His Scottish parents emigrated to Wellington in 1854 & started a merchandising import / export firm & had 7 children

The family moved to London in 1875 where the firm established an office, & returned to Wellington in early 1892

When in London, Alexander began to cultivate a love of English literature, including the poet Milton, & Scottish history

He was regarded "as a young and wealthy man-about-town" socialising, travelling, meeting booksellers & collecting books

After returning to NZ in early 1892, he contacted London booksellers to purchase books, manuscripts, maps, & photographs

His interests also included voyages in the Pacific, including Captain Cook, & the history of NZ & Australia

Alexander also collected oil paintings, engravings & watercolours

In Jan 1913, he made an anonymous donation of over 500 Māori artefacts to the Dominion Museum (now Te Papa)

The artefacts included carvings, weapons, implements & articles of clothing

On his death (28 June 1918), Alexander bequested his private library to King George V for a national collection for NZ

His collection, which he kept in 3 rooms at his Wellington home (built in 1916), was valued at £51,800 in 1918

'Alexander' was added to the Library's name in Oct 1921 at brother Robert's request

He donated a brass plaque 'Alexander Turnbull Library' with embossed lettering & border (307x398x5mm ) for the gate

During 1955-57 the collection was shifted during restructural work

Strengthening plans first made in 1950, led to the brick gables being replaced & an exterior steel frame being installed

The office, reading room & toilet facilities were also re-fitted / added & a sprinkler system installed

During 1972-73, the Library's collection was moved to new premises in the Free Lance Building at 44 The Terrace

In 1987, Turnbull's collection was rehoused at the National Library's new building on Molesworth St in Wellington

The collection has since grown to millions of items through donations, bequests, legal deposit, & targeted purchasing

The Alexander Turnbull Library holds public events & items may also be requested to view in its Reading Room

Increasingly born-digital materials are being added to its collections

ATL 100: Events celebrating 100 years of the Alexander Turnbull Library were held from 28 Sept 2018 - 31 March 2021

ATL100: RNZ interview on Alexander's gift

Chris Szekely (Chief Librarian) & Rachel Underwood (President of the Friends of the Turnbull Library)

The book "Te Kupenga : 101 stories of Aotearoa from the Turnbull" (2021) also marked 100 years

(RNZ interview with Chris Szekely on content - letters, paintings, photos, posters, cartoons, journals, books & banners)

Father Walter Turnbull (1823-1897) was a Scottish shop-keeper merchant

He'd established the firm W & G Turnbull (with brother George) in Peebles (town in Scottish borders) by 1856

Mother Alexandrina (Alexa) Horsburgh (1827-1896)

Alexander's mother married his father in Peebles on 29 April 1857

Parents & father's brother George emigrated to NZ aboard the John McVicar (also spelt MacVicar), 6 Aug - 12 Nov 1857

The ship sailed from London with 66 passengers. Accommodation plan shows the Turnbulls occupied Room 1.

A range of goods were imported and advertised in the Wellington Independent

The Wellington building also had a plant for grinding coffee, preparing spices, ground ginger, peppers etc

George Turnbull took over the Dunedin branch which had been established in 1861

He married Scots emigrant Margaret Watterston Aitchison on 20 July 1861 in Wellington & they had three children

The Christchurch branch was managed by Walter Edward Reid

The branches imported directly from England & America

An import in 1862 was a set of lawn bowls which led to Dunedin Bowling & Quoiting Club being formed in Dec 1871

George introduced the game to many of his friends. The new Club's greens were opened on 21 Dec 1872.

Walter's & George's partnership under W. & G. Turnbull & Co was dissolved in 1867

Partnership was dissolved by George (in Dunedin) as at 31 May 1867 & by Walter (in Wellington) as at 30 June 1967

Exports by W. & G. Turnbull & Co were listed by newspapers under "Passenger List"

Exports & Imports were also listed for W. & G. Turnbull & Co under "Arrived" in newspapers

The Company became NZ agents for British shipping company Shaw Saville which carried cargo & passengers

Their seven children (2 daughters & 5 sons) were born in Wellington between 1858 - 1870

Children: Isabella (1858), John (1860), Walter (1862), William (1863), Robert (1865), Alexander (1868) & Joanna (1870)

Alexander (born 14 Sept 1868) was the 6th child and fourth of five sons

Eldest son John died on 11 March 1867, aged 6 years & 8 months

The two-storeyed, 10-roomed house on 3/4 acre fronted onto The Terrace & Kumutoto (now Bowen) Street

Distant view of Turnbull family's home Elibank at left of centre

Looking south east over Sydney Street (foreground) and Museum Street (left of centre)

View from Lambton Quay, Wellington Harbour shows Elibank in background

After settling in at Elibank, parents gave birth to their 7th child, Joanna, on 10 Feb 1870

In Dec 1870 the family sailed on the Halcione for an extended holiday in England & Scotland

Local newspapers reported the Turnbull family having boarded the ship, & Walter kept a diary of the voyage

During 7-month holiday, two of the children, Walter & William, drowned in Peebles' River Tweed, Scotland on 1 Sept 1871

1874: Walter gave a £1000 endowment to Wellington College for 2 University scholarships (£25 each for 3 yrs) & 2 prizes

School prizes: £15 for most proficient in all branches of education & £10 for most proficient in maths & natural science

In 1885, the Turnbull Scholarships' Fund was adjusted to become school prizes only

Wellington College had ceased being matriculated with the University four years previously

in 1921, the scholarship was renamed "Walter Turnbull Scholarships" as stated in the original deed of gift

The Turnbulls lived at "Mount Henley", a 13-roomed home at Sydenham Hill, 5 miles from the City

Their Wellington home Elibank was leased to the Government as a ministerial residence

Also in London was Walter's brother Robert (1829-1901) - a merchant banker who had dealings with Walter's NZ company

Robert had married Joanna Robertson (1840-1881) in 1860 & they had three children but no grandchildren

In 1877, Walter also became partners with draper James Smith in Turnbull Smith & Co, Wellington with an outlet in London

James Smith was a former employee in Wellington until 1866 when he started his own drapery at Te Aro House

Prior to Walter departing for London, plans were underway to build new warehousing in Wellington

Decision was eventually made by Walter in 1877 to build two 3-storey brick warehouses with offices

The two warehouses, designed by Wellington architect William Turnbull (no relation), were completed in 1878

(William was born in San Francisco in 1868, where his Glaswegian father was an architect, & he moved to NZ in 1871)

After finishing College, Robert studied at Crystal Palace Engineering School (1880–1881)

He worked with Woodhouse and Rawson in London for 4 years & then became a partner in Thompson, Ritchie & Co. in 1886

After finishing College, Alexander joined Turnbull, Smith & Co's drapery outlet in London in 1884

Older sister Isabella (Isabel) married Edward Hopkins of Sherwood Lodge, Sydenham on 16 April 1884

Wedding was described in the newspaper. They lived in London where Isabella died on 2 March 1914 at St Pancras.

Alexander holidayed in NZ in 1885 with parents & brother, & in 1886 accompanied his father who was planning to retire

On 1886 NZ trip, he took J. H. Kerry-Nicholls' The King Country' pub. 1884 - his 1st book purchase he wrote on fly-leaf

During 1886, Walter retired in London aged 74 after returning from his NZ trip where he'd made business preparations

In Dec 1886 newspaper reported Walter received a legacy of £100,000 from his deceased uncle who lived at Peebles

Alexander kept a log of his journeys in England & when holidaying in NZ, which covered 1884-1890

He began collecting books on NZ inspired by his sightseeing in Rotorua, Taupo Tarawera, Napier & South Island

Titles included S.P. Smith's 'Eruption of Tarawera', Buller's 'Birds of New Zealand' & Grey's 'Polynesian mythology'

Younger sister Joanna began collecting an album in 1888 of autographs, dedications, musical, poetic & artistic entries

Entries until 1897 also included sketches, envelopes, letters, botanical specimens, bookplate, & 4 samples of dog hair

In May 1888, Alexander finished working when the Company was sold to Sargood, Son & Ewen's branch in Dunedin

At that time his parents were becoming more ailing, especially his father through alcohol, requiring more care

Alexander, his parents & sister Joanna returned to live in Wellington, arriving on 8 March 1892 aboard the SS Doric

His books were packed & shipped beforehand. (They were valued at £1,500 by London bookseller Bernard Quaritch.)

Alexander became a partner in W. & G. Turnbull & Co Ltd joining Nicholas Reid & J.H.Cock, Aug 1892

Brother Robert also joined the company as the electrical engineer in 1893

Alexander welcomed being reunited with Robert as he had missed socialising with him in London

Alexander's uncle George Turnbull (Walter's former business partner) died in Dunedin on 28 Aug 1894

His wife Margaret (who signed Suffrage petition) died 15 Sept 1913. They are buried together in the Northern Cemetery.

Alexander's mother Alexandria died on 25 Nov 1896 aged 69

Photo was taken in late 1960s prior to the family grave being relocated to make way for the Wellington motorway

His father Walter died a year after their mother on 3 Oct 1897, aged 74

Sister Joanna was visiting London & sailed home on RMS Iconic where she met her future husband aboard: James Leigh-Wood

Alexander managed the firm with Nicholas Reid

He found ordering others to be harder to "perform satisfactorily and wisely" than being ordered (Staff photo, ca. 1900)

Alexander was also a director of the Empire Manufacturing Company, Ltd

He belonged to the Wellington Chamber of Commerce which met monthly

It had been formed in 1856 by local businessmen to protect the interests of commerce and promote trade in the colony

Alexander also became one of the NZ Directors for the Australian Fund Life Assurance Society, Ltd (1899)

Brother Robert formed Turnbull and Jones, Ltd. electrical engineers and contractors, in 1899

In 1911, he was appointed Honorary Commissioner at the Exhibition of Works & Industry & Art, London, by Lord Islington

18 Nov 1900, sister Joanna married James William Leigh-Wood (later Sir James) in London on 18 Oct 1900

Became mother of Mary (1905-1975) & Roger (1906-1987) & died in Hayes, London, on 20 Sept 1955

W. & G. Turnbull & Co.'s staff picnic day held in Feb 1902

In 1907, Alexander's brother Robert moved from living at Elibank to Lowry Bay & they divided their financial assets

W. & G. Turnbull and Co. became a limited liability company in 1913, & was sold in June 1916

It was purchased by Wright Stephenson and Company of Dunedin

Brother Robert continued working with Turnbull & Jones

Photo (1 Jan 1917) shows staff at work in the electrical engineering workshop at Christchurch

Turnbull & Jones shop window display of electrical goods at Christchurch

Photo (1917) lists outlets at Christchurch, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin & Auckland

Robert was still with Turnbull & Jones when he died by car accident on 12 July 1923

Alexander shared his father's interest in shipping & ocean voyages

The barque Alexa belonged to his father Walter between 1878 and 1885, who named it after his wife

As W & G Turnbull & Co was a NZ agent for the British shipping firm Shaw Savill, several ships visited NZ

Alexander joined the Port Nicholson Yacht Club and the Thorndon Yacht Club in 1893

Was elected Vice Commodore of Port Nicholson Yacht Club (1898, 1906) & Commodore (1899-1901, & declined the role 1905)

Alexander commissioned Robert Logan in Auckland to build his first boat, the Rona, which was launched Jan 1893

Turnbull also raced Rona including winning the National championship for 2nd class yachts in 1895. He sold Rona in 1909.

Alexander & his friends Martin Chapman & Robert Scott set up the Arawa Sailing Club in 1894 which operated for 8 yrs

This was 1st NZ club to create a division for one-design racing. Alexander built Miru (1894) from a William Fife design.

Alexander also owned the "Iorangi" from 1901 - 1907

Alexander wrote a book on his experiences sailing the Iorangi to Queen Charlotte Sound

Title: "Account of a cruise in the yacht 'Iorangi', to Queen Charlotte Sound, New Zealand" (1902)

In 1904, Alexander helped to establish the Thorndon Dinghy Club, which raced under the Thorndon Yacht Club

He was the Patron & Commodore but didn't race the 10-foot centreboard dinghies

When the Thorndon Yacht Club closed in 1910, Alexander resigned the following year from all sailing clubs

He was made an honorary Life Member of Port Nicholson Yacht Club

Alexander played golf & was a founding committee member of the Hutt Golf Club

He donated the A H Turnbull Cup for golf matches

Joined the Polynesian Society in 1893 which had been formed by Percy Smith & Edward Tregear in 1892

Percy Smith & Esldon Best helped Alexander with obtaining Māori & Pacific artefacts from collectors

Member of the Wellington Philosophical Society from 1897 until his death

However, he did not attend all the meetings

Member of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts & gathered pictures by NZ and other artists

Club membership included the Wellington Club (established as private social club in Dec 1841), & the Lyric Club (London)

Brother Robert & sister Joanna were also members, & unlike Alexander, frequented dinners, balls & other entertainments

Appointed honorary corresponding secretary of the Royal Colonial Institute

The 1900 Conference held in London was attended by his sister Joanna

From 1899 - 1913, Alexander was honorary vice-consular representative for Spain, in Wellington

Apart from attending the opening ceremonies of Parliament in his vice-consul uniform, he didn't participate in politics

In Jan 1913, Alexander made an anonymous donation of over 500 Māori artefacts to the Dominion Museum (now Te Papa)

Bound volume of Alexander's letters dated between 8 January 1891 - 1 August 1894 (501 pages)

Each volume has numbered leaves of tissue paper & an alphabetised index to enter each correspondent's name & address

Bound volume of Alexander's letters dated between 7 August 1894 and 20 May 1898 (996 pages)

Bound volume of Alexander's letters dated 28 May 1898 - 17 May 1900 (1000 pages)

Some bookplates also had the family motto: "Fortuna favet audaci" (Fortune favours the bold)

Letter from bookseller Bernard Quaritch to Turnbull, 15 Jun 1900

He purchased Paradise Lost for £110

His Milton collection also contained biographical and critical works

The multi-volumed medieval manuscript contains Boethius’ "De musica" & four works by Guido of Arezzo (ca 1120-1150)

The manuscript was purchased from Quaritch in 1889 when Alexander was living in London

His collection included 11 of Wallis' drawings & log-book purchased from London dealer Quaritch in 1912 for £250

Alexander's new three-storey brick home was designed in 1914 by Wellington architect William Turnbull

The house was to be built on the remaining plot of land opposite the Beehive

Its architecture is a mix of Scottish Baronial, Queen Anne and Medieval architecture

The house was constructed by builders Campbell and Burke at a cost of £6,000 & was completed in 1916

Interior was designed to store at least 60,000 volumes in a three-roomed library, with living quarters on southern side

The bookshelves were constructed by Kupli Brothers of Willis Street and cost £729

Construction of Alexander's new home was delayed by outbreak of WWI & completed in 1916

Elibank was sold in 1916 & became a nurse’s home. A hospital was built on the land fronting Bowen Street.

Owing to his failing health, Alexander retired in October 1917 & died on 28 June 1918

Alexander died in Bowen Hospital where he was being treated for a sinus complaint

Alexander was buried alongside his parents in Bolton Street Cemetery, & grave was later moved for the motorway

Reports of the valuable bequest of Alexander's collection to the nation appeared in newspapers

Alexander asked that the Government take the British Museum, London, & the Mitchell Library, Sydney as a guide

Newspapers reported the terms of the will excluded the house

A later Court action also determined the 'library' excluded the building

Cabinet agreed to recommendation of Minister of Internal Affairs that the house be bought, July 1918

Hon. G. W. Russell (Minister for Internal Affairs) stated on 16 July 1918 that Alexander's gift was accepted by the Govt

In January 1919, the ethnologist and editor Johannes Andersen began overseeing the organising of the library

He declined offer of suite of rooms at the library. Resident caretakers were Miss Emily Brouard & Miss Hannah Grierson.

Annual report stated by March 31, 1920, over 7000 volumes had been classified, numbered, & arranged on the shelves

Description of the behind the scenes organisation of the library and the types of material held, June 1920

Group photograph taken at official opening

Thirty-three signatures of attendance are listed in the Library's visitor book

Newspapers reported the official opening which began with a few moments of silence in memory of Alexander

Detailed account of official opening including dignitaries present

Hallway, circa 1930s

The library was open to the public & visitors had to ring to gain admittance through the closed front doors

Stairway, circa 1930s

The Pacific Collection was on the first floor in the New Zealand Room & Rare Book Collection on the ground floor

Reading room with tables & chairs, catalogue drawers & a bookcase, circa 1930s

Entrance hallway, circa 1940s

Exterior view, 1945

Reading room during Jubilee celebrations held in 1945

The Minister of Education, Mr. H: G.R. Mason, seen standing on the right

Staff gathering, 1947

Reading room interior, Jan 1950

Illuminated manuscript books on display, 1950

Description includes:"In 1950 someone stole a Greek book from this case, printed in Venice in 1495 by Aidus Manutius"

The two north facing brick gables were replaced with lightweight cement sheet on timber framing

The smaller brick gables were replaced with hipped roofs

Exterior steel frame installed, & interior reconfigured removing 2 maids' room, original kitchen, pantry & bathroom

Office, reading room & toilet facilities were re-fitted / added & a sprinkler system installed

The Library's books were shifted in readiness for the restructuring

Sorting Italian art history books, Jan 1957

Viscount Charles John Lyttelton Cobham viewing artworks, 3 Dec 1958

Folio of Shakespeare's books on display, 1958

Chief Librarian Johannes Andersen described some of the first editions held by the Library, 1926

Historical documents were donated by Mr. T. Lindsay Buick in 1931

Account of donations and items added to the collection by 1936

The Hogg Collection was presented in 1945 during the Library's 25th anniversary celebrations

Minister of Education, Henry Mason, is speaking during the presentation (5 July 1945)

Journals of Katherine Mansfield arrived in 1958

Perusing are: Manuscripts curator, Glen Barclay, Prof Ian Gordon & Chief Librarian, Clyde Taylor (Photo: 24 March 1958)

Resources on John Milton continued to be purchased & 694 volumes arrived in 1975, costing $94,000

Group portrait of the staff of Alexander Turnbull Library at the farewell to Chief Librarian A G Bagnall, Jan 1972

Film (1972) of the library's operations & plans to demolish building for a motorway ramp

Length: 26 mins

Map exhibition held at Alexander Turnbull Library, 44 The Terrace. March - May 1977

When public objected to demolition plans, in 1975 Ministry of Works offered 10 year lease to City Council

Council set up Turnbull House Council to arrange tenants. Building was listed Historic Place Category 1 on 25 Nov 1982.

In 1990 ownership of renamed 'Turnbull House' transferred from the State Services Commission to the Dept of Conservation

In 1995 conservation work restored features, including gables. Building closed 2012 pending earthquake strengthening.

Model of the new National Library of New Zealand building which also incorporates the Alexander Turnbull Library

The new building was to be sited on the corner of Molesworth & Aitken Streets

In 1987, Turnbull's collection was relocated from The Terrace to new National Library building on Molesworth St

The new National Library building was officially opened in August 1987

Library staff and collections were moved from 14 sites around Wellington, including The Terrace

1919–1937: Johannes Andersen

1937–1963: Clyde Taylor

1963–1965: John Reece Cole

1966–1973: Austin Graham Bagnall

1973–1990: Jim Traue

1990–2007: Margaret Calder

2007 – March 2024: Chris Szekely

March 2024 - Jessica Moran (Acting)

Appointed Associate Chief Librarian, Research Collections of ATL in 2021. (Image: LIANZA Conference pesentation, 2017)

The collection has since grown to millions of items through donations, bequests, legal deposit, & targeted purchasing

Studio portrait of Alexander Horsburgh Turnbull, taken ca 1900s

City Librarian Herbert Baillie hoped Mr Turnbull's "unrivalled" collection would be donated to an institution (1912)

Comment was made during a meeting held to form a Historical Society to collect & index early NZ documents & memories

Mentioned in article "The Bookman" about the art and science of collecting books (1914)

During House of Representatives meeting, proposal made that Mr A. H. Turnbull help to advise new Dominion Museum (1915)

Library Committee had proposed that it form a Board of of Advice and a suggestion was made to have locals involved

1st meeting of Board of Science and Art proposed to establish a Dominion Scientific, Art, and Historical Library (1916)

Recommendation was to seek the assistance of the Parliamentary Librarian, and Messrs. T. L. Buick and A. Turnbull

Article (1919) by Johannes Andersen about Alexander, including the support he gave to students & researchers

Comparative study of the Alexander Turnbull Library and libraries abroad (1935)

Mr. C. R. H. Taylor gave an address about Alexander at the New Zealand Numismatic Society meeting (Sept 1937)

Biographical summary of Alexander Turnbull (1993)