The year 2003 had aparticular significance for the town of Caernarfon, in that the 18^th of September saw the centenary of the death of one of the town’s greatest benefactors, Sir Llewelyn Turner, and earlier in the year 1903, on the occasion of his 80^th birthday, his biography “Memories of Llewelyn Turner” was published.

The importance of the book lies in the fact that it gives an insight into life in the town during the Victorian era. Llewelyn Turner was 4 years after the Queen and died two years after her death.

If the Census figures for 1801 are compared with those of 1861, it will be perceived that the population of the parish of Llanbeblig had almost trebled from 3,626 to well over 9000. The Industrial Revolution was responsible for the mass exodus from the rural areas resulting in the overcrowding of the town. Poor quality houses were built which brought about health problems due to an inadequate water supply and the lack of proper drainage facilities, and this was the period in which Llewelyn Turner was brought up.

He was the 11^th child of William and Jane Turner of Parkia on the Bangor Road, which is in the parish of Llanfairisgaer, and only yards outside the Llanbeblig parish boundary. He studied law and started up in business as a solicitor firstly7 in Market Street, then moving to No.1 Church Street. And as a young man spent much of his leisure time sailing. He was the owner of a yacht and competed far and wide.

At the age of 24 it was he that was mainly responsible for founding the Royal Welsh Yacht Club in Porth-yr-Aur and he remained a Flag Officer of the Club throughout his long life. Although a solicitor by profession, his first love was the sea and he spent many years as a Life Boat Volunteer. He was also a member and later chairman of the town’s Harbour Trust.

As a member of the Town Council, he was elected Mayor at the age of 36 and remained in office for 11 years up to 1870. During this time he was associated with many improvements in the town, not the least of which was his untiring efforts to improve the standard of life of working class people. After several unsuccessful attempts to have the Council invest in a New Water Supply Scheme for the town, he eventually succeeded in securing a majority vote in the Chamber, but not until 400 of the tow’s inhabitants had been infected by the Cholera Epidemic of 1866/67, nearly 100 of whom died of the pestilence.

Less than 2 years later, the completion of the scheme was celebrated with the erecting of a fountain on Castle Square and the then Prince and Princess of Wales. Edward and Alexandria, were invited to the Official Opening. That occurred on April 25, 1868 with the Prince performing the ceremony of Turning on the Taps. He was said to have been impressed by the spectacle and asked one of the officials and asked one of the officials whether it was possible to increase the power in the jets. Upon receiving an affirmative reply he turned the taps and this resulted in the drenching of guests in the nearby carriages, “much to the amusement of the Heir to the Throne” according to the report in the Herald.

The same year saw the commencement of another important development in the town, that of building the Victoria Dock. This scheme was one which Llewelyn Turner had for some considerable time been involved with and had produced far more ambitious plans than the one which was finally approved. Nevertheless, the dock served the town and the harbour well and even though it now serves at a Marina, it is felt that the 19^th century yachtsman would have given his blessing to the new venture and would have been proud that a new use had been found for one of his projects.

This short history will be continued in Part II and there particular attention will be given to what was probably Sir Llewelyn’s greatest contribution to the town of Caernarfon.

Click here for Part 2