Taylor

The Taylors

My grandfather's ancestors basically all come from south Lincolnshire, sometimes venturing into Nottinghamshire and Cambridgeshire.

We can go back several generations, and we know quite a lot about my great great grandfather Joseph Wickham Taylor, who was apparently wealthy enough to have the following oil painting created. He was a trader of meat, mainly with Holland, and had his own boat, the Minerva, used to move cargo between the two countries.

He owned one of the nicest homes in Long Sutton, Minerva House, now the Conservative Club building there, and my grandfather and his six siblings were born in the home.

Joseph's son, my great grandfather, was the coal merchant in Long Sutton. Unfortunately, it seems, between 1900 and 1910 the introduction of household electricity made his industry redundant and he and all members of the family except the established eldest son, migrated to Adelaide.

That eldest son had in turn children who provide a continual link with England. I have good contact with Michael Taylor, who lives in Lincolnshire. He has come to Australia to watch the Test cricket while I have often visited him. Here we are seen walking his dog outside his home.