TAYLOR, John (?1761-1820), of 4 New Broad Street, London and Stamford Hill House, Mdx.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820, ed. R. Thorne, 1986
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

4 Aug. 1814 - 1818
1818 - Mar. 1819

Family and Education

b. ?1761. m. 16 Oct. 1792, Elizabeth, da. of Ralph Winstanley Wood, E.I. agent, of Pierrepont Place, Frensham, Surr., 6s. 2da.

Offices Held

Dir. Phoenix Fire office 1816.

Biography

Taylor, whose surname occasionally appears as Tayler, was described as of Serjeants’ Inn, Fleet Street when he married, but in his will desired to be buried with his parents and brother Benjamin at Low Layton, Essex. He also mentioned his brother Robert, two sisters Frances and Avarall and his brother-in-law William Warren Wood of Bengal.1 He was, after his marriage, an East India merchant, listed at New Broad Street from 1795, in which year he signed the London merchants’ loyal declaration to Pitt, and in partnership from 1808 until his death with Edmund Boehm at 4 Bishopsgate Churchyard. He invested in East India Company stock. In 1806 he was prepared to trade to South America and described himself as a friend of Nicholas Vansittart*.2 He probably purchased his seats in Parliament, succeeding his Broad Street neighbour, John Kingston, on the Burrard interest at Lymington in 1814, and in 1818 coming in for Yarmouth, another close borough, which he vacated in the following year, probably by some arrangement with his successor, the London banker Sir Peter Pole.

In Parliament, Taylor was a silent Member who supported adminstration; ten votes of his from 1 Mar. 1815 to 17 Feb. 1817 were with them, including their minorities on the Duke of Cumberland’s establishment, 3 July 1815, and on the property tax, 18 Mar. 1816. He opposed Catholic relief, 9 May 1817. No subsequent votes of his are known.

Taylor died at Twickenham, 7 Jan. 1820, ‘aged 59’,3 leaving his property to his partner Boehm in trust for his family. The firm subsequently went bankrupt.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: R. G. Thorne

Notes

  • 1. PCC 173 Kent.
  • 2. Add. 34456, f. 434.
  • 3. Gent. Mag. (1820), i. 93; Annual Reg. 570.