Researching Peter Taylor

In his obituary for Taylor, Tony Sloman gives several examples to illustrate Taylor's editing. He writes:

Taylor won an Academy Award for Best Film Editing for The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), which was placed as the 36th best American film ever made in the 2007 American Film Institute listing. David Lean directed the film, about whom Ken Dancyger has noted that, "Lean may have made few films, but his influence has far exceeded those numbers. The role of editing in his films may help explain that influence." Lean himself had begun his own career as a film editor. Sloman comments on the relationship of Lean, Taylor, and the film's editing:

Taylor moved to Rome, Italy around 1966. He edited three films with Italian director Franco Zeffirelli; both La Traviata (1983) and Otello (1986) were nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Film.

One of Taylor's main botanical focuses was the genus Utricularia. He authored many species in the genus and provided the most comprehensive monograph on the genus in 1986 and revised in 1989 as The genus Utricularia - a taxonomic monograph. The bladderworts Utricularia petertaylorii and Utricularia tayloriana are named in his honour, as are Acacia taylorii, Chaetopoa taylorii, Genlisea taylorii, Indigofera taylorii, Karina tayloriana, Platystele taylorii, Phyllanthus taylorianus, and Spermacoce taylorii. Genlisea subgen. Tayloria (and by extension Genlisea sect. Tayloria) are also named after him.

Taylor was born in 1984 in Lower Hutt; he lives in Days Bay. In 2006 along with Graham Oberlin-Brown he became the Under 23 World Champion in the men's lightweight double sculls, and in doing so set a new world under 23 best time.

Partnering Storm Uru he finished 7th in the men's lightweight double sculls at the 2008 Summer Olympics. The pair bettered this result at the 2012 Summer Olympics, winning the bronze medal in the same event.

In February 2011, Taylor caused an upset win when he became New Zealand national champion in the lightweight men's single sculls at Lake Ruataniwha, beating triple world champion Duncan Grant.

At the 2013 World Rowing Championships held at Tangeum Lake, Chungju in South Korea, he won a silver medal in the lightweight men's four with James Hunter, Curtis Rapley, and James Lassche. At the 2014 World Rowing Championships held at Bosbaan, Amsterdam, he won a silver medal in the lightweight men's four with James Hunter, Alistair Bond, and Curtis Rapley.

Taylor retired from rowing after competing at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Taylor was educated at Clifton College and Queens' College, Cambridge; and the London College of Divinity. He was ordained deacon in 1970 and priest in 1971. After curacies at St Augustine's Highbury and St Andrew's, Plymouth he was vicar of Christ Church, Ironville, from 1977 to 1983. He was rector of Holy Trinity, Rayleigh, from Chelmsford from 1983 to 1996; chaplain of HM Prison Bullwood Hall from 1986 to 1990; and Rural Dean of Rochford from 1989 to 1996.

Taylor was the second son of Robert Taylor, a grocer of Wells, Somerset and was born on 11 November 1714. In 1728 he was apprenticed to Charles Lewis, a goldsmith of Wincanton, Somerset. He married Jane Holt, probably at the non-conformist Somerset House chapel, on 22 April 1740. In 1755 he was a silversmith at Cecil Street on the Strand, London. By 1756 he knew politicians Henry Fox and John Calcraft and was making himself useful to Fox. When the Seven Years' War broke out in 1757 he was appointed Deputy Paymaster in Germany where he spent five years. He was at times dealing with £150,000 a month and questions were raised about his conduct. He returned to England in 1763 with poor reputation but possessing a large fortune. He acquired an estate at Burcott, near Wells, and in 1764 another at Purbrook Park, near Portsmouth. There he considerably improved the land and built an “elegant mansion” designed by Sir Robert Taylor in about 1770. He wanted a seat in Parliament but this was to crown his success rather than to do anything useful there.

In 1765, when Lord Digby the sitting Member for Wells was raised to the peerage, Taylor declared himself a candidate. The campaign lasted several months, and it became a very fierce contest. Taylor's son Robert Paris Taylor was High Sheriff of Somerset in 1765–6 so Taylor's party was able to take possession of the writ. Rival polls were held and Taylor was returned as Member of Parliament for Wells. He was then unseated on 15 January 1766, and his petition was rejected. His opponents then created create a large number of honorary freemen, who could vote and he was defeated after another expensive contest when he stood again for Wells in 1768. A vacancy occurred at Portsmouth in March 1774, and Taylor declared himself a candidate having gained the support of Administration. He was opposed by Joshua Iremonger, but defeated him at the by-election on 29 March 1774, and again at the 1774 general election. Taylor does not appear to have spoken in Parliament.

Taylor died on 3 November 1777. He had at least one son who was alleged to have got drunk twice a day.