Charles P. B. Taylor
Encyclopedia
Charles Plunket Bourchier Taylor (1935 - July 8, 1997) was a Canadian
journalist, author, essayist, and thoroughbred racehorse owner and breeder.
While studying at Queen's University
in Kingston, Ontario
, Charles Taylor was part of the student broadcast team on CFRC
, the campus radio station. He went on to work for Reuters
news service in London, England from 1955 until 1962 when he joined the staff of Globe and Mail
newspaper in Toronto. His career in journalism saw him become the paper's bureau chief in British Hong Kong
, Peking, China
, and London, England. He reported from numerous countries around the world, providing coverage of major events including the Vietnam War
, the Nigerian Civil War
, and the Arab–Israeli conflict
. Taylor wrote Reporter in Red China (1966) and edited China Hands (1984), books based on experiences in the Far East. The author of four books and several plays, in later years he served as Chairman of the Writers' Union of Canada
.
Following his death in 1997, his widow Noreen created the Charles Taylor Foundation whose work includes the funding of the Charles Taylor Prize
, a $25,000 literary prize awarded annually since 2000 to the best Canadian work of literary non-fiction.
and brother to bookseller Judith Taylor Mappin
, Charles Taylor took over the running of Windfields Farm
in the early 1980s following his father's incapacitation from a stroke. A major horse breeding
and racing operation based in Oshawa, Ontario
, Windfields Farm also ran a breeding farm in Chesapeake City, Maryland
. The Canadian farm is the birthplace of racing great and champion sire Northern Dancer
, called by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association
as "one of the most influential sires in Thoroughbred history."
In addition to breeding and racing horses, Charles Taylor played a significant role in North American Thoroughbred racing. He served as chairman of the Jockey Club of Canada
, was a Trustee of the Ontario Jockey Club
, and both a Provincial and National Director of the Canadian Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. Taylor was also a founding director and Vice-President of Breeders' Cup Ltd.
, a Director of the Keeneland Association
, and a member of The Jockey Club
, the authority for all Thoroughbred horses in North America and Puerto Rico
. Internationally, he was a member of the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club
.
In 1995 Charles Taylor earned the Sovereign Award of Merit
, named for his late father, and in 1996 he was inducted in the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
in the Builders category.
Charles Taylor died from cancer in 1997 at age 62.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
journalist, author, essayist, and thoroughbred racehorse owner and breeder.
While studying at Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
in Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, Charles Taylor was part of the student broadcast team on CFRC
CFRC-FM
CFRC-FM is the campus radio station of Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario Canada.The station has one of the longest radio histories in the world, surpassed only by the Marconi companies. CFRC remains in operation at the present time and serves the Queen's University campus and greater Kingston...
, the campus radio station. He went on to work for Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
news service in London, England from 1955 until 1962 when he joined the staff of Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
newspaper in Toronto. His career in journalism saw him become the paper's bureau chief in British Hong Kong
British Hong Kong
British Hong Kong refers to Hong Kong as a Crown colony and later, a British dependent territory under British administration from 1841 to 1997.- Colonial establishment :...
, Peking, China
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, and London, England. He reported from numerous countries around the world, providing coverage of major events including the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, the Nigerian Civil War
Nigerian Civil War
The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War, 6 July 1967–15 January 1970, was a political conflict caused by the attempted secession of the southeastern provinces of Nigeria as the self-proclaimed Republic of Biafra...
, and the Arab–Israeli conflict
Arab–Israeli conflict
The Arab–Israeli conflict refers to political tensions and open hostilities between the Arab peoples and the Jewish community of the Middle East. The modern Arab-Israeli conflict began with the rise of Zionism and Arab Nationalism towards the end of the nineteenth century, and intensified with the...
. Taylor wrote Reporter in Red China (1966) and edited China Hands (1984), books based on experiences in the Far East. The author of four books and several plays, in later years he served as Chairman of the Writers' Union of Canada
Writers' Union of Canada
The Writers' Union of Canada , founded in 1973, describes itself as supporting "the country's authors by advocating for their rights, freedoms, and economic well-being." Its members are professional writers who must have published at least one book through a commercial publisher.The Union addresses...
.
Following his death in 1997, his widow Noreen created the Charles Taylor Foundation whose work includes the funding of the Charles Taylor Prize
Charles Taylor Prize
The Charles Taylor Prize is a Canadian literary award, presented by the Charles Taylor Foundation to the best Canadian work of literary non-fiction. It is named for Charles Taylor, a noted Canadian historian and writer....
, a $25,000 literary prize awarded annually since 2000 to the best Canadian work of literary non-fiction.
Thoroughbred horse racing
The son of renowned horseman E. P. TaylorE. P. Taylor
Edward Plunket Taylor was a Canadian business tycoon and famous breeder of thoroughbred race horses. Known to his friends as "Eddie", he is universally recorded as "E. P...
and brother to bookseller Judith Taylor Mappin
Judith Mappin
Judith Mappin BSc is a Canadian bookseller and philanthropist.She was born in Toronto and remained there during her youth. She studied at McGill University in Montreal, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in 1950. She has continued to live in Montreal with her husband John N...
, Charles Taylor took over the running of Windfields Farm
Windfields Farm
Windfields Farm is a six square kilometre thoroughbred horse breeding farm founded by businessman E. P. Taylor in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. The first stable and breeding operation of E. P. Taylor originated with a property near the city of Toronto known as Parkwood Stable when it was owned by...
in the early 1980s following his father's incapacitation from a stroke. A major horse breeding
Horse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
and racing operation based in Oshawa, Ontario
Oshawa, Ontario
Oshawa is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario approximately 60 kilometres east of downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of both the Greater Toronto Area and the Golden Horseshoe. It is now commonly referred to as the most...
, Windfields Farm also ran a breeding farm in Chesapeake City, Maryland
Chesapeake City, Maryland
Chesapeake City is a town in Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 787 at the 2000 census.The town was originally named by Bohemian colonist Augustine Herman the Village of Bohemia , but the name was changed in 1839 when the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal was built...
. The Canadian farm is the birthplace of racing great and champion sire Northern Dancer
Northern Dancer
Northern Dancer was a Canadian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and the most successful sire of the 20th Century. The National Thoroughbred Racing Association calls him "one of the most influential sires in Thoroughbred history"....
, called by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association
National Thoroughbred Racing Association
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association is a broad-based coalition of horse racing interests consisting of leading thoroughbred racetracks, owners, breeders, trainers and affiliated horse racing associations, charged with increasing the popularity of horse racing and improving economic...
as "one of the most influential sires in Thoroughbred history."
In addition to breeding and racing horses, Charles Taylor played a significant role in North American Thoroughbred racing. He served as chairman of the Jockey Club of Canada
Jockey Club of Canada
The Jockey Club of Canada was formed in 1973 to oversee thoroughbred horse racing in Canada. Based in Toronto, Ontario, the club is responsible for the annual Sovereign Awards program and the Canadian Graded Stakes Committee.Founding members:...
, was a Trustee of the Ontario Jockey Club
Woodbine Entertainment Group
Woodbine Entertainment Group is responsible for operations of the casino and race track at Woodbine Race Track in Toronto. The group changed their name from the Ontario Jockey Club in 2001 and also operates/operated at other tracks in Southern Ontario:...
, and both a Provincial and National Director of the Canadian Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. Taylor was also a founding director and Vice-President of Breeders' Cup Ltd.
Breeders' Cup
The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Thoroughbred horse races, most but not all Grade I, operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982. From its inception in 1984 through 2006, it was a single-day event; starting in 2007, it expanded to two days. The location...
, a Director of the Keeneland Association
Keeneland
Keeneland is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility and sales complex in Lexington, Kentucky, USA. Operated by the Keeneland Association, Inc., it is also known for its reference library on the sport, which contains more than 10,000 volumes, an extensive videocassette collection, and a substantial...
, and a member of The Jockey Club
The Jockey Club
The Jockey Club, formed on February 9, 1894, is the keeper of The American Stud Book. It came into existence after James R. Keene spearheaded a drive in support of racehorse trainers who had complained about the Board of Control that governed racing in New York State.-History:On its formation, The...
, the authority for all Thoroughbred horses in North America and Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. Internationally, he was a member of the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club
Hong Kong Jockey Club
The Hong Kong Jockey Club is one of the oldest institutions in Hong Kong, founded in 1884 to promote horse racing. It was granted Royal Charter and renamed to "The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club" in 1959...
.
In 1995 Charles Taylor earned the Sovereign Award of Merit
Sovereign Award
The Sovereign Award is given annually since 1975 by the Jockey Club of Canada to the outstanding horses and people in Canadian Thoroughbred racing.The most prestigious award for horses is Sovereign Horse of the Year....
, named for his late father, and in 1996 he was inducted in the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 at the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario to honor those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and thoroughbred horse racing in Canada....
in the Builders category.
Charles Taylor died from cancer in 1997 at age 62.