Travel Diary of Robert Arthur Taylor MP

This collection contains one item, a photocopy of Robert Taylor's diary of his journey to the West Indies, Canada and America, in 1928. It provides an insight into both his opinions of the trip, the scenery and, at times, his political views. Although his trip appears to have included some semi-official meetings with and welcomes by prominent figures from the places he was visiting, it would seem that this was not an official business trip.

Robert Arthur Taylor was born in Manchester in 1886. His family moved to Lincoln when he was 7 and back to Manchester when he was 12. Aged 13, he became an office boy before going into the tailoring trade. He studied economics at Ruskin College, Oxford and returned to Lincoln in 1904, where in 1912 he set up a tailoring business with his brother.

From 1913-1918 he was returned as a member of the City Council by Park Ward, until he enlisted. After the war he was re-elected and represented Park Ward until 1930 when he was raised to the Aldermanic Bench. He became Labour candidate for Lincoln in 1918 and was the first Labour MP for Lincoln between 1924 and 1931. He was also the first Labour Lord Mayor of Lincoln.

In Parliament he worked to promote Anglo-Russian trade and in February 1928 he was the author of a bill to amend the Shop Hours Act, although this was eventually blocked. After his defeat in the parliamentary election of 1931 he became an organiser for the Shop Assistants Union. He died after a short illness in 1934.

Access will be granted to any accredited reader

Copied with the permission of his daughter, Mrs A Walker, Beverley, 12 April 1976

File. Robert Arthur Taylor (1886-1934). [U DLB/4/62]