Michael Angelo Taylor (1757 – 16 July 1834) was an English politician and MP for Poole. He favoured parliamentary reform and was made a privy councillor in 1831.

Life

He was a son of Sir Robert Taylor (1714–1788), the architect, and his wife Elizabeth, and was educated at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, becoming a barrister at Lincoln's Inn in 1774. He entered the House of Commons as Member of Parliament (MP) for Poole in 1784, and, with the exception of the short period from 1802 to 1806, remained a member of parliament until 1834, although not as the representative of the same constituency.

In Parliament Taylor showed himself anxious to curtail the delays in the Court of Chancery, and to improve the lighting and paving of the London streets; and he was largely instrumental in bringing about the abolition of the pillory. At first a supporter of the younger Pitt, he soon veered round to the side of Fox and the Whigs, favoured parliamentary reform, and was a personal friend of the regent, afterwards King George IV. He was on the committee which managed the Impeachment of Warren Hastings; was made a privy councillor in 1831; and died in London in July 1834.

Taylor is chiefly known in connection with the Metropolitan Paving Act 1817, which is still referred to as "Michael Angelo Taylor's Act". Often called "Chicken Taylor" because of his reference to himself as a "mere chicken in the law," he is described by Sir Spencer Walpole as "a pompous barrister, with a little body and a loud voice."

Michael Angelo challenged a codicil to his father's will, left unsigned when Sir Robert died in 1788, by means of which Sir Robert intended to gift £65,000 to the University of Oxford. The university did not receive the money, with which it built the Taylor Institution, until 1835, a year after Michael Angelo's own death.

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Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded byJoseph Gulston William Morton PittMember of Parliament for Poole 1784–1790 With: William Morton PittSucceeded byCharles Stuart Benjamin Lester
Preceded byWilliam à Court William EdenMember of Parliament for Heytesbury Dec 1790 – Mar 1791 With: William EdenSucceeded byEarl of Barrymore William Eden
Preceded byCharles Stuart Benjamin LesterMember of Parliament for Poole 1791–1796 With: Benjamin LesterSucceeded byCharles Stuart Benjamin Lester
Preceded byThomas Grenville Lord Grey of GorbyMember of Parliament for Aldeburgh 1796–1800 With: Sir John Aubrey, BtSucceeded byGeorge Johnstone Sir John Aubrey, Bt
Preceded bySir Henry Vane-Tempest, Bt Ralph LambtonMember of Parliament for City of Durham March 1800 – Dec 1800 With: Ralph LambtonSucceeded byParliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded byParliament of Great BritainMember of Parliament for City of Durham 1801–1802 With: Ralph LambtonSucceeded byRichard Wharton Ralph Lambton
Preceded bySir Arthur Wellesley Sir Charles Talbot, BtMember of Parliament for Rye 1806–1807 With: Patrick Crauford BruceSucceeded byEarl of Clancarty Sir John Nicholl
Preceded byNathaniel Saxon Sir William Manners, BtMember of Parliament for Ilchester 1807–1812 With: Richard Brinsley SheridanSucceeded byHon. John Ward George Philips
Preceded bySir Richard Bickerton, Bt Benjamin LesterMember of Parliament for Poole 1812–1818 With: Benjamin LesterSucceeded byJohn Dent Benjamin Lester
Preceded byRichard Wharton George AllanMember of Parliament for City of Durham 1818–1831 With: Richard Wharton to 1820 Sir Henry Hardinge 1820–30 Sir Roger Gresley, Bt 1830–31 William Chaytor from 1831Succeeded byArthur Trevor William Chaytor
Preceded byDigby Cayley Wrangham Sir John Walsh, BtMember of Parliament for Sudbury 1832–1834 With: Sir John Walsh, BtSucceeded bySir John Walsh, Bt Sr Edward Barnes