Time Travellers in Essendon, Flemington and the Keilor Plains

Biographies

James Taylor.  Image from Dear Annie by Elizabeth Elson.

James Taylor was born Scotland in 1849 and arrived in 1857. In 1860 he began work at McCracken Breweries and rose to be Secretary (General Manager) of the firm. His partial deafness prevented an entry into the wider political scene however he was elected Councillor for the Essendon ward in 1882 and served for 14 years being Mayor on three occasions. He was liberal in outlook and chair of Alfred Deakin’s local committee for twenty years. Direct of purpose, he never feared to proclaim his views or stick to his point. He was regarded as a genial and large-hearted man who took an intelligent part in every public movement and was seldom absent from any community function. He took office in the Essendon Ladies Benevolent Society, the Board of Advice, the Essendon Cricket, Bowling and Tennis Club, the Vigilance Committee. He was also a Freemason and founder member and Elder of the Ascot Vale Presbyterian Church. The family lived in Nicholson St, Essendon. Taylor lost heavily when McCracken’s Brewery was caught up in the schemes of Benjamin Fink who became secretly insolvent in 1893, paying ½d in the pound on debts of  £1,520,000. However Taylor recovered somewhat and left an estate of £8122 when he died unexpectedly in 1902.

© Marilyn Kenny, 2015

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