suffrage_petition
Surname: 
Taylor
Given names: 
Edith P.
Given address: 
Wanganui
Sheet No: 467
Town/Suburb: 
Whanganui
City/Region: 
Whanganui
Notes: 

Edith Palmer TYLEE born 1 & chr. 24 April 1839  in Bathwick, Bath, Somerset, England

Parents: John Palmer, Chemist & Druggist of Bath, & Mary TYLEE

Edith was the second daughter – an older brother, John Tylee, had gone to Wanganui, NZ and became a friend of Rev. Richard Taylor who took over the Putiki CMS Mission Station, Wanganui, in 1843. Later Edith & Basil Kirke TAYLOR, Richard’s son, became engaged.

Edith sailed from Gravesend leaving 1 August 1863, and Basil met the sailing ship Queen of the Mersey when she reached Auckland on 26 November 1863, and took his betrothed to stay with Sir William & Lady Martin at Judge's Bay, Parnell. They were married on 3 Dec. 1863 by the Bishop of Waiapu at the nearby little St Stephen's Chapel. Edith wrote a diary of her voyage to NZ, and it has been published as a small booklet by Susan TAYLOR in 2005.

They had six children, and Edith, with very limited help, cared for the Mission folk at Putiki, Wanganui. Basil died aged 45 in 1876. Later she bought a home in Wanganui (9 Campbell St) called 'Cossington' and lived there until she died in 1914. For many years church and missionary folk stayed with Mrs Taylor at 'Cossington', and she was much loved by all who knew her.

For a long time she was Scripture Union Secretary for the Wanganui District, and that position was taken over by her younger son, Basil Maples Taylor. She was called 'Grannie', always dressed in black, and on her white hair she wore a circle of white lace - the custom for old ladies.

Edith P TAYLOR died on 25 October 1914, aged 75, at 9 Campbell St, Wanganui, of cardiac degeneration and inadequacy. Buried in Heads Road, Cemetery.

Submitted by Sylvia Edith Robertson (nee Taylor) – great-granddaughter

Sources

  • Family and Birth Certificate, England christenings
  • English Census
  • Edith’s Diary
  • Death Certificate

Image

Click on sheet number to see the 1893 petition sheet this signature appeared on. Digital copies of the sheets supplied by Archives New Zealand.

Community contributions

1 comment has been posted about Edith P. Taylor

What do you know?

J. Spencer nicholls

Posted: 16 May 2020

As a family member your information is great - my children cleaned Basil's

grave last week