Anne Turner (murderer)

Anne Turner
Anne Turner on the way to the gallows
Born	Anne Norton 5 January 1576 Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, England
Died	15 November 1615 (aged 39) Tyburn, Middlesex
Cause of death	Hanging
Resting place	Tyburn, Middlesex
Residence	Paternoster Row
Nationality	English
Occupation	maidservant
Employer	Frances Carr, Countess of Somerset
Known for	Complicity in murder of Sir Thomas Overbury
Opponent(s)	Sir Edward Coke Sir Francis Bacon
Spouse(s)	Dr. George Turner
Parent(s)	Thomas Norton Margaret Norton

Mrs Anne Turner (5 January 1576 – 15 November 1615), aka Mistress Anne Turner or Mrs. Anne Turner, was the widow of a respectable London doctor who was hanged at Tyburn for her role in the famous 1613 poisoning of Sir Thomas Overbury referenced in the plays A New Trick to Cheat the Devil, The Widow, The World Tossed at Tennis and The City Nightcap.

She was born Anne Norton on 5 January 1576, one of ten children to Thomas and Margaret Norton of Hinxton, Cambridgeshire. Later, as her reputation came in question, rumours spread that she was an illegitimate child of the disreputable London apothecary and astrologer named Simon Forman. Also considered to be a "beautiful" woman, she married a physician, Dr. George Turner, who died in 1610, and became the mistress of Sir Arthur Mainwaring. At some point she had become a "waiting woman" or "companion" of Frances Howard.

It seems that at this time that Howard had fallen in love with the king's favourite, Robert Carr and they soon began an exchange of romantic correspondence. Unfortunately for Howard she was married at the time to the Earl of Essex and at his instance was obliged to travel back with him after his return from France to his house at Chartley in Staffordshire. There she persisted in a stubborn refusal to sleep with her husband, thereby hoping no doubt to have the marriage annulled on the grounds on non-consummation.

Whilst Carr may have been satisfied with this state of affairs, Frances wished to marry him. There was one person who stood in her way, Carr's mentor, Sir Thomas Overbury who disapproved of the match. Fortunately for Howard help was at hand both in her uncle, Sir Henry Howard, 1st Earl of Northampton and in friend and ally Mrs Turner.