John Taylor (Unitarian Hymn Writer)
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John Taylor (30 July 1750 – 23 June 1826) was an entrepreneur, poet and composer of both
secular Secularity, also the secular or secularness (from Latin , or or ), is the state of being unrelated or neutral in regards to religion. The origins of secularity can be traced to the Bible itself. The concept was fleshed out through Christian hi ...
(political) songs and
hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' d ...
s from
Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of the county of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. It lies by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. The population of the Norwich ...
, England. Chambers of Worcester, John (1829). ''A General History of the County of Norfolk: Intended to Convey All the Information of a Norfolk Tour,'' 1252–1253. Printed by and for J. Stacy.


Early life

John Taylor was born to Richard (1719–1762) and Margaret Taylor (née Meadows, 1718–1781), and was baptised in the parish of St. George's Colegate, Norwich. Richard Taylor was a local manufacturer and son of Dr. John Taylor.Taylor, Edward (1826). Obituary – Mr. John Taylor. ''The Monthly Repository of Theology and General Literature'' vol xxi, 482–494. At age eight, Taylor was sent to study with a businessman in the village of Hindolveston. Shortly after his father's death in 1762 he returned home to assist his mother with her affairs.


Career

Taylor returned to business three years later with an apprenticeship to two local manufacturers until 1768, when he left Norwich for a job as a bank-clerk in London, at Dinsdale, Archer and Ryde. It was during this time that he contributed occasional poetical pieces to the ''
Morning Chronicle ''The Morning Chronicle'' was a newspaper founded in 1769 in London. It was notable for having been the first steady employer of essayist William Hazlitt as a political reporter and the first steady employer of Charles Dickens as a journalist. It ...
'', one of which was entitled ''Verses written on the back of a Bank Note'', a humorous look at the cashiers working the principal banking houses. In 1773 he returned to Norwich and joined his brother Richard in the business of yarn manufacture. Four years later saw his marriage to Susanna, and the following year saw the beginnings of his work for the church. Taylor was first chosen to be a deacon, and went on to become treasurer of the church's benefactions. Taylor also oversaw the funding of local schools and his business expertise led to an increase in their funds. In 1781 he was elected to the
Board of Guardians Boards of guardians were ''ad hoc'' authorities that administered Poor Law in the United Kingdom from 1835 to 1930. England and Wales Boards of guardians were created by the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, replacing the parish overseers of the po ...
, an organisation responsible for administering and distributing funds of parish
workhouses In Britain and Ireland, a workhouse (, lit. "poor-house") was a total institution where those unable to support themselves financially were offered accommodation and employment. In Scotland, they were usually known as poorhouses. The earliest ...
, places where people who were unable to support themselves could go to live and work. While on the board, Taylor set about training the paupers of Norwich to spin yarn, earning many thousand pounds for the parish. In 1784, having restored the family fortunes, Taylor and his first cousin, surgeon Philip Meadows Martineau, took an active part in the foundation of the Norwich Public Library.


Politics

He developed an interest in local politics, joining the Whig party as a radical reformer, emerging as their leader in Norwich. He made social contact with HRH
Duke of Sussex Duke of Sussex is a substantive title, one of several Royal dukedoms in the United Kingdom, royal dukedoms in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It is a hereditary title of a specific rank of nobility in the British royal family. It has been c ...
, the Duke of Albemarle, and Mr Coke, Squire of Holkham Hall (later Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester), who was nationally known as an agriculturalist. Taylor first sung his song ''The Trumpet of Liberty'' at the famous Whig banquet at
Holkham Hall Holkham Hall ( or ) is an 18th-century English country house, country house near the village of Holkham, Norfolk, England, constructed in the Neo-Palladian style for Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester (fifth creation), Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of ...
on 5 November, 1788 to celebrate the centenary of the
English Revolution The English Revolution is a term that has been used to describe two separate events in English history. Prior to the 20th century, it was generally applied to the 1688 Glorious Revolution, when James II was deposed and a constitutional monarc ...
. The Duke of Sussex "called on Taylor" to sing his song again on January 20, 1820 at "a great public dinner at St Andrews Hall, Norwich". On this occasion, "old John Taylor of Norwich" was reluctant to perform: "No please your Royal Highness, you know I got into trouble before". However, the prince responded, "Never fear, my back is broad enough to protect you" and then lead the chorus of Taylor's song.


Illness and death

Starting around 1802, Taylor was afflicted by severe pains resulting from
gout Gout ( ) is a form of inflammatory arthritis characterized by recurrent attacks of pain in a red, tender, hot, and Joint effusion, swollen joint, caused by the deposition of needle-like crystals of uric acid known as monosodium urate crysta ...
. He wrote the following about his illness: Taylor suffered many years of illness and found himself bedridden for a time. In the 1810s he regained some strength and by 1814 he contributed a selection of hymns for the congregation of the Octagon Chapel, a Chapel which his father had helped to build and maintain. While Taylor was being driven by horse and carriage with his son Philip, the horse was spooked, causing its driver and passengers to be thrown on the road. Taylor lost consciousness and was returned to his son Philip's house at
Halesowen Halesowen ( ) is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the county of the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Historic counties of England, Historically an exclave of Shropshire and, from 1844, in Worcestershire, ...
; he did eventually regain consciousness, although he could not speak. Taylor had begun to regain his speech when he took another turn for the worse and he died on 23 June 1826 at Halesowen.


Works

Amongst his various business duties Taylor also found time to express himself on paper: * In 1784, inspired by a family reunion, he wrote his first family song; his song so pleased the attendees that it became regular practice for him to pen verses for festive gatherings. * In 1788 Taylor wrote ''The Trumpet of Liberty'', perhaps his best known work; on 5 November of that year Taylor sang this piece at a public dinner celebrating the first anniversary of the French Revolution. * In 1790 he contributed poetry to ''The Norwich Cabinet'', a
radical Radical (from Latin: ', root) may refer to: Politics and ideology Politics *Classical radicalism, the Radical Movement that began in late 18th century Britain and spread to continental Europe and Latin America in the 19th century *Radical politics ...
political publication which also featured poems by Amelia Opie. In 1797 he also began to compile the history of the local
Octagon In geometry, an octagon () is an eight-sided polygon or 8-gon. A '' regular octagon'' has Schläfli symbol and can also be constructed as a quasiregular truncated square, t, which alternates two types of edges. A truncated octagon, t is a ...
congregation.


Family

In 1777, John married Susannah Cook, daughter of John Cook. Their home became the centre of a radical social gathering. Guests included
Sir James Mackintosh Sir James Mackintosh FRS FRSE (24 October 1765 – 30 May 1832) was a Scottish jurist, Whig politician and Whig historian. His studies and sympathies embraced many interests. He was trained as a doctor and barrister, and worked also as a jo ...
, Sir James Edward Smith the botanist,
Henry Crabb Robinson Henry Crabb Robinson (13 May 1775 – 5 February 1867) was an English lawyer, remembered as a diarist. He took part in founding London University. Life Robinson was born in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, as the third and youngest son of Henry Robin ...
the barrister,
Robert Southey Robert Southey (; 12 August 1774 – 21 March 1843) was an English poet of the Romantic poetry, Romantic school, and Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, Poet Laureate from 1813 until his death. Like the other Lake Poets, William Wordsworth an ...
, poet laureate, and Cecilia Windham, wife of William Windham. Others to be found there were William Enfield, and some early supporters of the French Revolution:
Edward Rigby Edward Coke MC (5 February 1879 – 5 April 1951), known professionally as Edward Rigby, was a British character actor. Early life Rigby was born at Ashford, Kent, England, the second son of Dr William Harriott Coke and his wife, Mary Elizabe ...
, James Alderson, his daughter Amelia and her husband artist
John Opie John Opie (16 May 1761 – 9 April 1807) was a British painter whose subjects included many prominent men and women of his day, members of the British royal family and others who were notable in the artistic and literary professions. Early ca ...
who painted for Taylor a portrait of Robert Southey. John and Susannah raised seven children. Meticulous keepers of accounts, they drilled their children to be honest, to avoid debt, and to take control of their business dealings. Their sons were successful and prominent in learned societies. The children were: *
John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...
(1779–1863); *
Richard Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language">Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'st ...
(1781–1858); *
Edward Edward is an English male name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortunate; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-S ...
(1784–1863); *
Philip Philip, also Phillip, is a male name derived from the Macedonian Old Koine language, Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominen ...
(1786–1870); * Susan (b. 1788), married Henry Reeve; * Arthur (b. 1790), a printer and FSA, author of ''The Glory of Regality'' (London, 1820), and ''Papers in relation to the Antient Topography of the Eastern Counties'' (London, 1869). *
Sarah Sarah (born Sarai) is a biblical matriarch, prophet, and major figure in Abrahamic religions. While different Abrahamic faiths portray her differently, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all depict her character similarly, as that of a pious woma ...
, wife of John Austin the jurist.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, John 1750 births 1826 deaths English hymnwriters Writers from Norwich English Unitarians