Edward Taylor (MP for Canterbury)
Encyclopedia
Edward Taylor was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1807 to 1812.
Taylor was the son of Rev. Edward Taylor of Bifrons, Patrixbourne
, Kent and his wife Margaret Payler daughter of Thomas Turner Payler of Ileden, who died at Brussells in 1780. He had a small country house Rowling near Canterbury where he was visited in 1794 by the novelist Jane Austen
and her sister Cassandra. Austen became enamoured of Taylor, who had "such beautiful dark eyes", writing two years later "We went by Bifrons and I contemplated with a melancholy pleasure the abode of Him, on whom I once fondly doted." In 1800, Taylor was a captain in the Romney fencible
dragoon
s.
In 1807, Taylor was elected Member of Parliament
(MP) for Canterbury
. He held the seat to 1812.
Taylor died aged 68.
Taylor married Louisa Beckington, daughter of Rev. J C Beckington of Bourne, Kent in 1802. He was the brother of Lieutenant General Herbert Taylor who was MP for Windsor.
Taylor was the son of Rev. Edward Taylor of Bifrons, Patrixbourne
Patrixbourne
Patrixbourne is a small settlement within the civil parish of Bekesbourne-with-Patrixbourne in the Canterbury District of Kent, England. It is located approximately one mile south of Bekesbourne, on the River Nailbourne, a tributary of the Little Stour....
, Kent and his wife Margaret Payler daughter of Thomas Turner Payler of Ileden, who died at Brussells in 1780. He had a small country house Rowling near Canterbury where he was visited in 1794 by the novelist Jane Austen
Jane Austen
Jane Austen was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics.Austen lived...
and her sister Cassandra. Austen became enamoured of Taylor, who had "such beautiful dark eyes", writing two years later "We went by Bifrons and I contemplated with a melancholy pleasure the abode of Him, on whom I once fondly doted." In 1800, Taylor was a captain in the Romney fencible
Fencibles
The Fencibles were army regiments raised in the United Kingdom and in the colonies for defence against the threat of invasion during the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary Wars in the late 18th century...
dragoon
Dragoon
The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...
s.
In 1807, Taylor was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Canterbury
Canterbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Canterbury is a county constituency which has been represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom since 1918. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
. He held the seat to 1812.
Taylor died aged 68.
Taylor married Louisa Beckington, daughter of Rev. J C Beckington of Bourne, Kent in 1802. He was the brother of Lieutenant General Herbert Taylor who was MP for Windsor.