Biography

William Taylor (c. 1833 – 1895)

William Taylor was born in Urquhart, Elginshire, Scotland. He was to be Otago’s first itinerant music master.

William trained as a teacher under Alexander Ayson, became a schoolmaster in Cromarty, then followed Ayson to Otago in 1865. He was appointed as a teacher at Northeast Valley.

Having some musical training and a fine singing voice, in 1867 William was appointed music master to visit schools throughout the province, following a recommendation by the Otago Education Board that singing should be taught in schools. The job of assistant inspector was added to his duties shortly afterwards. In April 1872, William left his work for the education board, to try farming and flax-dressing at Whare Flat; he spent a few years doing this until he accepted an appointment to the new Kensington School. In September 1875 the board reappointed him as a sub-inspector, then as inspector under the 1877 Education Act. William Taylor kept his genial disposition while working as an inspector, unlike most of the 19th century inspectors, and so won over the children he taught or inspected. One of his strategies was to challenge the class to hold a note, without taking a breath, to outlast him; they enjoyed this and so lost their shyness. William wrote about the improved teacher training in music which he advocated: “It has been my constant aim in every school I have attended, to have as many pupils as possible taught to sing at sight, or read music for themselves; for I am convinced that without this, no permanent interest in the matter will be maintained. The scholars must be so instructed as to enable them to proceed in some measure by themselves, independently of assistance from any other person, if ever a hearty relish for music is to be created, or an interest excited in it that will impel to progress in after life.”

William Taylor took an interest in the Volunteer movement of which he was a member and was a good marksman with a rifle. In 1868 he won the Rifle Championship of New Zealand while he was a sergeant in the Scotch Rifles.

On 11th October 1895, William Taylor became ill during his return trip home by train and tramcar from inspecting the Waihola Gorge School, and died at home in Northeast Valley of a heart attack in the early hours of 12th October. He was 62 when he died and he was survived by his wife, Jane Brown Tayor, and four children between the ages of 2 and 9 years. William’s funeral hearse was preceded by forty Northeast Valley boys carrying floral wreaths, all local schools were closed, and the cortege was accompanied by most of the town’s schoolmasters and many of his former pupils. William Taylor is buried here in the Northern Cemetery with his wife and two of their children.

(Biographical material supplied by George Griffiths and compiled by the Historic Cemeteries Conservation Trust)