Author: Tayler, John
Biography:
TAYLER, John (1806-32: findmypast.co.uk)
He may have been the John Taylor (sic) born on 26 July 1806 and baptised on 9 Nov., the son of Catherine Taylor, a single woman, of Corsham, Wiltshire. (Four Taylors subscribed to his volume but no Tayler and he may have adopted that name to suggest a connection with a more distinguished local family.) In the preface to Poetical Buds (1828) he gave 27 July 1827 as the end of his 21st year. He also claimed to be “a self-taught author” who only came to “learning” in 1824. He asked for charity from critics for lapses in spelling and grammar but was confident enough to declare that “The hills of Westbury seem to be the very nestling place of Poetry, when the breast is inspired with ideas which struggle to be expanded to melancholy themes”(vii). He also appears to have had some knowledge of music. His occupation is unknown. He may also have published (as John Taylor), The Sabbath Minstrel: A Collection of Original Hymns for Sunday Schools (1829) which was listed in New Publications by the Baptist Magazine in 1829, but no copy has been located. A further collection, The Sacred Songster, was announced in the GM in 1831 but it does not appear to have been published. Poetical Buds had almost 150 local subscribers and probably holds the key to further details of his life. He died on 23 Feb. 1832 at Corsham, aged 25, and was buried five days later at Corsham Independent Chapel. (findmypast.co.uk 30 Nov. 2022; Baptist Magazine Nov. 1829, 470; Berkshire Chronicle 3 Mar. 1832; GM Sept. 1831, 255, April 1832, 381) AA