Emblem of Alberta. Source: Wikipedia.
Ethel Close Turner was born in Bradford, the daughter of a baker. In 1911 Ethel was a trained nurse, working at the Seacroft Hospital in Leeds. We know from her memorial inscription that she served in France as a nurse in the First World War and worked at the Military Fever Hospital in Scarborough:
In loving memory of Ethel Close, beloved wife of Rev. George Turner, who served her country in France, was matron of the military fever hospital in Scarborough, during the Great War, beloved medical missionary to the Cree Indians, N.W. Canada, died Dec. 21st, 1934, aged 52 years.
It is unusual to find an inscription to a woman which is so detailed. Attitudes had changed significantly by the 1930s, but it was still the case that women were often described simply as ‘beloved wife’.
Perhaps it was while she was nursing that she met her future husband, George Turner. He was born in Leeds and trained there at the Headingley College as a Minister. His war service was spent in Canada, serving in the Canadian Expeditionary Force.
Ethel and George were married in Alberta, Canada. George was appointed as the Principal of a Canadian School and a missionary to the Cree Indians. These schools are now seen as very controversial. Children were separated from their families and their culture, and the regime was harsh.
In 1923 George became the vicar of St Margaret’s Church, Limerick, Canada. The parish totaled 1,600 acres territory. Ethel is described as a ‘medical missionary’, clearly using her nursing skills to care for the local population. Ethel’s health was not good, and the couple returned to England where George became Curate in Darfield, Barnsley. He was then appointed in 1929 as Vicar of St Jude’s in Moorfields Sheffield. This was considered an extremely poor parish, and Ethel’s nursing abilities were again put to good use.
George died in January 1930 aged 56 years. He left a small estate of £408 to Ethel. She died two years later aged 52 years. They were buried in grave D 67 in the Anglican area of the Cemetery though their memorial stone is now lost.
You can read more about Ethel and the lives of women buried in the Cemetery in the Sheffield General Cemetery Trust’s publication A Woman’s Place.