He is known for his pioneering work in conchology, and for translating Linnaeus' Systema Naturae into English.
He was born at Olveston, Gloucestershire and was educated at Oriel College, Oxford.
He commenced in practice as a physician at Swansea, where he worked for fifteen years.
He published several illustrated shell books, and a translation of Gmelin's edition of Linnaeus' Systema Naturae in 1806.
[1] The bivalve genus Turtonia (J. Alder, 1848)[3] and the species Galeomma turtoni[4] are named for him.