Frederick Williams-Taylor
Sir Frederick Williams-Taylor | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada |
| Died | August 2, 1945 (aged 81) Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Occupation | Banker |
| Known for | General Manager of the Bank of Montreal |
Sir Frederick Williams-Taylor (October 23, 1863 – August 2, 1945) was a prominent Canadian banker who served as the general manager of the Bank of Montreal.
Early life
Born on October 23, 1863, in Moncton, New Brunswick, Frederick was the son of Ezekiel Moore Taylor, who hailed from County Donegal, Ireland, and Rosaline Taylor (née Beatty) of Moncton.
His paternal lineage traces back to Capt. Moore of Buncrana Castle in Inishowen, Ireland, with connections to William Thornton-Todd—the heir to notable Montreal merchant Isaac Todd and British Army officer William Thornton. On his mother's side, his great-grandfather was Joseph Morse, among the early settlers of Nova Scotia. However, this Irish heritage has not been definitively verified.
Williams-Taylor completed his education at Moncton Superior School before entering the workforce in 1878. In recognition of his accomplishments, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the University of New Brunswick in 1914.
Career
Beginning his career at the Bank of Montreal in 1878, Williams-Taylor rose through the ranks to become Assistant Inspector at the Head Office by 1897. He was appointed Joint Manager of the bank’s Chicago branch in 1903 and advanced to Manager in London, England by 1906. His promotion to General Manager occurred in 1913.
That same year, King George V bestowed a knighthood upon him. Following this honor, he adopted a hyphenated surname by combining his middle name with his original family name. Additionally, he received an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of New Brunswick in 1915.
Personal life
Williams-Taylor was notably accomplished in sports such as skating, rowing, tennis, squash, and racquets. In 1886, he served as stroke for the Wanderers’ four-oared rowing crew in Halifax.
In June 1888, he wed Jane Fayrer Henshaw (1868–1950), daughter of Joshua Henshaw from Montreal. The couple had two children:
- Brenda Germaine Henshaw Williams-Taylor (1889–1948), who married Frank Duff Frazier from a distinguished Boston family in 1917. After their divorce in 1926, Brenda remarried twice—first to Frederic Newell Watriss (1871–1938) and later to Henry Pierrepont Perry (1878–1966) in 1942.
- Frederick Travers Williams-Taylor (1894–1926), who served as a Lieutenant with the 13th Hussars during World War I and later with the Sudan Defence Force.
Shortly before Brenda’s December 1917 wedding in Montreal, Lady Williams-Taylor was portrayed by Swiss-American society painter Adolfo Muller-Ury at his residence in Nassau, Bahamas. The Williams-Taylors maintained close friendships with the Duke of Windsor and Duchess of Windsor during their time living in the Bahamas.
Williams-Taylor passed away on August 2, 1945, in Montreal, Quebec.
Descendants
His daughter Brenda was the mother of Brenda Frazier (1921–1982), a well-known American debutante during the Great Depression era.