1915) *''John of Daunt'' (1916) *''Captain Cub'' (1917) *''St Tom & The Dragon'' (1918) *''Brigid & the Cub'' (1919) *''Laughing Water'' (1920) *''King Anne'' (1921) *''Jennifer, J.'' (1922) *''Sunshine Family'' (1923) (with Jean Curlewis, her daughter) *''Nicola Silver'' (1924) *''Ungardeners'' (1925) *''Funny'' (1926) *''Judy & Punch'' (1928)

Short stories

* "Widening the Horizon" appeared in the '' Argosy'', July 1931. * "The Death Ride", a short story, was in a mystery anthology, ''Murder Pie'', published by Angus and Robertson in 1936.

References

Poole, Philippa (compiler) "The Diaries of Ethel Turner". Sydney, Collins, 1987

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Turner, Ethel English emigrants to colonial Australia 1870 births 1958 deaths Australian children's writers Australian women children's writers Australian women novelists 19th-century Australian women writers 20th-century Australian women writers People educated at Sydney Girls High School