Percy Taylor, Managing Director of Timothy Taylor’s Brewery and former Chairman of the Committee for the Keighley Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society, died on Saturday 28th February 1953.
He was born in 1871 to parents Timothy and Charlotte Taylor, who lived at Knowle Spring House. Timothy Taylor was the founder of Timothy Taylor’s Brewery. Percy Taylor lived his whole life at Knowle Spring House. The house had been built by his maternal grandfather, printer and publisher Robert Aked. The brewery was founded on Cook Lane in Keighley and operated from there throughout Timothy and Percy’s lifetimes.
Percy and his brother Robert Henry took over the running of the brewery following the death of their father in January 1898. They oversaw a considerable extension to the brewery in 1911. Robert died in 1931 but Percy continued as chairman until his death in 1953. According to ‘The Centenary Year of Timothy Taylor & Co. Ltd. (1858-1958)’: “Percy Taylor was an accomplished flautist, a good tennis player and chairman for many years of the Keighley Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society.” His wife, also, was a musician and sang with the Amateurs.
He was a founder member of the Keighley Orchestral Society in 1898, took part in the formation of the Keighley Music Club and was involved with the Keighley Clef Club. According to the Keighley News of 7th March 1953: “Few people had done more for the advancement of music in the district or for the development of the amateur dramatic movement than Mr Taylor. He became associated with the Keighley Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society on its re-formation in 1913, and held the chairmanship continuously for 23 years up to 1949. Much of the success of the Amateurs could be attributed to his enthusiasm and endeavour to give the public the best of shows. In 1938 he received the long service silver medal of the National Operatic and Dramatic Society. Since he resigned the chairmanship of the Keighley society in 1949 he had continued to serve as a member of the permanent committee.” His loss was noted on a page in the programme for the Amateurs’ production of ‘The Dancing Years’ in November 1953.
Percy’s funeral took place on Tuesday 3rd March 1953 and a service was held at Keighley Parish Church, attended by his widow and his son John Aked Taylor, licensees from various pubs owned by the brewery, business associates, and representatives from Keighley Orchestral Society, Keighley Music Club, Keighley Amateurs, Keighley Conservative Association and Keighley Lawn Tennis Club. Knowle Spring House was sold following Percy’s death. The brewery was relocated from Cook Lane to Knowle Park in the second-half of the 1950s.
Images taken from ‘The Centenary Year of Timothy Taylor & Co. Ltd. (1858-1958)’ and the KAODS programmes for ‘Florodora’ (1926), ‘The Rebel Maid’ (1932) and ‘The Dancing Years’ (1953). Researched and collated by Tim Neal.
