Lancashire player number 91 - Taylor, Frank by Don Ambrose

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Player:

F Taylor

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Lancashire 1874-88.
Born: 4.5.1855 Rochdale, Lancashire.
Died: 14.8.1936 Heald Green, Cheadle, Cheshire.

 

The son of S.Taylor of Rochdale he was educated at Clifton College, where he was a member of the cricket eleven. He scored 98 not out for the College against Cheltenham in 1872 and in the following year scored 60 against Cheltenham and then 33 not out against MCC at Lord's. 6ft 2in tall, he was a sound and careful batsman and his success in school matches led to him being selected for Gloucestershire in three matches in 1873, his last year at Clifton. Back home in Rochdale he was a holiday member of the Rochdale Club, but opted to throw in his lot with the newly formed Castleton Club. In 1874 he was selected to play for his native county for the first time against Yorkshire at Old Trafford, scoring 0 and 2. There was a three day match between a Lancashire XI and a Yorkshire XI played that season at Rochdale on 13,14 and 15 August 1874, not considered first-class as Yorkshire had a team playing against Gloucestershire at Clifton at the time! Taylor opened the Lancashire innings and top-scored with 36 of his teams total of 153. Yorkshire replied with 66 and then rain brought the match to an end.

 

In total he played fifty-two times for Lancashire in first-class matches, with a top score of 96 against Oxford University in 1883. He continued to play on for many years with the Castleton Club, scoring centuries against many strong club sides.

 

In business he was a cotton spinner and at the time of the 1881 Census was aged 25 and unmarried, living at 191 Drake Street, Castleton, with his two unmarried sisters, Mary Frances aged 22 and Ellen Gertrude aged 20, and his two brothers Marshall aged 16 and Herbert aged 12, all born at Rochdale. There was a visitor and two domestic servants.

 

By the time of the 1901 Census he was at 194 Drake Street, aged 45 and still unmarried, living with his unmarried sister Ellen G., aged 39. They have a boarder and one domestic servant.

 

His brother Samuel, who was also educated at Clifton, was a sugar manufacturer, who lived 1883-1902 in Argentina, and played some cricket there.

 

(Article: Copyright © 2004 Don Ambrose)