Name
Gerald Turner
CLAIM TO FAME
Ever-present employee of the School for more than five decades
PROFILE
Little is known about the very early years of the School’s longest-serving employee, Gerald Turner. He is one of four siblings and his father died early and so he was initially brought up by his mother and step-father in London. In October 1958 (at the age of 20) we think that a government programme saw him come to Cranleigh for a couple of relatively brief placements, and shortly after the second placement ended he came back and has been employed by the School on a permanent basis since 23rd November 1963. He initially worked in the Catering and Domestic departments, and at some point moved to the Works department where he still works today.
Although everyone knows him as Gerald, in fact his name is Trevor Gerald Turner – it is thought that there was another Trevor here when he started working and so Gerald stuck to avoid confusion. If you are lucky, you will be called the “best headmaster/headmistress at Cranleigh” or “you are looking beautiful today” as you pass him sweeping near the Works yard, and he brightens many people’s day by his – often uncannily perceptive – comments on Cranleigh life. Having worked here for over 52 years and seen so many of the School’s major changes over the decades first-hand, he has rightly achieved legendary status in a community who cares for him deeply, and perhaps this explains why he still comes and works for 15 hours per week despite having an ‘official’ retirement party well over a decade ago.