F Newman Turner - A Chronology


1913 Born into Yorkshire farming family, near Barnsley Eldest of 5 children


1924-1934 Education Barnsley Grammar School Leeds University – National Diploma in Agriculture, National Diploma in Dairying


1930s Worked for Potato Marketing Board in London Wrote for Farmer’s Weekly and Farmer & Stockbreeder

Attended Peace Pledge Union meetings – addressed by Dick Sheppard and others. Registered as Conscientious Objector. Became a member of Society of Friends (Quakers)


1939 Married Lorna Clarke, June 3rd, daughter of the manager of Farm Industries for West Cornwall. Lived at White Cottage, nr Barnet


1940 Son, Roger, born at Radlett Moved to Goosegreen Farm near Bridgwater, Somerset, to manage farm for COs


1940s Began the organic experiment inspired by Sir Albert Howard. After the war bought the farm.


1945 Son, Giles, born Stonefield Maternity home in Wookey Hole, Somerset (Evacuated from Blackheath and run by Dr Cyril Pink)


1946 Established The Farmer – ‘edited and published from the farm’


1946 -1953 Weekend courses held at Goosegreen – on composting, herbal leys, self-feed silage, animal husbandry, no-ploughing cultivation, etc. Attended by followers of organic methods from all walks of life.

1950 Son, Adam, born Stonefield Maternity Home in Blackheath.


1951 Fertility Farming published by Faber & Faber.


1953 Moved from Goosegreen Farm to Ferne estate near Shaftesbury, Dorset. Herdsmanship published by Faber & Faber.


1955 Fertility Pastures published by Faber & Faber


1956 The Farmer 10th Birthday Luncheon held at the De Vere Hotel, Kensington. FNT qualified as Medical Herbalist and became consultant for the Society of Herbalists in London and Harrogate


1957 Last edition of The Farmer. Newman Turner Publications continued to publish The Gardener and Fitness and Health from Herbs (magazine of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists of which he had become editor)


1958 Sold pedigree Jersey herd and farm tools. Moved to Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire and established practice as a medical herbalist, later embracing naturopathy, osteopathy, and acupuncture.


1962 Acquired Inter-Medics Ltd to preserve the agency and supply of the Madaus herbal medicines for practitioners. Expanded this to import Pionier, Schluter baths, Biotta, Bio-Strath, and Biokosma.


1964 Died of coronary thrombosis in Bingen, Germany, whilst visiting suppliers of Inter-Medics products.


Chronology ends