Researching Claude Taylor

Born in Salisbury, New Brunswick, he graduated as a Registered Industrial Accountant from McGill University in 1953. He started at Air Canada in 1949 as a reservation agent and would become President and CEO from 1976 to 1984. From 1984 to 1992, he was Chairman of the Board. He was President & CEO again from 1990 to 1992. He was President of the International Air Transport Association from 1979 to 1980.

In 2006, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada for having "turned Air Canada into a world leader in air transportation and, through his leadership of professional organizations at home and abroad". In 1985, he was inducted into Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame. He has received honorary degrees from the University of New Brunswick and McMaster University. He was also a Commander of the Order of St. John.

Taylor was born in London, the son of John Henry Taylor. He was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge. At Cambridge he was librarian of the Pitt Club. He rowed for Cambridge in the Boat Race in 1901, 1902 and 1903. He was president of Cambridge University Boat Club (CUBC) in 1902 and Cambridge won the race in 1902 and 1903. In 1902 Taylor won the Silver Goblets at Henley Royal Regatta with William Dudley Ward. He won Silver Goblets again in 1904, this time partnering Claude Goldie.

Taylor served in the First World War in the 3rd Battalion, Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment. He was a captain and brevet major in the Special Reserve of Officers. Taylor was Mentioned in Despatches four times and awarded the Distinguished Service Order in 1919. He was awarded the Order of the Redeemer, 4th Class and the Medal of Military Merit, 3rd Class by the Kingdom of Greece. He was also awarded the Order of the White Eagle with Swords, 4th Class by the Kingdom of Serbia. He was made CBE in 1919, and relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920.

Taylor was subsequently General Manager of the Carthagena Railway in Panama.

Taylor married Margaret Edyth Syra Jameson of Sunninghill, Berkshire.

Taylor made his first-class debut for Leicestershire against Sussex in the 1922 County Championship, after completing five seasons in the First XI at Westminster School. His school record in his final year was among the very strongest in the country, and he took six wickets when Charterhouse were dismissed before lunch for 25 on a plum wicket at Vincent Square. That autumn he began reading Classics at Christ Church, Oxford, and the following summer made his first-class debut for Oxford University Cricket Club against Lancashire. He made history in this year by becoming the first freshman to score a century in The University Match, making 109 against Cambridge University. He gained his Oxford Blue in the 1923 season. Taylor went on to make 42 first-class appearances for the university, the last of which came against Cambridge University in 1926. During his time playing for Oxford, Taylor scored 2,018 runs at an average of 28.42, making 5 half centuries and 5 centuries, with a top score of 115. This score came against Sussex in 1923. As an occasional bowler, Taylor took 14 wickets at a bowling average of 34.07, with best figures of 2/9.

While studying at Oxford, Taylor continued to play for Leicestershire at the end of each academic year. In 1924, when he played the second half of the season for Leicestershire, Taylor was notable for being the only Leicestershire batsman to score a century in that season, when he scored 123 against Hampshire at the County Ground, Southampton. He continued to play for Leicestershire until the end of the 1927 season, by which time he had made 45 first-class appearances for the county. In these, he had scored 1,327 runs at an average of 21.06, with three half centuries and four centuries, with his highest score being the 123 he made against Hampshire in 1924. With the ball, his occasional leg spin took 7 wickets at an average of 56.71, with best figures of 2/6. He also appeared in a single first-class match for the Free Foresters in 1927 against his former university.

Taylor would appear in minor county cricket nearly twenty years later, appearing for Buckinghamshire after World War II, with his debut coming against Dorset in the 1946 Minor Counties Championship. He made 15 further Minor Counties Championship appearances for Buckinghamshire, the last of which came against Bedforshire in 1947. On occasion he also captained Buckinghamshire. For many years he was a schoolmaster at Eton College, where Henry Blofeld was among the pupils he coached. Along with Buckinghamshire team-mate and fellow Eton master David Macindoe, he was the joint-author of the book Cricket Dialogue.

Taylor married Margaret Peebles, the sister of the English Test cricketer Ian Peebles. He died in Sherfield on Loddon, Hampshire, on 28 January 1966.