Alexander Turnbull - A Sporting Life

Alexander Turnbull returned to Wellington from schooling in England in 1892. As a young mercantile gentleman one of the first things he did, as was the custom, was to organise his sporting and club interests.

For Turnbull, this took the shape of yachting. He brought to yachting the same total involvement — to the point of obsession — as he did his book collecting.

Turnbull helped shape the sport from its earliest days, and the foundations he laid with others fostered the culture of excellence New Zealand has today. He was a member and administrator for 4 boating clubs (founder of 2 of these) and owned 3 racing vessels between 1893-1908.

Gavin Pascoe says, 'The only place you will see Turnbull enjoying himself is when boating, and it is through the sport that we can glimpse the reputedly short-tempered, private man as a person engaged, adventurous, and laughing.'

A Friends of the Turnbull Library event.

About the speaker
Gavin Pascoe is a librarian at the National Library of New Zealand. He is also the founder of the Wellington Classic Yacht Trust.