Thomas Taylor, Baron Taylor of Gryfe facts for kids

Thomas Johnston Taylor, Baron Taylor of Gryfe (born April 27, 1912 – died July 13, 2001) was an important British politician and businessman. People often called him Tom Taylor.

Who Was Tom Taylor?

Tom Taylor was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on April 27, 1912. His father was involved in politics, but he passed away when Tom was only three years old. Tom and his two siblings were then raised by their mother.

He went to Bellahouston Academy for his education. After school, his first job was working as an office boy for the Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Society. He later became the chairman of this society, which is a big achievement!

In 1931, Tom received a scholarship that allowed him to live in Germany. He went back to Germany later in his youth. During his time there in 1931, he joined the German Young Socialists. He was strongly against the rise of the Nazi Party, a very dangerous political group at the time. When the Second World War happened, Tom was a conscientious objector, meaning he believed it was wrong to fight in the war. Later in his life, he became a Quaker, a religious group known for its peaceful beliefs.

In 1977, Tom Taylor was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, which is a big honor for people who have done important work in science and knowledge.

He passed away on July 13, 2001.

Tom Taylor's Family Life

Tom Taylor married Isobel Wands in 1943. They had two daughters named Jill and Joyce.

Tom Taylor's Political Journey

When he was young, Tom Taylor was a member of the Independent Labour Party. In 1934, he was elected to the Glasgow City Council, becoming the youngest councillor the city had ever seen! He even ran for a seat in the British Parliament in 1941.

Over his life, Tom was part of several political parties. He joined the Labour Party, then the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and a group called the 'continuing' SDP. Finally, he returned to the Labour Party in 1990.

Tom Taylor had some strong opinions. He did not support Scottish devolution, which was about giving more power to Scotland's own government. Even though he didn't agree with a plan to privatize railways in 1993, he generally thought that privatization (when private companies run things instead of the government) was a good idea.

On January 29, 1968, he was given a special title: Baron Taylor of Gryfe. This made him a life peer, which meant he could have a seat in the House of Lords, a part of the British Parliament, for the rest of his life.

Tom Taylor's Business Roles

Beyond politics, Tom Taylor had a very busy career in business. He was the President of the Co-operative Wholesale Society in Scotland. He also led the UK Forestry Commission, which manages forests.

From 1971 to 1980, he was the chairman of Scottish Railways. He also chaired many other companies, including spending twelve years as the chairman of Morgan Grenfell Scotland, a major financial company.