Sophia Taylor
| Sophia Taylor | |
|---|---|
Sophia Taylor
|
|
| Born |
Sophia Louisa Davis 2 July 1847 Kaitaia, New Zealand |
| Died | 24 January 1930 (aged 82) Alberton, Mount Albert, Auckland |
| Nationality | New Zealand |
| Occupation | landowner |
| Known for | suffragist, hostess |
Sophia Louisa Taylor (2 July 1847 – 24 January 1930) was a New Zealand suffragist and landowner.
She was born Sophia Davis in Kaitaia, Northland, New Zealand in 1847. Her parents were the private tutor John Davis, who worked for the Matthews and Puckey missionary families, and Mary Ann Cryer. In 1855 William Gilbert Puckey dismissed her father from his position and the family consequently moved to Auckland.
She married Allan Kerr Taylor, a widower with substantial land holdings who was 15 years her senior, on 8 June 1865. They resided at his farmhouse, Alberton, in Mount Albert. They had six daughters and four sons, born between 1866 and 1888.
The family was actively engaged in St Luke's Church, following the Anglican faith, whilst Allan Taylor's father and three half brothers were all Presbyterian. Allan Kerr Taylor's three half brothers also lived in Auckland - all near the Tamaki River: Charles John Taylor at Glen Orchard (now St Heliers), William Innes Taylor at Glen Innes, and Richard James Taylor at Glen Dowie. The names of their properties later became the names of the suburbs.
It is probably to differentiate themselves from the main part of the family that the Mt Albert Talyors adopted Allan's middle name as part of their surname - becoming the Kerr Taylors or Kerr-Taylors. This may well have simply grown out of the social conventions of the period.
The family gave the land for the church in the early 1870s and donated the church bells. St Luke's Church was registered with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust on 7 April 1983 as a Category II heritage building with registration number 681.
Alberton was expanded to an 18-room mansion in the 1870s and became known for the garden parties, hunts, and other entertainments held there.
Although Allan had two children in his first marriage, both died in their first year, before his marriage to Sophia.
Allan and Sophia's first child was Vincent Frederick (9 July 1866 – 25 May 1920). He attended Auckland Grammar School. He married Amy Evelyn Turner and they had a son, Colin Vivan (1906–1984). He died suddenly in 1920.
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