Richard Molesworth Taylor

Richard Molesworth Taylor (1835 – 26 August 1919), also known as Sydenham Taylor, was a three-term New Zealand Member of Parliament. Born in London in 1835, he moved to Auckland on the Heather Bell in 1846. He travelled to Victoria in 1851, and later to New South Wales and participated in the gold rush before returning to Auckland in 1857. There he briefly joined the militia, serving in the New Zealand Wars, before becoming a government contractor. In 1869 he moved to Canterbury, working as a general contractor until becoming a Member of Parliament in 1886.[1]

Richard Molesworth Taylor
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Sydenham
In office
1886–1890
Preceded byWilliam White
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for City of Christchurch
In office
1890–1893
Serving with William Pember Reeves, Westby Perceval (1890 – 91) and Ebenezer Sandford (1891 – 1893)
Succeeded byWilliam Whitehouse Collins
Personal details
Born1835
London, England
Died (aged 85)
Wellington, New Zealand
Spouse
Laura Augusta Gray
​
​
(m. 1887; died 1903)​

Member of Parliament
New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
1886–1887 9th Sydenham Independent
1887–1890 10th Sydenham Independent
1890–1893 11th Christchurch Independent

William White resigned his Sydenham seat in Parliament in March 1886 on medical advice.[2] Taylor successfully contested the subsequent by-election on 12 May, gaining 438 votes against John Lee Scott (418), Samuel Paull Andrews (230) and S. G. Jolly (2).[3]

At the 1887 general election, Taylor contested the electorate against John Crewes.[4] They received 766 and 392 votes respectively, so Taylor entered the 10th New Zealand Parliament.[5]

The Sydenham electorate was abolished in 1890 so Taylor contested the City of Christchurch electorate instead, winning the third highest number of votes in the three-member electorate.[6] He unsuccessfully contested the 1893[7] and 1896[8] general elections, and the 1896 by-election.[9][10]

Private life

Taylor was married in 1887 to Laura Augusta Gray (born ca. 1832), a daughter of S. F. Gray of London. She died on 21 December 1903 at their home in Waltham Road, Sydenham, aged 69.[11]

Taylor died in Wellington on 26 August 1919,[12][13][14] and was buried at Karori Cemetery.[15]

References
  1. "Mr. Richard Molesworth Taylor". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand - Canterbury Provincial District. Christchurch: The Cyclopedia Company Limited. 1903. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
  2. "The Sydenham Electorate". The Star. No. 5580. 30 March 1886. p. 3. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  3. "The Sydenham Election". The Star. No. 5617. 13 May 1886. p. 3. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  4. "Sydenham". The Star. No. 6036. 19 September 1887. p. 3. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  5. "Sydenham". The Star. No. 6043. 27 September 1887. p. 3. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  6. "General elections". The Star. No. 7029. 6 December 1890. p. 4. Retrieved 20 March 2010.
  7. "The Elections". Vol. XXXVII, no. 7800. Colonist. 29 November 1893. p. 3. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  8. "Other Electorates". Vol. XXXI, no. 284. Marlborough Express. 5 December 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  9. "The Christchurch Election". The Star. No. 5489. 14 February 1896. pp. Page 2. Retrieved 11 March 2010.
  10. "Christchurch Election". Vol. XXXII, no. 3241. Hawera & Normanby Star. 14 February 1896. pp. Page 2. Retrieved 11 March 2010.
  11. "DEATH". The Star. No. 7890. 21 December 1903. p. 3. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  12. "House of Representatives". Vol. XL, no. 9897. Ashburton Guardian. 30 August 1919. p. 5. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  13. "Deaths". Evening Post. 26 August 1919. p. 1. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  14. "Obituary". The Star. No. 12729. 26 August 1919. p. 5. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  15. "Cemeteries search". Wellington City Council. 12 July 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
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