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The Queen Mother’s Crown

The Turners’ Company and the Crown Jewels

A Past Master of the Turners’ Company, Professor James Tennant, Mineralogist to Queen Victoria, supervised the recutting of the legendary Koh-i-Noor diamond. He transformed it from a large, flawed gem to the fabulous 105.6 carat oval brilliant to be seen in the Queen Mother’s Crown today.

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Medieval Turners Will

Medieval Turners – Wills and Widows

Members of the Livery who attended our Ladies’ Dinner in April 2010 will remember the talk given by Caroline Barron, until recently Professor of the History of London at Royal Holloway College, University of London, about the medieval Turners of London. Our Company’s detailed records begin in 1593, the date

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Spindle wood branch and section of spindle wood turned to make four ear studs. Background photo shows one of the 4000 year-old studs against 10mm scale.

Early Bronze Age Turners

By Stuart King In August 2011, an early Bronze Age 4000 years old cist (a small chamber made of thin stone slabs) burial was discovered on Dartmoor. Inside were the cremated remains of a female and, almost uniquely for this period, well preserved grave goods including four lathe-turned ear studs

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Portrait of Lady Gertrude Eleanor Crawford née Molyneux. Date unknown.

Lady Gertrude Crawford, a remarkable turner

Lady Gertrude Crawford with her Holtzapffel ornamental lathe, fitted with an electric motor. Lady Gertrude Eleanor Crawford was borne into an aristocratic family of turners but established her own mark as a lady turner at a time in history when it was very much a man’s world but proved she

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Professor Ian Wilson and students from the Guildhall School on tour in Southern France.

The Turners’ Consort

The Turners’ Company charity has commissioned a ‘consort’ of eight turned medieval-style recorders Made by Tim Cranmore, one of the UK’s leading instrument makers, the consort will be loaned to the Guildhall School of Music & Drama for teaching and performances by students specialising in woodwind instruments and historical performance.

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History of Church Bells

Bells are some of the oldest musical instruments in the world and said to date back to China in around 3500 BC. Bells are certainly the loudest musical instruments and can be heard from many miles away over land or sea. A true Cockney is someone who is born within

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Steve Sinner and Joe Meirhaeghe

Ghenadi Vasiliev – 2017 Bursary Winner

Ghenadi Vasiliev was awarded a Turners’ Company Bursary in 2017. This enabled Ghenadi to study with four of the world’s leading woodturners: Rod Page and Mark Sanger in the UK; and Steve Sinner and Joe Meirhaeghe in the USA. Ghenadi describes his experience in this report … Rod Page In July 2017, I

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Richard Gardner Williams

Richard Gardner Williams Sentiment 2018

The 71st Richard Gardner Williams Commemoration Banquet was held on 28th February 2018 in Apothecaries’ Hall. Past Master John Bridgeman gave the Sentiment to celebrate the life and generosity of the principal benefactor of the Turners’ Company. There can be no misgivings about talking yet again about the generous legacy

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