Edmund Taylor (New Zealand politician)

Taylor was born in Laneast in Cornwall, England, in 1855, the son of John Taylor, a prominent farmer. He studied in Liskeard to become a preacher of the Methodist church. His first placements were in Manchester, Birmingham, and Cheltenham.[1]

He emigrated to New Zealand in 1882 and became prominent in the temperance movement.[2] He was a member of the Thames Licensing Committee, and was at time secretary and president of the Prohibition League. On 8 July 1885, he married Charlotte "Lottie" Cropp, the eldest daughter of W. H. Cropp of Thames.[3] Her father, a long-term resident of Thames working as an engineer, was active in the Church of Christ.[4]

He stood for Parliament in the Thames electorate in 1890, but was defeated by Alfred Cadman[5][6] He tried again in subsequent elections in 1893,[7] 1896,[8] and 1899,[9][10] but was always beaten by James McGowan.[11]

He won the Thames electorate in a 1909 by-election after the resignation of McGowan,[12] but was defeated in the next election in 1911 by Thomas William Rhodes.[13] He contested the electorate again in 1914 but Rhodes remained successful.[14] He did not contest the 1919 election.[15]

He later moved to Western Springs near Auckland, where he lived in Springfield Road.[16] He was Reverend for the Congregational church in Morningside.[2]

He died in Cornwall while on a visit to England on 30 September 1927.[17] He was survived by his wife, Charlotte Taylor,[16] and two daughters.[2]