Sir Thomas Murray Taylor (1897–1962) was a 20th-century Scottish advocate and university administrator. He was a devout Christian and active member of the

United Free Church of Scotland The United Free Church of Scotland (UF Church; gd, An Eaglais Shaor Aonaichte, sco, The Unitit Free Kirk o Scotland) is a Scottish Presbyterian denomination formed in 1900 by the union of the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland (or UP) and ...

. When this amalgamated with the

Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland. The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Reformation of 1560, when it split from the Catholic Church ...

in 1929 he adopted the latter faith, becoming a church elder in 1936. From 1945 he served on the Executive Committee of the

World Council of Churches The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a worldwide Christian inter-church organization founded in 1948 to work for the cause of ecumenism. Its full members today include the Assyrian Church of the East, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, most ju ...

. He served as the Principal of the University of Aberdeen between 1948 and 1962. The Taylor Building and Taylor Library at the University of Aberdeen School of Law is named in his honour.

Life

He was born in

Keith, Banffshire Keith (Scottish Gaelic: ''Baile Chèith'', or ''Cèith Mhaol Rubha'' (archaic)) is a small town in the Moray council area in north east Scotland. It has a population of 4,734. Keith is historically in Banffshire, a name which persists in com ...

on 27 May 1897 the only son of John Taylor, a cattle farmer and wholesale cattle dealer, and his wife, Jenny Nichol Murray. He was educated at Banff Grammar School then studied Classics at

Aberdeen University , mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom , established = , type = Public research universityAncient university , endowment = £58.4 million (2021) , budget ...

. He was exempted from military service in the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

due to a weak heart. He graduated MA in 1919 then (using a Ferguson Scholarship and intending a career in politics) took a second degree in Law, graduating LLB in 1922. He specialised in

jurisprudence Jurisprudence, or legal theory, is the theoretical study of the propriety of law. Scholars of jurisprudence seek to explain the nature of law in its most general form and they also seek to achieve a deeper understanding of legal reasoning a ...

and

constitutional law Constitutional law is a body of law which defines the role, powers, and structure of different entities within a state, namely, the executive, the parliament or legislature, and the judiciary; as well as the basic rights of citizens and, in fe ...

. He was created an advocate in 1924 and practised in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...

. He joined the Labour Party in 1928 and stood as its candidate for

Cathcart Cathcart ( sco, Kithcart, gd, Coille Chart)
is an are ...

in 1930. He left Edinburgh in 1935 to become Professor of Law at

Aberdeen University , mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom , established = , type = Public research universityAncient university , endowment = £58.4 million (2021) , budget ...

. During this period (in 1944) he was created a Commander of the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(CBE). He "took silk" as a King's Counsel in 1945. He then left academia to become Sheriff of Argyll then in 1948 became Sheriff of Renfrew. In 1948 he returned to academia as Principal and Vice Chancellor of Aberdeen University. In 1953 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were

William Ogilvy Kermack William Ogilvy Kermack FRS FRSE FRIC (26 April 1898 – 20 July 1970) was a Scottish biochemist. He made mathematical studies of epidemic spread and established links between environmental factors and specified diseases. He is noteworthy for ...

, Ernest Cruickshank,

James Robert Matthews James Robert Matthews FRSE FLS CBE LLD (1889–1978) was a 20th-century Scottish botanist. He was president of the British Ecological Society in 1934 and president of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh 1939 to 1942. Life He was born in the vil ...

and Thomas Phemister. He was knighted the following year. Over and above his church work he also chaired the UK Commission of Prevention of War in an Atomic Age 1960/61. He retired in 1962 and died in Aberdeen on 19 July 1962.

Family

In 1939 he married Dr Helen Margaret Jardine, daughter of Rev David Little Jardine of

Durisdeer Durisdeer is a small village in Dumfries and Galloway, south-west Scotland, and in the historic county of Dumfries-shire. It lies north of Thornhill, above the Carron Water, a tributary of the Nith. History A Roman road once passed through th ...

. They could not have children but adopted a son in 1944 and daughter in 1945.

Publications

*''The Discipline of Virtue'' (1954) *''Where One Man Stands'' (1960)

References

1897 births 1962 deaths Alumni of the University of Aberdeen Academics of the University of Aberdeen Principals of the University of Aberdeen Scottish lawyers Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh {{Scotland-reli-bio-stub