Fawcett Gowler Taylor (1878-1940)

Lawyer, MLA (1921-1922), MLA (1923-1927), MLA (1927-1932), MLA (1933-1936), judge.

Born at Meadow Lea, Manitoba on 29 April 1878, son of William Taylor and Marietta Jane Taylor, he was educated at Winnipeg public schools. He was a law student with N. F. Hagel, K.C., Winnipeg, and W. J. Cooper, K.C., Portage la Prairie. He was called to the Manitoba Bar in 1900, after which he practiced with W. J. Cooper, K.C. from 1900 to 1902, then practiced alone until 1910, when he entered partnership with J. R. Colwill. He was a solicitor to the Merchants Bank (Portage la Prairie), Great West Life Assurance Company (Winnipeg), the British Columbia Permanent Loan Company (Vancouver) and the Empire Loan Company.

On 13 December 1901, he married Mabel Agnes Dykeman.

He served as an alderman of the City of Portage la Prairie in 1905, 1908 and 1909, and Mayor of Portage la Prairie in 1910. He served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in World War One, in France with the 1^st C.M.R., being awarded the Distinguished Service Order. He was first elected to the Manitoba Legislature in 1920, re-elected in 1922, chosen Leader of the Opposition in April 1922. He declined to join acoalition government in 1931. In 1933 he was appointed to the Court of King’s Bench and was replaced in the Manitoba Legislature by William Raymond Sexsmith.

Taylor died on 1 January 1940, in Winnipeg.

Sources:

Who’s Who in Western Canada: A Biographical Dictionary of Notable Living Men and Women of Western Canada, Volume 1, 1911. C. W. Parker, editor. Canadian Press Association, Vancouver.

Profile revised: 28 August 2009

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