Taylor , John , 1779-1863 , mining manager and entrepreneur

John Taylor was born in Norwich in 1779. The son of the yarn manufacturer and nonconformist minister John Taylor (1750-1826) and his wife Susanna née Cook (1755-1823). He trained as a land surveyor and civil engineer and became successful in the field of metal mining and a leading exponent of new mining technology. Taylor was also deeply interested in mining development overseas and in scientific education. He was a fellow of the Royal Society, a prominent member of the Geological Society of London and the Institution of Civil Engineers, and helped to found both the University of London and the British Association for the Advancement of Science. Several of his siblings were also prominent in engineering, printing and the arts.