Matthew Taylor

Matthew Taylor (Leeds 2 February 1837– Arthington 9 July 1889) (fl. 1861–1889) was a sculptor based in Leeds and Arthington, West Yorkshire, England. He was apprenticed to Catherine Mawer, and was known in his day for bust, medallion and relief portraits, and statues. He exhibited some of these in Leeds Art Gallery during the last decade of his life. Between 1861 and 1876 he worked in partnership with Benjamin Burstall (1835–1876); they executed the sculpture on the Town Hall at Bolton in Greater Manchester. After Taylor's death, in 1905 his work received further recognition when Reverend W.T. Adey praised his carving on William Taylor's gravestone at Woodhouse Cemetery, Leeds, and named it the "Angler's Tomb." That work is now a listed monument. Taylor was a member of the Mawer Group, which included the above-mentioned sculptors, plus Robert Mawer, Charles Mawer, Benjamin Payler and William Ingle. Early life Matthew Taylor (Leeds 2 February 1837– Arthington 9 July 1889; fl. 1861–1889). His paternal grandfather was Matthew Taylor, a farmer, who married Elizabeth. His father was William Taylor (Grewelthorpe c.1793 – Leeds 24 May 1873); a joiner and carpenter who moved to Leeds as a young man and married there; he is buried at St George's Fields, Leeds. His mother was Hannah Fisher (Gildersome 1800 – Leeds 12 August 1883). Matthew was born in East Street, Leeds, and baptised at St Peter's, Leeds Parish Church, on 26 February 1837. The 1841 Census finds him, the fourth of five siblings, living with his parents at Queen's Place, Leeds. In 1851 the family was living at Back Claremont Place, Leeds; three children remain at home, and Matthew was still a scholar at age 14. In 1861 the family was living at 12 Tolson Street, Leeds, and Matthew was still with his parents and two siblings; he was now a sculptor at age 24. Apprenticeship He was apprenticed to Catherine Mawer from about 1851, alongside Benjamin Paylor. In 1856 Catherine summonsed him to Court for disobeying orders, but her case was dismissed. During this hearing, when he was nineteen years old, the Leeds Intelligencer described him as "exceedingly clever at his business." Assuming that he completed his apprenticeship at age 21, he could have been a top sculptor from 1858. It is not known whether he continued employment with Catherine Mawer during the next three years. From 1861 he ran his own business, carving busts and medallion portraits. and creating monumental sculpture.