William Ralph Turner was born in Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester in 1920. He has become known as one of the Northern English Artists, noted for his portrayal of industrial north tinged with a grim romanticism. Well known in art circles in the North, he is certainly one of the last who knew and was influenced by L.S. Lowry. For about 60 years Turner painted the North West and surrounding areas, often from memories and images obtained while indulging his passion for cycling long distances.
He was discovered by Peter Burdett (of The Pitcairn Gallery) in the 1970s. Peter commissioned him to paint Lyon in France. He continued to find fame, recognition and some fortune in the 1980s when he had exhibitions in Windsor and Eton. He was re discovered by David Gunning, an art dealer from Todmorden, in 2000, when Turner was 80. Over the next five years Gunning sold many of Turner paintings, starting a process by which interest in and prices for his work began to rise dramatically. Turner exhibited widely and was a member of MAFA and RCAMA. William Turner died on June 10th 2013 at the age of 93.