Background
Turbott was born in Whangarei, New Zealand and attended Takapuna Grammar School.
Turbott was born in Whangarei, New Zealand and attended Takapuna Grammar School.
He later studied at Auckland University College and Jesus College, Cambridge.
He served six years in the New Zealand Army as part of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force during World World War II, including service in Italy, the South Pacific and the Middle East. He left the army with the rank of captain. After leaving uniformed service, Turbott joined the British Colonial Service with an appointment to the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony.
After a secondment to the British Colonial Office, he served as Administrator of Antigua between 1958 and 1964.
In 1964 he was appointed Administrator of Grenada, continuing in the role after it became a governorship in 1967. He left Grenada in 1968.
After two years in Britain, he emigrated to Australia where he entered business. Between 1989 and 2000 Turbott served as Chancellor of the University of Western Sydney.
Turbott has been honorary consul-general for the Cook Islands in New South Wales since 1995.