Great War Theatre

John Hastings Turner was born on 16 December 1892 in Kensington, London. At the time of the 1911 census he was a student. He wrote many musical comedies, sketches and revues as well as more serious plays: Allardyce Nicoll lists him as the author of almost forty works between 1913 and 1929. He also worked in the War Office during the war. In June 1918 he married the actress Laura Cowie. The 1939 Register shows John, an author, and Laura, an actress, living at Dodmans Farm, Titchwell, Norfolk. The Stage, 8 March 1956, published his obituary: ‘John Hastings Turner, author of plays and musical comedies, died at his home in Norfolk on February 29, aged 63. He was married to Laura Cowie, the actress. Two of his plays were produced before he reached the age of 21, and in 1915 Lena Ashwell appeared in “Iris Intervenes” at the Kingsway. After a series of light revues written mostly during the 1914-18 war years, he began writing in more serious vein. “The Lilies of the Field,” “The Scarlet Lady” and “Punchinello” were among his most notable plays. After the war, he again turned to the lighter side of entertainment and was author of a number of Cochran revues’. The National Probate Calendar shows that John Hastings Turner of Blue Tile Farm, Brancaster, near King’s Lynn, Norfolk died on 29 February 1956, leaving an estate worth £23,318 9s 8d. His widow Laura Turner, otherwise Laura Hastings, of St Heliers, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk, died on 11 February 1969.

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: 16 Dec 1892

Served in the armed forces? No

Scripts associated with John Hastings Turner