Edward Neil Turner

He held the prestigious title of Master Cutler from 2003 to 2004, and was also a Freeman and active member of the Cutlers' Company in Hallamshire through which he used his wide experience of manufacturing to act as ambassador for industry in Sheffield.

He began his working life in farming, but later went into manufacturing becoming a self-employed businessman in 1971 when he set up his own company, Edward Turner and Son Ltd, making concrete slabs.

Three years later he bought Durham Duplex, manufacturers of precision industrial blades, hand knives and machine knives, of which he was chairman and his son Charles is now managing director.

Over the years Mr Turner, who was known by his second name Neil, was a director of several industrial, financial and venture capital companies.

His used his knowledge and experience in industry to promote the region across a wide sphere and held a number of key regional appointments, including the presidency of the Chambers of Commerce of both Yorkshire and Humberside and Sheffield.

He was also deputy chairman of the Yorkshire and Humberside Development Agency and spent five years as a member of the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Economic Planning Council and was the initial deputy chairman of the Regional Chamber of Yorkshire and Humberside.

He was born in South Anston, near Sheffield, the second son of Lord Netherthorpe of Anston who was president of the National Farmers' Union and chairman of Fisons. Mr Turner was educated at Rugby, the Royal College of Agriculture at Cirencester and Wye College, part of London University based in Kent. He qualified as a chartered land agent and a chartered surveyor, becoming a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

After university he managed the Hatfield Park Estate farms in the 1960s before changing his career and going into manufacturing, although farming always remained one of his interests.

For eight years from 1983 he was chairman of the South and West Yorkshire Area Committees of the Rural Development Commission, and was recently a member of the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society. He was also a Freeman of The Worshipful Company of Farmers.

His wider interest in the life and work of the region saw him take on a number of leading positions, including being High Sheriff of South Yorkshire in 1983 and 1984 and was appointed a Deputy Lord Lieutenant for South Yorkshire in 2001. He was also a General Commissioner of Taxes in Sheffield and from 1998 to 2003 he was Honorary Colonel of the 212 (Yorkshire) Field Hospital.

In 2002 he was awarded an OBE for services to business in Yorkshire Humberside.

Mr Turner was also involved in charity work being chairman from 1976 to 2006 of The Broomgrove Trust, a Sheffield nursing home.

Mr Turner's work in promoting manufacturing in Sheffield is being continued by his son Charles who is chairman of the Made in Sheffield brand.

The present Master Cutler, Bill Speirs, described Mr Turner as a larger than life figure.

"He was a very capable individual and effective businessman who expressed his candid views with honesty and integrity but always retaining a twinkle of mischievousness. "

Mr Turner is survived by his wife Gillian, to whom he was married for 47 years, his son Charles, daughter Sara, and five grandchildren.