Tom Taylor (19 October 1817 – 12 July 1880) was an English

dramatist A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays, which are a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between characters and is intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. Ben Jonson coined the term "playwri ...

, critic, biographer, public servant, and editor of ''Punch'' magazine. Taylor had a brief academic career, holding the professorship of English literature and language at

University College, London University College London (Trade name, branded as UCL) is a Public university, public research university in London, England. It is a Member institutions of the University of London, member institution of the Federal university, federal Uni ...

in the 1840s, after which he practised law and became a civil servant. At the same time he became a journalist, most prominently as a contributor to, and eventually editor of, ''Punch'', a humour magazine. In addition to these vocations, Taylor began a theatre career and became best known as a playwright, with up to 100 plays staged during his career. Many were adaptations of French plays, but these and his original works cover a range from

farce Farce is a comedy that seeks to entertain an audience through situations that are highly exaggerated, extravagant, ridiculous, absurd, and improbable. Farce is also characterized by heavy use of physical comedy, physical humor; the use of delibe ...

melodrama A melodrama is a Drama, dramatic work in which plot, typically sensationalized for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodrama is "an exaggerated version of drama". Melodramas typically concentrate on ...

. Most fell into neglect after Taylor's death, but ''

Our American Cousin ''Our American Cousin'' is a three-act play by English playwright Tom Taylor. It is a farce featuring awkward, boorish American Asa Trenchard, who is introduced to his aristocratic English relatives when he goes to England to claim the family e ...

'' (1858), which achieved great success in the 19th century, remains famous as the piece that was being performed in the presence of

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

when he was

assassinated Assassination is the willful killing, by a sudden, secret, or planned attack, of a personespecially if prominent or important. It may be prompted by political, ideological, religious, financial, or military motives. Assassinations are orde ...

in 1865.

Life and career

Early years

Taylor was born into a newly wealthy family at

Bishopwearmouth Bishopwearmouth () is a former village and parish which now constitutes the west side of Sunderland City Centre, in the county of Tyne and Wear, England, merging with the settlement as it expanded outwards in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is ...

, a suburb of

Sunderland Sunderland () is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is a port at the mouth of the River Wear on the North Sea, approximately south-east of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is the most p ...

, in north-east England. He was the second son of Thomas Taylor (1769–1843) and his wife, Maria Josephina, ''née'' Arnold (1784–1858).Howes, Craig
"Taylor, Tom"
''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 3 January 2008 His father had begun as a labourer on a small farm in

Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is an area of North West England which was historically a county. The county was bordered by Northumberland to the north-east, County Durham to the east, Westmorland to the south-east, Lancashire to the south, and the Scottish ...

and had risen to become co-owner of a flourishing brewery in

Durham Durham most commonly refers to: *Durham, England, a cathedral city in north east England **County Durham, a ceremonial county which includes Durham *Durham, North Carolina, a city in North Carolina, United States Durham may also refer to: Places ...

. After attending the Grange School in Sunderland, and studying for two sessions at the

University of Glasgow The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals; ) is a Public university, public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the List of oldest universities in continuous ...

, Taylor became a student of

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any ...

in 1837, was elected to a

scholarship A scholarship is a form of Student financial aid, financial aid awarded to students for further education. Generally, scholarships are awarded based on a set of criteria such as academic merit, Multiculturalism, diversity and inclusion, athleti ...

in 1838, and graduated with a BA in both classics and mathematics.Profile of Taylor at the Turney site.
He was elected a fellow of the college in 1842 and received his MA degree the following year. Taylor left Cambridge in late 1844 and moved to London, where for the next two years he pursued three careers simultaneously. He was professor of English language and literature at

, while at the same time studying to become a

barrister A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdiction (area), jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include arguing cases in courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, jurisprud ...

, and beginning his life's work as a writer."Taylor, Tom''
''Dictionary of National Biography'' archive, accessed 1 October 2018 Taylor was

called to the bar The call to the bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received "call to ...

of the

Middle Temple The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known simply as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court entitled to Call to the bar, call their members to the English Bar as barristers, the others being the Inner Temple (with whi ...

in November 1846. He resigned his university post, and practised on the northern legal circuit until he was appointed assistant secretary of the

Board of Health A local board of health (or simply a ''local board'') was a local authority in urban areas of England and Wales from 1848 to 1894. They were formed in response to cholera epidemics and were given powers to control sewers, clean the streets, regulat ...

in 1850. On the reconstruction of the board in 1854 he was made secretary, and on its abolition in 1858 his services were transferred to a department of the

Home Office The Home Office (HO), also known (especially in official papers and when referred to in Parliament) as the Home Department, is the United Kingdom's interior ministry. It is responsible for public safety and policing, border security, immigr ...

, retiring on a pension in 1876.

Writer

Taylor owed his fame and most of his income not to his academic, legal or government work, but to his writing. Soon after moving to London, he obtained remunerative work as a leader writer for 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 ...

'' and the '' Daily News''. He was also art critic for ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...

'' and ''

The Graphic ''The Graphic'' was a British weekly illustrated newspaper, first published on 4 December 1869 by William Luson Thomas's company, Illustrated Newspapers Ltd with Thomas's brother, Lewis Samuel Thomas, as a co-founder. The Graphic was set up as ...

'' for many years. He edited the ''Autobiography of B. R. Haydon'' (1853), the ''Autobiography and Correspondence of C. R. Leslie, R.A.'' (1860) and ''Pen Sketches from a Vanished Hand'', selected from papers of

Mortimer Collins Edward James Mortimer Collins (29 June 1827 – 28 July 1876) was an English novelist, journalist and poet. Some of his lyrics, with their "light grace, their sparkling wit and their airy philosophy", were described in the 1911 ''Encyclopædia B ...

, and wrote ''Life and Times of Sir

Joshua Reynolds Sir Joshua Reynolds (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792) was an English painter who specialised in portraits. The art critic John Russell (art critic), John Russell called him one of the major European painters of the 18th century, while Lucy P ...

'' (1865). With his first contribution to '' Punch'', on 19 October 1844, Taylor began a thirty-six year association with the weekly humour and satire magazine, which ended only with his death. During the 1840s he wrote on average three columns a month; in the 1850s and 1860s this output doubled. His biographer Craig Howes writes that Taylor's articles were generally humorous commentary or comic verses on politics, civic news, and the manners of the day. In 1874 he succeeded Charles William Shirley Brooks as editor. Taylor also established himself as a playwright and eventually produced about 100 plays."Tom Taylor", ''The Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes (1907–21)'' (Volume XIII. ''The Victorian Age'', Part One. VIII. Nineteenth-Century Drama, § 10
/ref> Between 1844 and 1846, the Lyceum Theatre staged at least seven of his plays, including extravanzas written with Albert Smith or

Charles Kenney Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was ...

, and his first major success, the 1846

''To Parents and Guardians''. ''

The Morning Post ''The Morning Post'' was a conservative daily newspaper published in London from 1772 to 1937, when it was acquired by ''The Daily Telegraph''. History The paper was founded by John Bell. According to historian Robert Darnton, ''The Morning ...

'' said of that piece, "The writing is admirable throughout – neat, natural and epigrammatic". It was as a dramatist that Taylor made the most impression – his biographer in the ''

Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...

'' (''DNB'') wrote that in writing plays Taylor found his true vocation. In thirty-five years he wrote more than seventy plays for the principal London theatres. Ticket of leave man - Weir Collection

A substantial portion of Taylor's prolific output consisted of adaptations from the French or collaborations with other playwrights, notably

Charles Reade Charles Reade (8 June 1814 – 11 April 1884) was a British novelist and dramatist, best known for the 1861 historical novel '' The Cloister and the Hearth''. Life Charles Reade was born at Ipsden, Oxfordshire, to John Reade and Anne Marie Sco ...

. Some of his plots were adapted from the novels of

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English novelist, journalist, short story writer and Social criticism, social critic. He created some of literature's best-known fictional characters, and is regarded by ...

or others. Many of Taylor's plays were extremely popular, such as ''

Masks and Faces ''Masks and Faces'' is a 1917 British silent biographical film directed by Fred Paul and starring Johnston Forbes-Robertson, Irene Vanbrugh and Henry S. Irving. The film depicts episodes from the life of the eighteenth-century Irish actress Pe ...

'', an extravaganza written in collaboration with Reade, produced at the

Haymarket Theatre The Theatre Royal Haymarket (also known as Haymarket Theatre or the Little Theatre) is a West End theatre in Haymarket, London, Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in ...

in November 1852. It was followed by the almost equally successful ''To Oblige Benson'' (

Olympic Theatre Olympic Theater or Olympic Theatre may refer to: * Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Australia, formerly Coppin's Olympic Theatre * National Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, converted to and renamed Olympic Theater in 1873 * Olympic Theatre (London), En ...

, 1854), an adaptation from a French vaudeville. Others mentioned by the ''DNB'' are ''Plot and Passion'' (1853), ''Still Waters Run Deep'' (1855) and '' The Ticket-of-Leave Man'' (based on ''Le Retour de Melun'' by

Édouard Brisebarre Edouard-Louis-Alexandre Brisebarre (Paris 12 February 1815 – 17 December 1871 10th arrondissement of ParisArchives numérisées de la Ville de Paris, état-civil du 10ème arrondissement, registre des décès de 1871, acte n° 8643, vue 9/3/ref>) ...

and Eugène Nus), a

produced at the Olympic in 1863. Taylor also wrote a series of historical dramas (many in

blank verse Blank verse is poetry written with regular metre (poetry), metrical but rhyme, unrhymed lines, usually in iambic pentameter. It has been described as "probably the most common and influential form that English poetry has taken since the 16th cen ...

), including ''The Fool’s Revenge'' (1869), an adaption of

Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo, vicomte Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romanticism, Romantic author, poet, essayist, playwright, journalist, human rights activist and politician. His most famous works are the novels ''The Hunchbac ...

's '' Le roi s'amuse'' (also adapted by

Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi ( ; ; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto, a small town in the province of Parma, to a family of moderate means, recei ...

as ''

Rigoletto ''Rigoletto'' is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the 1832 play '' Le roi s'amuse'' by Victor Hugo. Despite serious initial problems with the Austrian censors who had c ...

''), Twixt Axe and Crown'' (1870), ''Jeanne d'arc'' (1871), ''Lady Clancarty'' (1874) and ''Anne Boleyn'' (1875). The last of these, produced at the Haymarket in 1875, was Taylor's penultimate piece and only complete failure. In 1871 Taylor supplied the words to

Arthur Sullivan Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan (13 May 1842 – 22 November 1900) was an English composer. He is best known for 14 comic opera, operatic Gilbert and Sullivan, collaborations with the dramatist W. S. Gilbert, including ''H.M.S. Pinaf ...

's dramatic

cantata A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian language, Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal music, vocal Musical composition, composition with an musical instrument, instrumental accompaniment, ty ...

, '' On Shore and Sea''. Like his colleague

W. S. Gilbert Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 – 29 May 1911) was an English dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his collaboration with composer Arthur Sullivan, which produced fourteen comic operas. The most fam ...

, Taylor believed that plays should be readable as well as actable; he followed Gilbert in having copies of his plays printed for public sale. Both authors did so at some risk, because it made matters easy for American pirates of their works in the days before international copyright protection. Taylor wrote, "I have no wish to screen myself from literary criticism behind the plea that my plays were meant to be acted. It seems to me that every drama submitted to the judgment of audiences should be prepared to encounter that of readers". Many of Taylor's plays were extremely popular, and several survived into the 20th century, although most are largely forgotten today. His ''

'' (1858) is now remembered chiefly as the play

was attending when he was assassinated, but it was revived many times during the 19th century with great success. It became celebrated as a vehicle for the popular comic actor

Edward Sothern Edward Askew Sothern (1 April 182620 January 1881) was an English actor known for his comic roles in Britain and America, particularly Lord Dundreary in ''Our American Cousin''. He was also known for his many practical jokes. Life and career ...

, and after his death, his sons, Lytton and

E. H. Sothern Edward Hugh Sothern (December 6, 1859 – October 28, 1933) was an American actor who specialized in dashing, romantic leading roles and particularly in William Shakespeare, Shakespeare roles. Biography Sothern was born in New Orleans, Louisian ...

, took over the part in revivals."Our American Cousin", ''The Era'', 24 October 24, 1885, p. 8; and "Mr. E. H. Sothern", ''The Times'', 30 October 1933, p. 17

Personal life

Howes records that Taylor was described as "of middle height, bearded

ith The Ith () is a ridge in Germany's Central Uplands which is up to 439 m high. It lies about 40 km southwest of Hanover and, at 22 kilometers, is the longest line of crags in North Germany. Geography Location The Ith is i ...

a pugilistic jaw and eyes which glittered like steel". Known for his remarkable energy, he was a keen swimmer and rower, who rose daily at five or six and wrote for three hours before taking an hour's brisk walk from his house in

Wandsworth Wandsworth Town () is a district of south London, within the London Borough of Wandsworth southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. Toponymy Wandsworth takes its name ...

to his

Whitehall Whitehall is a road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London, England. The road forms the first part of the A roads in Zone 3 of the Great Britain numbering scheme, A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea, London, Chelsea. It ...

office. Some, like

Ellen Terry Dame Alice Ellen Terry (27 February 184721 July 1928) was a leading English actress of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born into a family of actors, Terry began performing as a child, acting in Shakespeare plays in London, and toured ...

, praised Taylor's kindness and generosity; others, including F. C. Burnand, found him obstinate and unforgiving. Terry wrote of Taylor in her memoirs: Terry's frequent stage partner,

Henry Irving Sir Henry Irving (6 February 1838 – 13 October 1905), christened John Henry Brodribb, sometimes known as J. H. Irving, was an English stage actor in the Victorian era, known as an actor-manager because he took complete responsibility ( ...

said that Taylor was an exception to the general rule that it was helpful, even though not essential, for a dramatist to be an actor to understand the techniques of stagecraft: "There is no dramatic author who more thoroughly understands his business". In 1855 Taylor married the composer, musician and artist Laura Wilson Barker (1819–1905). She contributed music to at least one of his plays, an overture and entr'acte to ''Joan of Arc'' (1871), and harmonisations to his translation ''Ballads and Songs of Brittany'' (1865). There were two children: the artist John Wycliffe Taylor (1859–1925) and Laura Lucy Arnold Taylor (1863–1940). Taylor and his family lived at 84 Lavender Sweep,

Battersea Battersea is a large district in southwest London, part of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is centred southwest of Charing Cross and also extends along the south bank of the Thames Tideway. It includes the Battersea Park. Hist ...

, where they held Sunday musical soirees. Celebrities who attended included

Lewis Carroll Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898), better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, poet, mathematician, photographer and reluctant Anglicanism, Anglican deacon. His most notable works are ''Alice ...

, Henry Irving,

Alfred Tennyson Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson (; 6 August 1809 – 6 October 1892) was an English poet. He was the Poet Laureate during much of Queen Victoria's reign. In 1829, Tennyson was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal at Cambridge for one of ...

, Ellen Terry and

William Makepeace Thackeray William Makepeace Thackeray ( ; 18 July 1811 – 24 December 1863) was an English novelist and illustrator. He is known for his Satire, satirical works, particularly his 1847–1848 novel ''Vanity Fair (novel), Vanity Fair'', a panoramic portra ...

. Taylor died suddenly at his home in 1880 at the age of 62 and is buried in

Brompton Cemetery Brompton Cemetery (originally the West of London and Westminster Cemetery) is since 1852 the first (and only) London cemetery to be Crown Estate, Crown property, managed by The Royal Parks, in West Brompton in the Royal Borough of Kensington a ...

. After his death, his widow retired to Coleshill, Buckinghamshire, where she died on 22 May 1905.Stratton, Stephen S
"''Nicolo Paganini: His Life and Work''"
(2022)

Selected bibliography

*''Valentine and Orson'', 1844 *''Whittington and his Cat'', 1844 *''Cinderella'', 1844 *''A Trip to Kissingen'', 1844 *''To Parents and Guardians'', 1845 *''Diogenes and his Lantern'', 1849 *''The Vicar of Wakefield'', 1850 *''The Philosopher's Stone'', 1850 *''Prince Dorus'', 1850 *''Our Clerks'', 1852 *''Wittikind and his Brothers'', 1852 *''Plot and Passion'', 1853 *''A Nice Firm'', 1853 *''Masks and Faces'', 1854 *''To Oblige Benson'', 1854 *''Two Loves and a Life'', 1854 *''Still Waters Run Deep'', 1855 *''The King's Rival'', 1855 *''Helping Hands'', 1855 *''Retribution'', 1856 *''Victims'', 1857 *''A Sheep in Wolf's Clothing'', 1857 *''An Unequal Match'', 1857 *''Our American Cousin'', 1858 *''Going to the Bad'', 1858 *''New Men and Old Acres'', 1859 *''A Tale of Two Cities'', 1859 *''Barefaced Impostors'', 1859 *''The Contested Election'', 1859 *''Nine Points of the Law'', 1859 *''The Overland Route'', 1860 *''Up at the Hills'', 1860 *''The Babes in the Wood'', 1860 *''The Ticket-of-leave Man'', 1863 *''Sense and Sensation'', 1864 *''Henry Dunbar'', 1865 *''The Sister's Penance'', 1866 *''The Fool's Revenge'', 1869 *''Mary Warner'', 1869 *''The Babes in the Wood'', 1870 *''Twixt Axe and Crown'', 1870 *''The Hidden Hand'', 1870 *''Joan of Arc'', 1871 *''Arkwright’s Wife'', 1873 *''Lady Clancarty'', 1874 *''Anne Boleyn'', 1875 *''Settling Day'', 1877 :Source: ''Dictionary of National Biography''.

Notes

Sources

* *

External links

* * * * *
Lacy's Acting Edition of Victorian Plays

* The ttp://archiveshub.ac.uk/data/gb71-thm/223 Tom Taylor Collectionat the

Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (abbreviated V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Tom 1817 births 1880 deaths 19th-century English dramatists and playwrights 19th-century English male writers Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge Burials at Brompton Cemetery English male dramatists and playwrights Writers from Sunderland People associated with Gilbert and Sullivan Punch (magazine) people