Background
Turtill"s father died in London when he was only three years old and his mother decided to move to New Zealand to be with relatives.
rugby league player rugby union player
Turtill"s father died in London when he was only three years old and his mother decided to move to New Zealand to be with relatives.
After emigrating to Britain, he served in the British Army during the, and was killed while serving in 1918. On the sea voyage in 1884 he gained the nickname Jum, short for Jumbo. Turtill worked in New Zealand as a decorative metal worker
He started his rugby union career playing for Christchurch Albion before making the Canterbury team in 1902.
He represented the South Island in 1903 and 1907. He became an All Black in 1905, playing against Australia.
In 1907 he joined the professional All Blacks – better known as the All Golds – on their tour of Great Britain and Australia, thus joining the code that would evolve into rugby league. He was selected because he was considered well versed in wet weather football, something the side would constantly experience in Great Britain.
On the tour he played in six test matches and captained the side in the first test in Australia in 1908.
However he instead joined Saint Helens where he also owned a public, the "Lord Nelson Hotel" in Street Helens. After the outbreak of the, Turtill served with the British Army. He became a sergeant in the Royal Engineers until he was killed in France in 1918.