William Cooke Taylor
Encyclopedia
William Cooke Taylor, Writer, Journalist, Historian and Anti-Corn Law propagandist. Born at Youghal
on 16 April 1800 and died at 20 Herbert Street, Dublin on 12 September 1849.
Through his mother he claimed descent from the regicide John Cooke.
He is best known for two works The Natural History of Society (1841) and Factories and the Factory System (1844). In the early 1840s he toured the northern English industrial centres and wrote considerably for the Anti-Corn Law
League and his observations of the factories of Manchester and Bolton provide a first hand account of the depression at that time. In 1843 he became the editor of Anti-Corn Law’s ‘The League’. He was extremely hostile to chartism
and his defence of child labour in factories (on the grounds that it was preferable to starvation) attracted much hostile criticism.
He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin
and gained a BA in 1825 and an LL.D in 1835. In 1829 he moved to London and began to contribute regularly to journals such as the Athenaeum
of which he was deputy editor, Bentley’s Miscellany and The Art Journal
. In London he worked as a writer for hire or, as his obituary puts it, "a writer for his daily bread". He published profusely throughout his career, writing on religion, history and a number of biographies, most notably that of Sir Robert Peel
.
In Irish politics Taylor was a Whig, fiercely critical of the Penal Laws
and supporting Catholic emancipation
, but believing that continued union with Britain would bring about rapid political and economic modernisation. He was a strong advocate of the professedly non-denominational National School system, and his economic and religious views were heavily influenced by Richard Whately
. Cooke Taylor was on friendly terms with Thomas Davis
, whom he respected as a fellow-Trinity graduate, but in 1847-8 he engaged in government-sponsored journalism denouncing the Young Irelanders as communists, and was accused by Charles Gavan Duffy
of having been hired to defame his country. This was unjust; while Taylor worked as a hired pen, it was for causes that he believed in.
He returned to Ireland for the last two years of his life where he worked as a statistician
for the Irish Government before he died of cholera
in 1849.
He was the son of Richard Taylor, a Youghal manufacturer and he married Marianne Taylor, his first cousin. He had four children, three girls and a boy, Richard Whateley Cook Taylor, a factory inspector who also went on to write about the factory system in his book Introduction to a history of the factory system.
Youghal
Youghal is a town in County Cork, Ireland. Sitting on the estuary of the River Blackwater, in the past it was militarily and economically important. Being built on the edge of a steep riverbank, the town has a distinctive long and narrow layout...
on 16 April 1800 and died at 20 Herbert Street, Dublin on 12 September 1849.
Through his mother he claimed descent from the regicide John Cooke.
He is best known for two works The Natural History of Society (1841) and Factories and the Factory System (1844). In the early 1840s he toured the northern English industrial centres and wrote considerably for the Anti-Corn Law
Corn Laws
The Corn Laws were trade barriers designed to protect cereal producers in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland against competition from less expensive foreign imports between 1815 and 1846. The barriers were introduced by the Importation Act 1815 and repealed by the Importation Act 1846...
League and his observations of the factories of Manchester and Bolton provide a first hand account of the depression at that time. In 1843 he became the editor of Anti-Corn Law’s ‘The League’. He was extremely hostile to chartism
Chartism
Chartism was a movement for political and social reform in the United Kingdom during the mid-19th century, between 1838 and 1859. It takes its name from the People's Charter of 1838. Chartism was possibly the first mass working class labour movement in the world...
and his defence of child labour in factories (on the grounds that it was preferable to starvation) attracted much hostile criticism.
He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
and gained a BA in 1825 and an LL.D in 1835. In 1829 he moved to London and began to contribute regularly to journals such as the Athenaeum
Athenaeum (magazine)
The Athenaeum was a literary magazine published in London from 1828 to 1921. It had a reputation for publishing the very best writers of the age....
of which he was deputy editor, Bentley’s Miscellany and The Art Journal
The Art Journal
The Art Journal, published in London, was the most important Victorian magazine on art. It was founded in 1839 by Hodgson & Graves, print publishers, 6 Pall Mall, with the title the Art Union Monthly Journal, the first issue of 750 copies appearing 15 February 1839.Hodgson & Graves hired Samuel...
. In London he worked as a writer for hire or, as his obituary puts it, "a writer for his daily bread". He published profusely throughout his career, writing on religion, history and a number of biographies, most notably that of Sir Robert Peel
Robert Peel
Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet was a British Conservative statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 December 1834 to 8 April 1835, and again from 30 August 1841 to 29 June 1846...
.
In Irish politics Taylor was a Whig, fiercely critical of the Penal Laws
Penal Laws (Ireland)
The term Penal Laws in Ireland were a series of laws imposed under English and later British rule that sought to discriminate against Roman Catholics and Protestant dissenters in favour of members of the established Church of Ireland....
and supporting Catholic emancipation
Catholic Emancipation
Catholic emancipation or Catholic relief was a process in Great Britain and Ireland in the late 18th century and early 19th century which involved reducing and removing many of the restrictions on Roman Catholics which had been introduced by the Act of Uniformity, the Test Acts and the penal laws...
, but believing that continued union with Britain would bring about rapid political and economic modernisation. He was a strong advocate of the professedly non-denominational National School system, and his economic and religious views were heavily influenced by Richard Whately
Richard Whately
Richard Whately was an English rhetorician, logician, economist, and theologian who also served as the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin.-Life and times:...
. Cooke Taylor was on friendly terms with Thomas Davis
Thomas Davis
-Politicians:*Thomas Davis , Irish-American member of United States House of Representatives*Thomas Aspinwall Davis , American Mayor of Boston in 1845*Thomas Beall Davis , U.S. Representative from West Virginia...
, whom he respected as a fellow-Trinity graduate, but in 1847-8 he engaged in government-sponsored journalism denouncing the Young Irelanders as communists, and was accused by Charles Gavan Duffy
Charles Gavan Duffy
Additional Reading*, Allen & Unwin, 1973.*John Mitchel, A Cause Too Many, Aidan Hegarty, Camlane Press.*Thomas Davis, The Thinker and Teacher, Arthur Griffith, M.H. Gill & Son 1922....
of having been hired to defame his country. This was unjust; while Taylor worked as a hired pen, it was for causes that he believed in.
He returned to Ireland for the last two years of his life where he worked as a statistician
Statistician
A statistician is someone who works with theoretical or applied statistics. The profession exists in both the private and public sectors. The core of that work is to measure, interpret, and describe the world and human activity patterns within it...
for the Irish Government before he died of cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
in 1849.
He was the son of Richard Taylor, a Youghal manufacturer and he married Marianne Taylor, his first cousin. He had four children, three girls and a boy, Richard Whateley Cook Taylor, a factory inspector who also went on to write about the factory system in his book Introduction to a history of the factory system.
Sources
- McCord, N (1958). The Anti-Corn Law League, 1838-1846 pp. 185-6
- Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland Journal, 1861, p263
- Patrick Maume introduction to 2004 UCD Press reprint of Taylor's Memoir of Daniel O'Connell.