A biography of the Reverend William Turner, a Unitarian and founder of the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Literary & Philosophical Society in 1793, and of many other institutions in Newcastle, from the Royal Jubilee School to the Trustee Savings Bank. The book sets Unitarianism in the context of the late-Georgian period, describing both its beliefs and the contemporary restraints upon their expression. It sketches the Unitarian enthusiasm for education in science and the humanities, in addition to the conventional classics, and shows how Turner's connections with men such as Joseph Priestley, and colleges like Warrington Academy, contributed to his achievements in Newcastle.