John Turmeau, miniature-painter, born in 1777, came of a Huguenot family long settled in London. His grandfather, Allan Turmeau, was an artist. His father, John Turmeau, who married Eliza Sandry of Cornwall, was a jeweller in London, but it is probable that he also painted miniatures. The name of John Turmeau figures in the catalogue of the Royal Academy exhibition as early as 1772. ‘John Turmeau, jr.,’ studied in the school of the academy, and exhibited two miniatures (portraits) at the Royal Academy in 1794, his address being 23 Villiers Street, Strand.

In the following year he sent two more miniatures from the same address, and he continued to exhibit occasionally in London till 1836; but long before that date he had removed to Liverpool, and had six portraits in the first exhibition of the Liverpool Academy 1810, of which body he was a member. His address was given as Church Street. In the Liverpool Academy exhibition of 1811 he had two portraits, one of which was of Thomas Stewart Traill In 1827 he was the treasurer of the Liverpool Academy, and he continued to exhibit regularly, residing at Lord Street, and in later years in Castle Street, where he died on 10 Sept. 1846. He was buried in the Edge Hill churchyard. At all these addresses he carried on the trade of a print-seller and dealer in works of art, as well as the profession of portrait-painter.