Thomas William Taylor

Who was Thomas William Taylor?

Thomas William Taylor was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served as the 13th Mayor of Winnipeg, and was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1900 to 1914. Taylor was a member of the Conservative Party.

Taylor was born in Portsmouth, England, and was educated in London, Ontario. He came to Winnipeg in 1877 and set up a bookbinding business two years letter. Taylor served as a Winnipeg alderman in 1892, was elected mayor 1893, and was re-elected without opposition in 1894. He was also the president of the Manitoba Rifle Association, and of the St. Andrew's Society. In religion, he was a member of the Church of England.

Taylor first ran for the Manitoba legislature in the 1896 provincial election, and lost to Liberal Peter McIntyre by 238 votes in Winnipeg North. He was first elected to the legislature in a by-election, held for Winnipeg Centre on November 1, 1900. Taylor defeated Liberal candidate Robert Muir by 157 votes, and served in the legislature as a backbench supporter of Rodmond Palen Roblin's administration. He was re-elected in the riding of Winnipeg Centre over the Liberal candidate, J.A. McArthur, in the elections of 1903 and 1907.