The Camden Town Group in Context

John Doman Turner became involved with the Camden Town Group through his friendship with Spencer Gore, who taught him in a series of thirty letters from 1908 to 1913. Doman Turner was shy and unsure of his abilities, however, and did not attend many of the group’s meetings owing to deafness.

When the London Group was formed in October 1913, all associates of the Camden Town and Fitzroy Street groups were given immediate membership. In a previous letter Doman Turner was surprised to be included in the new group and unsure about voting for new members (TGA 806/10/6). Manson must have persuaded him that he should take part in the group, as in the next letter Doman Turner seems more keen (TGA 806/10/6). However, in this letter he officially resigns his membership, perhaps because of shyness, or because he was completing very little work, or owing to artistic differences with some members. See also TGA 806/1/927 and TGA 806/1/928.